Friendly info team at Taiwan's Taoyuan Airport are eager to help

Taiwan is a gorgeous country where, outside of a few major population areas, relatively few speak English, a difference for the Westerner used to being understood in Southeast Asia or Asia Minor. Unlike Thailand or Turkey, asking directions on the streets in Taiwan generally won’t even get you fractured English We here at WoWasis wanted to rent a car at Taipei’s Taoyuan airport, but we couldn’t do it in advance on Travelocity. Look ma, no rental car counters! Actually, they do have counters, but we never saw a person behind them. But our problem was solved via the friendly, efficient, and English speaking woman who worked at the Terminal 2 Departures Information Desk on the 3^rd floor, your best bet for point through the car rental process. The friendliness and effectiveness of the people working that counter is legendary, but ensure that you’re at the right one. There’s another inside the arrivals area that isn’t always manned, so make sure you go to 3^rd Floor departures and start there.  Here’s what we found as we rented our car for touring Taiwan:

1)      Car rental counters (there are at last two) aren’t manned. At least they weren’t when we were there.

2)      Go to the Information counter, Terminal 2, 3^rd Floor departures lounge. There, the attendant called a rental company, translated everything in both directions. She even became our “voice” when we said the price was out of line with what we wanted to pay.

3)      Cars aren’t located at the airport, they’re in nearby locations, such as the Taoyuan High Speed Rail station. You have to be driven there.

4)      There’s a book store that sells maps upstairs at Terminal 2, next to Burger King. The Taiwan Map King is the better of the two you’ll find there, but it’s still damn hard to read, not very good in general (although a better situation that you’ll find in the Philippines). When driving, you’ll be using a combination of asking directions and using your map. Bring a GPS if you have one.

5)      Driving is on the right hand side, just like the U.S. Taiwan’s roads and drivers are good. Although English signage is not comprehensive, you won’t get badly lost, as the island isn’t all that big. Some folks recommend just hiring a car and driver, and doing away with the hassle. We like to do our own driving and exploring. If you do, either bring along a fellow traveller to read the map while you’re driving, or get used to occasionally pulling over to piece it all together yourself.

If this all sounds unworth it, consider this: there aren’t that many countries in Asia with great road systems that are relatively untrammeled by western visitors. Taiwan happens to be one of these, and you’ll still go whole days here without seeing a westerner, once you’re out of highly populated cites.  Taiwan’s a unique experience, and a car’s a great way to go.

Additional note: At Taipei’s Taoyuan airport, you can buy your telephone SIM from FarEasTone, located a few steps away from the tourist information counter, Terminal 2, 3^rd level Departures.