2wk travel around Taiwan in Oct/Nov?

Returning after 6 yrs to Taiwan. Assistance needed. I’m not a big traveler, and definitely out of my comfort zone. Looking for information in the following.

  1. travel insurance for when I get food poisoning or I need emergency lift back to California.
  2. is boat traveling recommended towards the end of October beginning of November? I believe waters really get choppy and very cold? Looking to go to Green Island wondering if Penghu is worth the 4-5 hr boat ride.
  3. $1,500 - $2,000 USD (after flight ticket) Reasonable for food/private room with bathroom and transportation ( train and the random bike/ taxi) I’m a medium eater but not a major spender like trinkets etc
  4. packing and finding places to wash clothing???
  5. flying drone restrictions and rules? Not getting much info so far. Is buying an Autel Robotics drone less expensive in Taiwan?
  6. Not going to do much in Taipei since I studied at NTU. Only attend a wedding and visit the palace museum. Thinking of skipping Tainan because I’ve been there already. Is flight from Taipei to Kaohsiung that much a time saver vs high speed train?

I’m still looking thru old forums for tips/ suggestions.

  1. Since you’ve been here before, you do realize how cheap it is to visit hospitals for any emergency. You can buy insurance when you buy your ticket online in your country. In the U.S., they usually add on extra costs if one chooses. For an emergency lift back to California? Do you have something (health situation) that only needs to be treated there? If so, you should be doing your own research on that.
  2. If you want to go to Green Island, do it towards the early part of your trip. Yes, waves can get pretty wobbly (with lots of puking on the boat by even locals going to Green Island), but that’s usually during the hard part of winter. Even early-November okay. They may still have flights from Taitung to Green Island. Penghu’s 4 hour trip is something else, though. Green Island boat ride like under 1 hr.
  3. Steer to the high side of the budget, just to make sure. Bring extra currency. You can always exchange into local currency at any government bank in any town.
  4. Bring quick-dry clothing (shirts, underwear). Can always wash them in the hotel room at night, and they’ll be dry the next morning. There are public coin-automated laundromats around Taiwan, but you’ll just have to find them yourselves, or ask at hotel.
  5. No flying drones near airports. Other than that, pretty much anything goes (unless others know of exact rules). Buying drones extremely cheap in Taiwan. If in Taipei, try the Guang-Hwa Electronics building on the corner of Civil Boulevard and Hsin-Sheng South Road (southwest corner; near National Taipei University of Technology and Hsin-Sheng MRT station stop).
  6. Definitely HSR better than taking plane from Taipei to KHH. Think of all the time you have to check-in, go through X-ray, debark plane, etc. Fastest HSR between 2 cities should be 90+ minutes. Can board minutes before train leaves.

Thanks for the reply.

  1. I don’t have health issues, but just in case I’m involved in an accident or get chewed up by a shark or electrocuted by an eel and I manage to survive while I go diving.

  2. Well you only live once right? and it’s only 1 hr trip both ways lol

  3. Will do

  4. Good idea.

  5. I would like to get the price range for the Autel Robotics premium X. In the U.S. it can be had for about $600 USD used or $800 USD new.

  6. Great to hear I like, during 2010 - 2011, their were 2 airliners lost due to mechanical issues. I prefer not to fly.

Thanks again for the response.