Reviews (2)

Probably your best option for now, but . . .
Having just returned from three weeks in China and Taiwan, I can report that the Lonely Planet Guide to Taiwan is generally helpful and reliable, but it's hardly the ideal guide and often is entirely counter-intuitive.For instance, there is a section on p. 31 consiting of five paragraphs on the topic of population.And yet nowhere in that section do the authors tell us what the population of Taiwan actually is.For that bit of information, we have to look at a sidebar on p. 19 entitled "Fast Facts."There seems to be a presumption that the traveller will read through the entire guide from front to back, rather than use the book as a reference guide.Similarly, the maps are less than ideal, and the spare use of color plates does little to provide any real information (color maps of Taipei would have been far more useful).Given that the authors judge the National Palace Museum as a "must-see" (and they're right about that), it would have been nice if they had mentioned that the museum will be undergoing major renovations from 2004-2006 (providing a website address for the museum also would've been helpful).
Star of the Sea
"Taiwan sees a lot of change in one generation. And here, three years is one generation."
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Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Taiwan    5. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (1)

do not get involed with local politics
in the book, it said that the attemp assasination to the president-elect Chen of 2004 presidential election is a "election drama", also it said some people in Taipei do not like people to call them Taiwanese. Those claims seem rootless, can you call people who live in Taiwan Chinese, it's like calling people who live in Singapore Chinese. We have chinese ethnic in Taipei, of course, but making "Taiwanese" a negative term is insulting all Taiwanese inhabitants here. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Taiwan    2. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (7)

Clear bias in the explanation of Taiwan's history
Admittedly, I have only read the first couple chapters of the book, so please take the following review with a grain of salt.
Taipei different than presented
I read this book before setting off for four months in Taipei. This book led me to believe that finding Western items would be much harder than it is. (For example, I have had no trouble finding towels which it said weren't to be found). Also, there's a Costco, Fnac, and several warehouse style shops just outside of the city where you can find just about anything you need. And the streets are littered with Western-style food chains (McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, KFC, a few Chili's, Pizza Huts and TGIFriday's). One thing the book didn't mention is that there is a convenience store on every corner practically, but there are stores called "Wellcome" that have lots more stuff for a half or a third of the price--well worth finding the one near you soon! Good narrative, not always on the mark
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Subjects:  1. Reference - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - General   

Reviews (2)

J. Holbrook
This book had excellent pictures and background information.For a resource to read before you go it is informative and helpful but as a resource on the ground it lacks some details.I did find the resources in the very back helpful.I used the book to plan the generals of my trip but relied on tour gides and local friends for the details.I liked this book, it was helpful and I'm glad I bought it but I don't recommend it to be your only resource on Taiwan.

Nice pictures, but not so useful
This guide is full of pretty pictures and nice background text, but practically useless on the ground.For all the information that this book contains you will have a hard time getting where you want to go.Unless your destination is on the MRT (subway) or Taipei City buses, there are no directions.The maps are so general that only major highways are included.Forget trying to navigate street level.Worst of all, many of the destinations are named in English and the Romanized Chinese, but there aren?t any characters for you to point at when conversing locals.Taiwanese taxi drivers are great, but that won't help if you can't tell them where to go! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Asia - Far East    3. General    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel / Asia / Far East   

Reviews (1)

The must-hav-right-now gay guide
Only the naive would believe that modernization brought homosexuality to Japan. The Utopia Guide to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan introduces the present state of homosexuality in East Asia, via its historical and literary vintage, and brings it to a manageable head in this must-have handbook. Drink deep!
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Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. ASIA    5. Gay men    6. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY    7. Travel / Asia / General   

Reviews (6)

A Must-read for Those Who Wanting Inside Info
Beside many detailed maps and interesting photos, this book also contains wonderful essays showing the authors' "inside" knowledge of Taiwan's history and culture, apparently written by expat residents who have lived in Taiwan for many years.
Good Photos, but Insufferably Inadequate Travel Guide
Although the photographs are brilliant, and the descriptions of Taiwan's more famous sights are interesting; the practical travel necessities are sorely lacking.
Misrepresentation of Taiwanese
I think this book has great photos and perhaps the places are well known...but it needs to present both Mandarin and Taiwanese pronunciations because BOTH languages are widely used in Taiwan.The author apparently has been misinformed...and brainwashed by the Nationalist Party and KMT's textbook version of who the Taiwanese are.It treats Taiwanese as just ethnic "Chinese" and fails to discuss the DUAL ancestral heritage of the Taiwanese.It fails to discuss that the Hoklo (Hokkien)and Hakka who came to Taiwan and intermarried with women of the then existing Lowland Aboriginal peoples (pingpu) who lived over much of western Taiwan.It also fails to acknowledge even 100% pure aboriginal households who were forced to assimilate into the Hoklo culture from Fujian during Cheng-Kung's time.Like I said...Dual Ancestry.Check out DNA studies by George Mackay...and a brochure from US called "The Taiwanese Americans".Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Asia - Far East    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. Taiwan    7. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (1)

A must
Ths is a must for people who want to venture out alone! No GPS maps so qstick to the wide lines! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Travel    2. ASIA    3. Maps, charts & atlases    4. Taiwan    5. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Subjects:  1. Taiwan    2. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Asian - General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900    7. China    8. History / China    9. c 1700 to c 1800    10. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (1)

An Indispensible Tool!
This map is great! Not only is it clear and easy to read, but is written in English AND Chinese, so you can get help from native speakers when necessary! But above all that, it maps out hotels, restaurants, shops (mostly bilingually as well) etc making it a whole lot easier to plan your day. And joy of joys,it has the MRT subway marked as well.The only possible thing that I could've wished for would be buslines, but I think that would made the map to 'busy' perhaps ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Maps & Road Atlases    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Taiwan    6. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Editorial Review

Asia has the fastest growing economy on the globe, so it's nosurprise that professional women are traveling there with greaterfrequency. But doing business in Asia is a delicate balancing act for awoman, since the region's traditional attitudes about a "woman'splace" can pose special problems. In Read more

Reviews (2)

Very Useful for frequent or first time traveler to Asia.
I studied this book for 2 weeks before my first trip to Korea and Hong Kong. Wow! Very informative with lots of basic but important details about meeting rituals, business card etiquette and tons more! My Boss who hasbeen traveling to Asia for 16 years wants a copy of this fabulous book!

A must read for women traveling to the "Four Tigers".
Our consulting staff recommends this book to all business women travelling to Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea. For each country, it covers rules of business and social etiquette, gift-giving, how to handle what westerners consider to be sexual harassment, a list of recommended hotels, restaurants and "in" nightspots, and helpful suggestions on how to conduct business successfully in the local culture. Truly a bargain at this price. John R. Jagoe, Director, Export Institute. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia    2. Asia - General    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business Life - General    5. Businesswomen    6. Corporate culture    7. General    8. International - General    9. International Business    10. Sociology    11. Travel    12. Women In Management    13. Women in business    14. Business strategy    15. Gender studies    16. International trade   

Reviews (16)

Still A Handy Tool For an Ex-Pat
Although I have been living in Taiwan for nearly 16 months, I still take LP Taiwan Guide along for weekend trips, and even jaunts to nearby cities, regardless of how many times I've visited.
Love foodcourts?
I have to begin by admitting that I love to hate the tone of some Lonely Planet guides--an edition for Japan from the early 1990s distinguished itself by one of author's disdain for touring Japan!
Lacks even the most essential practical information
Taiwan being one of the few Asian countries I have not yet been to, I bought this book for advance planning.Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Asia - Far East    3. Guidebooks    4. Taiwan    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. China    8. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Taiwan    2. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Reviews (3)

Handy for college students
This book was quite a handy reference manual while I was attending Ming Chuan Univeristy...quite a different culture than Austrailia!

passport taiwan
please send this article to me as soon as possible, i need this information to do my assignment. thank you

a great book for future visitors to taiwan
being an american, i find the book extremely useful while i was visiting a friend in taipei ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Asia - Far East    3. Business etiquette    4. Corporate culture    5. Customs & Traditions    6. Exports & Imports    7. Industrial management    8. Social aspects    9. Taiwan    10. Travel    11. Travel - Foreign    12. Business & Management    13. China    14. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY   

Subjects:  1. Maps    2. Reference / Maps    3. Taiwan    4. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Subjects:  1. Travel    2. Taiwan    3. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (1)

An engaging memoir about Taiwan during a tumultuous time in
"The view was wondrous. High mountains rose straight up before me, and as I watched, a flock of white birds...winged their way together across the face of the nearest mountain. It was a Chinese painting in motion."
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Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Essays & Travelogues    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. China    6. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY    7. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Bicycle touring    3. Bicycle trails    4. China    5. Cycling    6. Cycling - General    7. Guidebooks    8. Travel    9. Travel - Foreign    10. Travel Guides    11. Hong Kong    12. Taiwan    13. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Maps & Road Atlases    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Taiwan    6. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Asia - Far East    3. Guidebooks    4. Hong Kong (China)    5. Taiwan    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY