Lessons learnt from solo travelling in Taiwan — from a Muslim woman who doesn’t communicate Mandarin ????
Seeing my older sisters solo journey has impressed me to have it on my bucket checklist as nicely. They would come again with the good tales — like being ‘adopted’ and fed by a Korean household whereas mountain climbing up Hallasan.
As luck would have it, considered one of my assignments at The Travel Intern was to solo journey in Taiwan!
I felt a complete mess of pleasure, nervousness, and apprehension. How was I to navigate a rustic I’d by no means been to and whose language I didn’t communicate?
Another concern I had was the principally non-halal delicacies.
To my shock, Taiwan is an underrated Muslim-friendly vacation spot! On prime quality of Halal licensed and Muslim-friendly eateries, locals are conscious of Muslim dietary restrictions and are completely satisfied to advise you on whether or not one thing is permissible to eat.
Solo travelling in Taiwan for the primary time was simpler than I anticipated. The pleasant locals and accepting vibe of Taiwan makes it the right vacation spot for a first-time solo travelling expertise for Muslims.
1) People are variety and able to assist
It was nearly 10PM after I arrived at Taipei Main Station and I couldn’t discover the exit to my resort. Pacing round a bit, studying the station map time and again, I used to be beginning to sweat a little bit.
A sort soul noticed me struggling and requested if I wanted assist. Thanks to him, I discovered that my resort’s exit was solely accessible by stairs. He led me to the closest exit with an elevator and walked me all the best way to my resort to ensure I made it safely.
I don’t know if it’s as a result of I used to be alone, as a result of I’ve an “I need help” face or if the Taiwanese are typically pleasant, however I seen individuals had been variety and able to assist every time I wanted it.
My first time using the bus was barely nerve-racking.
The station bulletins had been in Mandarin — and it wasn’t matching the stations on Google Maps.
I turned to a stranger to ask if I used to be heading the suitable approach and she or he shortly checked her telephone for instructions. She confirmed that I used to be going the suitable approach and provided to tell me when it was my cease. She gave a pleasant, “Bye-bye!” once we parted.
The worst factor that’ll occur once you ask for assistance is a ‘no’. So don’t be afraid to ask for assist or obtain assist as a result of more often than not, persons are fairly cool about it!
2) You don’t have to know Mandarin to get round Taiwan
While dinning at Uncle Ma’s, I wished to separate the marinated beef from the Shao Bing. My verbal request was met with a clean face so I attempted to make elaborate gestures.
When gestures didn’t assist, I resorted to utilizing Google Translate and that solved the confusion.
On one other event, a retailer attendant at Huashan 1914 Creative Park began to speak to me in Mandarin and I didn’t perceive a factor. Turns out she was simply telling me that I may strive something within the retailer. We laughed it off as soon as we understood one another through Google Translate.
Although Taiwan primarily speaks Mandarin Chinese, communication wasn’t a problem for me. Younger locals have a great grasp of English whereas older ones perceive key phrases.
Don’t be afraid to take your time to make use of an app like Google Translate too. It’s fairly an environment friendly option to talk — I used it every time I had particular or distinctive questions.
3) Your group will discover you
Whenever I journey, I concern I’d be racially profiled. I’m a woman and I put on the Hijab — an immediate goal. I believed I’d stick out however one thing that took me without warning was the quantity of native Taiwanese Muslims within the nation.
I’m used to assuming that Muslims are principally from the Middle East, South Asia or the Malay Archipelago. So, I used to be at all times shocked and excited every time a Taiwanese particular person — principally homeowners and employees of Halal eating places — greeted me with “Assalamualaikum (Peace be upon you)”.
It’s a small factor, nevertheless it at all times made me really feel much less alone.
In one other occasion, I used to be given a free dessert from Kedai Bakso Ma’e — though I solely acquired a small snack.
As I used to be leaving, the Indonesian proprietor requested if I wished chendol — which I used to be able to pay for — however stated she’d give it to me “GRATIS (FREE)”! How candy! She advised me she simply wished to assist one other Muslim and was completely satisfied {that a} Singaporean got here to dine in. She then wished me success in life ????
4) Locals are nicely knowledgeable about Muslim dietary restrictions
My hijab was useful as an indicator of my dietary restrictions. Solo travelling in Taiwan for Muslims couldn’t be simpler with the Taiwanese actually taking their ‘Muslim-friendly environment’ significantly — locals are fairly educated on our dietary restrictions!
I had an occasion the place a vendor at Raohe Night Market insisted that I couldn’t devour his meals because it contained pork, whereas one other avenue vendor stated “You Muslim, okay!” to guarantee me that his meals was vegetarian.
But apart from counting on the locals that will help you out, it goes with out saying that you must at all times do your analysis concerning the halal meals obtainable.
Prior to my journey, I reached out to the native Muslim group for Halal meals strategies in Taipei. I used to be outfitted with web sites and apps that exposed a plethora of Halal meals obtainable — even the lesser-known and conventional spots!
I additionally ready a cheat sheet of mandarin phrases concerning the Halal standing of meals in Taipei. This was significantly useful after I visited a conventional Shao Bing store.
The menu was meatless and seemingly vegetarian — candy pastries and scallion bread. I nearly thought all the pieces was good to devour till I requested “这个有没有猪油/Zhè ge you méi you zhū yóu (Does this have lard)?” Unfortunately, the pastries contained lard ???? — actually dodged a bullet there!
As lengthy you do your analysis and ask the suitable questions, discovering Halal and Muslim-friendly meals isn’t an excessive amount of of a problem — particularly with the assistance from locals.
5) It’s simple to make pals alongside the best way
Although this was a solo journey, I used to be by no means actually alone for a full day through the journey. Somehow, I at all times ended up assembly somebody.
On my day journey to Tamsui, I bumped right into a participant from a strolling tour I attended the day gone by. We ended up exploring the city collectively and even visited Raohe Night Market collectively the subsequent day.
While I take pleasure in solitude again residence, being alone abroad was completely different for me. I’m used to sharing abroad/trip reminiscences with somebody so experiencing it with an surprising buddy helped me really feel rather less lonely.
6) People are friendlier once you’re alone
For some cause, individuals discover it simpler to method solo travellers.
I used to be taking photos in Uncle Ma’s and an aged native man was interested by the place I used to be from and stated, “Welcome to Taiwan!” Their intentions are often pure so I’ll gladly discuss to anybody who strikes up a convo.
But typically, personalities don’t move the vibe test.
A girl approached me on the mosque and though it was good to attach, she was a bit too chatty through the Friday sermon. She wished me to cancel my authentic plans — which was to hike Elephant Mountain — to go to the zoo along with her as a substitute.
I ended the interplay by saying that I used to be on a piece journey and that my firm insisted that I needed to hike this mountain. I could have exaggerated concerning the ‘insisted’ half nevertheless it labored.
One of the issues I loved whereas solo travelling was how simply individuals approached me nevertheless it’s at all times good to be clear together with your boundaries to guard your self.
7) You might be versatile together with your schedule
An apparent advantage of solo travelling goes wherever, anytime at your individual pace — and I took full benefit of that.
I went all out throughout my first two days — I began early and ended late to make full use of my days, went at my very own tempo and walked rather a lot.
On my third day, I awakened with a foul headache.
Solo travelling means with the ability to alter your schedule nonetheless you need. As a lot as we wish to maximise our journey, we must always recognise when to decelerate. There’s no level becoming extra actions into your day when you’re over-exerting and never totally having fun with in a wholesome approach.
Take That Leap of Faith
The hardest a part of solo travelling is actualising it.
Prior to my journey to Taipei, I at all times discovered causes to not embark on solo journeys — not sufficient cash, security issues, not sufficiently old, and so forth. I held again on the concept and at all times thought, “next time.”
As a Muslim solo travelling in Taiwan, my fundamental issues had been discovering halal meals and speaking with the locals — which weren’t huge points in the long run!
This solo journey to Taipei was simply the push that I wanted to grasp that solo travelling is kinda like a day trip — albeit overseas. With pleasant locals and straightforward navigation, solo travelling in Taiwan is an effective place to begin for any first-timer!
If you continue to want that push, listed below are some reads to persuade you to go on a solo journey:
– Muslim-friendly 4D3N Taipei Itinerary — A Solo Traveller’s First Time in Taiwan
– 9 Practical Benefits of Solo Travelling That Have Nothing To Do With “Finding Yourself”
– A Beginners Guide to Solo Travelling For The First Time
Know of another locations good for first-time solo travelling? Let us know within the feedback beneath!