Taiwan

Is Taiwan safe to visit?

Yes. Taiwan has some of the lowest crime in Asia, and the US State Department rates it Level 1, its lowest advisory. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes crime rates as extremely low. The risks are physical rather than criminal: busy roads full of scooters, typhoons and frequent earthquakes. We score Taiwan 81, below Japan and South Korea, mainly because its roads are deadlier.

Crime: very little of it

Taiwan is not included in the UNODC homicide series that we use for most countries, because it is not a UN member. Police counts for 2022 work out at roughly one homicide per 100,000 people, and the number of cases has fallen by more than half in a decade. Street robbery and pickpocketing are rare, even in crowded night markets; our Taipei page has the capital’s figures.

The fraud Taiwan does have mostly targets residents: phone calls from fake officials, investment groups on messaging apps and fake online shops. Visitors mainly need to be careful with rental listings and ticket resales. The National Police Agency runs a 165 anti-fraud hotline.

Drug laws are severe. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns that smuggling or trafficking can bring a long prison sentence or the death penalty, and airport scanners also check transit baggage. Cannabis oil and cannabis-based medicines are banned even with a foreign prescription.

Tension with China

China claims Taiwan and has stepped up military pressure. The 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary notes that China held its most extensive drills around Taiwan in December 2025. Taiwan itself ranks 42nd of 163 on that index, close to Vietnam.

For travellers, nothing in the official advice has changed. The US advisoryUS travel advisoryThe US State Department's rating of each country from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel).More in the glossary stays at Level 1 and lists only natural disasters as a risk, and the UK does not advise against travel. Note that the UK has no embassy in Taiwan, only the British Office in Taipei, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says it can offer limited help. The FCDO's main warning for Taiwan is now about typhoon season, and it points visitors to the government's Public Safety Guide, the "Little Orange Book", which explains how to prepare for a range of disasters and emergencies. It is worth reading before you go; if sirens sound or police give instructions, follow them.

Scooters and road safety

Taiwan's roads are well built, but traffic is the most likely way for a visitor to get hurt. The transport ministry counted 1,333 deaths within 30 days of a crash in the first half of 2026, down 3.3% on a year earlier and 15% on 2023. Full years have recently come in just under 3,000 deaths, about 12 to 13 per 100,000 people, about five times the UK's rate. More than two-thirds of those killed were on motorcycles or scooters.

On foot, the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns that drivers may not stop at pedestrian crossings. Scooters turn right across crossings while you have the green man, and pavements are often blocked so people walk in the road. Look both ways even on a green signal.

To drive, you need the 1949 international driving permit plus your licence, and the permit must be validated at a local Motor Vehicles Office. Taiwan's drink-drive limit is about a quarter of England's, and passengers can be fined too. Most visitors do not need a car: the high-speed rail, regular trains, MRT systems and YouBike shared bicycles cover the main routes.

Earthquakes, typhoons and dengue

Taiwan sits on an active plate boundary. The April 2024 Hualien earthquake, magnitude 7.4, was the strongest in 25 years and caused rockfalls in Taroko Gorge. Buildings are designed for shaking and phones receive national earthquake alerts.

Typhoons can arrive from June, but the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says the most active period is July to September. They bring landslides and road closures, especially in the mountains and the south and east. In September 2025 heavy rain from Typhoon Ragasa overtopped a lake formed by a landslide in Hualien county and flooded the town of Guangfu, killing 14 people, most of them elderly. If authorities order an evacuation, leave.

Healthcare is good and English is common in big hospitals, but you pay as you go, so travel insurance matters. Dengue is the main infectious risk: the FCDO reports a sharp rise in cases in the south, including Kaohsiung and Tainan. Use repellent there, especially in summer.

How to stay safe in Taiwan

• Cross only on green and watch for turning scooters; do not rent a scooter without a motorcycle licence and a validated permit.
• From July to September, check the Central Weather Administration and leave slack days in your plans.
• Avoid Taroko Gorge and mountain roads after strong quakes or heavy rain, when rockfalls and landslides are likely.
• Carry your passport or a printed copy of the photo page; police accept a copy.
• Save 110 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance.

How we scored it

Violent crime (93), petty crime (90) and health (88) are strong, and conflict (85) reflects no terrorism and Level 1 advice despite military pressure from China. Road safety (62) is the weakest factor, followed by natural hazards (65). Confidence is medium because Taiwan has no recent UNODC homicide figure.