Located about midway between Korea and Japan to the north and Hong Kong and the Philippines to the south, Taiwan is a natural gateway for travelers to and within Asia. Currency exchange facilities are available in most banks, hotels and airports and operate normal business hour. Credit Card is accepted at some restaurants and shops, the most widely used being Mastercard and Visa Card. Automatic Teller Machines are widespread and readily available 24 hours daily. The national language of Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese, though other dialects, such as Taiwanese, are spoken as well.
Many people can speak some English, which is the most widely studied foreign language.