It might sound strange, given that I’m someone who literally started a website about Taiwan, but I actually love traveling in mainland China. The repressive government notwithstanding, I find the country to be fascinating, and generally love Chinese people as well.
Now, with that being said, I absolutely don’t want Winnie the Pooh and friends to China my Taiwan. We see how the “one country, two systems” circus is playing itself out in Hong Kong. No thanks!
When it comes to the Taiwan vs China debate, to be sure, these are very much two different countries—and, more to the point, two different travel destinations. Here’s how to think of them in relation to one another.
In Some Ways, Taiwan is More Chinese Than China
When deciding between Taiwan or China, it obviously helps to think of them as separate countries (because they are). But on my first trip to China 10 years ago, which came after years of living in and traveling on the Chinese mainland, I came away with a simple (but profound) conclusion: Taiwan, at least to me, seemed more Chinese than China. Please allow me to explain.
In China, given the legacy of the Cultural Revolution, many typically Chinese elements (architecture, religious and cultural) feel put-on and artificial; communism and the associated minimalism seems to be the main unifying element of life on the Chinese mainland. Is Taiwan (and other places in the world with Chinese populations, to be fair), these aspects seem much less feigned.
Ways to Compare Taiwan with China
Entry restrictions
Taiwan offers visa-free entry to nationals of basically every Western country, as well as citizens of an increasing number of Asian countries (with the notable exception of mainland China). China, by contrast, often requires a tourist visa, though nationals of some European countries can enter visa-free for short-stays; travelers transiting China en route from one country to another can also generally entry visa-free for up to a week.
Destinations and experiences
When comparing Taiwan and China, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that China is bigger than Taiwan. Taiwan, of course, is diverse and eclectic in its own way. But China takes the cake here, as you can go from the neon-lit streets of Shanghai, to the panda forests outside Chengdu, to the Tibetan Plateau, to the ancient architecture found in Beijing, Xi’an and beyond.
Culture and cuisine
As I mentioned in the intro to this piece, I find a lot of the “Chinese” architecture and cultural representations on the mainland to be fake a put-on. This doesn’t necessarily extend to cuisine, though with the exception of spicy Sichuan food, I often find food in China too…adventurous for my tastes. By contrasts, most of Taiwanese food is enjoyable to eat for me, even if it’s very starchy and bland, and somewhat one-note.
Language barrier
If you don’t speak Mandarin but nonetheless visit China and Taiwan, you’ll notice a huge difference between the two. In China, you’ll be lucky if the people working at your hotel in Beijing or Shanghai can speak English. Conversely, in Taiwan it isn’t uncommon to meet people who are completely fluent in English, even in rural areas where you would least expect to be able to do so.
Personal freedom
On a day-to-day basis, traveling in China might not feel especially authoritarian. But the reality is that you’re much freer in Taiwan, whether that means not needing to use a VPN to access social media, being able to pay almost everywhere with your home country’s credit card or not needing to exercise caution when stating your opinion, or when speaking in general.
Can You Travel from Taiwan to China (or Vice-Versa?)
Back when I lived in China, authorities were celebrating the launch of nonstop Shanghai-Taipei flights. At the time, it seemed bizarre to me that the cities weren’t already linked, but I digress. Thankfully, links between Taiwan and China (air and otherwise) are much more robust now, even if many were severe during the covid pandemic, and sadly for years after the pandemic ended in most of the rest of the world.
Whether you originate in China or Taiwan, however, a flight is probably how you will travel, likely from a major city in China to Taiwan’s Taoyuan Airport. However, there are also limited flights from Shanghai-Hongqiao to Taipei-Songshan. Additionally, if you’re traveling between Fuzhou or Xiamen and Taiwan’s Matsu or Kinmen islands, respectively, you can take a short ferry ride between the countries.
Other FAQ About Travel in Taiwan vs Travel in China
Which is better to visit, Taiwan or China?
Although I prefer being in Taiwan for the personal freedom you enjoy there and how laid-back and cosmopolitan the people, mainland China is an incredible, vast travel destination. I think that you should visit both if you absolutely can, and let me know what you think.
Can Chinese tourists go to Taiwan?
Chinese nationals with legal residence in a “third” country can enter Taiwan as tourists. However, those residing on the Chinese mainland can only be issued tourist visas if they plan to come to Taiwan as part of an official tour group package.
How different is Taiwan from China?
Taiwan is similar to China in some ways, namely ones related to culture, cuisine and landscape. However, Taiwan feels a great deal more cosmopolitan than Taiwan, and you obviously enjoy full freedom of speech and expression in Taiwan (and obviously not in China).
The Bottom Line
Comparing Taiwan vs China can seem like a futile exercise, particularly if you have a chip on your shoulder regarding the Chinese mainland (which I totally understand, for what it’s worth). At the same time, I do think there’s value in exploring both countries. China (the People’s Republic, this is) is vast and sprawling, not only in terms of geography, but also when considering cuisine, culture and the sheer humanity of it all. Speaking of which, whether you stay within Taiwan’s borders or explore elsewhere in the Chinese-speaking world, I do hope you’ll consider hiring me to plan your trip.
