Taipei girls. That was not the reason I booked my ticket to Taiwan originally, but it would be now.
In fact, before visiting, I barely heard anyone talk about Taipei women at all – or even Taiwanese women in general. When most guys go to Asia to travel & blend with the local ladies (and maybe work as a digital nomad), they start in Thailand, Indonesia or maybe the Philippines.
Taiwan always seems to be treated like an afterthought and now I know that is a big mistake.
After spending nearly two months in Taipei, meeting locals, going on dates, exploring the nightlife, and seeing how the city feels and works on the ground, I ended up considering Taiwan as one of the biggest – and best – surprises I’ve had in Asia.
And yes, the women were a big part of that – and I’m here to talk about them in today’s article, to help you better understand them and get a head start when it comes to relationships.
Taipei Girls and More
Taiwan certainly gets its fair share of tourists. But compared to a place like Thailand, the number of foreigners you run into on a daily basis is much lower.
That changes the overall feeling of the place. You don’t get the feeling that every local woman has already met hundreds of Western men already. You don’t feel like you’re walking into a scene that’s been played out a thousand times before, if you know what I mean (not that is anything necessarily wrong about that).
While the country itself is relatively small, Taipei is a proper city. Around 2.5 million people live in Taipei proper, with millions more spread throughout the surrounding metropolitan area.
For guys looking to base themselves somewhere for a few months, the size feels just right. There’s enough going on that you won’t get bored, but it’s not so overwhelming that it becomes exhausting.
I had never planned to spend nearly two months in Taipei.
Then I got there.
And I stayed.
If you know me, then you know I was a fan of the Taiwanese women. They don’t have the same reputation internationally as Thai women or Filipinas. Honestly, I had barely heard anything about them until meeting up with a fellow traveler.
My friend just wouldn’t stop talking my ear off about the girls in Taipei. Being a fellow Asia travel junkie, I took his word for it.
But the idea stuck in the back of my mind.
I had to see whether Taiwanese girls lived up to the hype. And I certainly am glad my curiosity got the best of me because they did!
Also read: The True Rules of Dating in Asia as a Foreigner
What Are Girls in Taiwan & Taipei Like?
So what are women in Taiwan, and specifically Taipei girls, like? My experience looked something like this:
Not as Easy as Other Parts of Asia
If you’re tired of feeling like the fiftieth Western guy trying to impress the same woman in a heavily-touristed destination, Taiwan can feel refreshing.
The women I met in Taipei were generally interested in foreigners, but they weren’t throwing themselves at them either. That’s a good thing in my book.
Some guys want dating to be as easy as possible. I’ve always preferred a little challenge.
You still have opportunities to meet women and date regularly, but things tend to move at a more natural pace than in some Southeast Asian hotspots. There was usually a bit more conversation, a bit more getting to know each other, and a bit less of the instant-gratification mentality you sometimes find elsewhere.
And don’t be concerned – it’s not that difficult. You can still make ends meet with up to 3 girls per week in Taipei. It’s just they won’t come straight to your place like in some other places (and I don’t only mean other SEA countries – it’s usually easy with Norwegian girls, Albanian women and so on). And this is always nice, I’d say.
I enjoyed that. It felt more authentic.
Fairly Sophisticated
One thing that stood out almost immediately was how educated many of the women I met were. Most had university degrees and professional careers.
This was a common sentiment with nearly every expat I spoke with in the city. Taipei attracted a higher class of girl than other cities I’d been to.
As such, you’d find girls dress quite well, and conversation flowed effortlessly. These girls actually had something to talk about. They were sophisticated. Again, this was a pleasant change of pace from some of the other locales I’d spent time in.
I also found English levels surprisingly good among younger women in Taipei, especially those working in international companies, technology, marketing, finance, or tourism-related industries.
That made dating significantly easier. Conversation flowed naturally, the ladies here had their own opinions that they could easily argument, they had interests, goals… you could spend hours talking over coffee without constantly searching for things to say.
Compared to some other destinations where conversations quickly run out of steam, Taipei felt like a fresh breath of air to me.
Nightlife Loving
Work hard, play hard seemed to be the unofficial motto in Taipei during my stay.
A lot of the women I met were serious about their careers but when Friday night rolled around, they switched gears quickly.
If you’re going to Taiwan, you better enjoy nightlife – because these women enjoy letting their hair down and partying a bit.
Taipei has a strong social culture, and many women actively enjoy going out, meeting friends, trying new restaurants, attending events, or exploring different parts of the city.
That balance between professionalism and having fun was something I noticed repeatedly.
Also read: My Favorite Cities to Meet Vietnamese Women
Dating Apps in Taipei
If you’re visiting Taipei and hoping to meet local women, modern tech will make things a lot easier for you, as you no longer have to rely on your skills and direct interaction. Apps and dating websites make everything a lot easier, and Taipei is perfect for them.
Both the old school websites and newer apps are widely used here and I personally had more success with the former. I always prefer to go for a premium website simply because the male competition is much lower, the time wasters on the women’s side are usually fewer too, and generally it’s a lot easier to create genuine connections there.
However, apps are present as well: Tinder is pretty active still, and generates plenty of matches, although the quality ranges from bots to AI-chicks to weirdos and, finally, plenty of great girls.
Bumble was also present, although smaller, and I am sure there are a few other options you can try – but I’d always stick to a premium website and call it a day. Much better imho.
Anyway, even on these dating platforms, what surprised me was the quality of conversations.
In many countries, dating apps can feel like an endless stream of dead-end chats, trying to impress with a pick-up line that stands above the rest, then quickly getting her phone number to meet.
Taipei was different. Women were generally responsive, asked questions, and seemed interested in having actual conversations rather than collecting followers or simps.
That again put Taiwan ahead of quite a few places I’ve visited (and I’m mostly looking at you, Mongolia!)
Language Barrier: Easier Than You Might Think
As I mentioned before, English is widely spoken across Taiwan, and Taipei makes no exception.
No, not everyone speaks fluent English, but I rarely found communication to be a problem with the ladies I met (especially since those on the premium website I was mentioning earlier already speak at least decent English).
Outside Taipei, things may be different but inside the capital, though, English was good enough that it rarely got in the way.
Learning a few words of Mandarin still helps you get a few extra points, and even the most basic efforts will be appreciated. But if you can’t be bothered with that, English language is not a problem.
Cultural Differences Worth Knowing
Taiwan may feel more familiar to Western visitors than some other parts of Asia, but there are still cultural differences worth talking about, even if you have experience traveling to SEA in general..
Family can play an important role in people’s lives, career stability is generally valued and long-term planning tends to be viewed positively.
And while casual dating certainly exists, I got the impression that many women approached relationships with more seriousness than what I had become accustomed to in some other destinations.
That’s not a criticism, it’s simply something worth knowing before you arrive.
Also read: My Favorite Cities to Meet Indonesian Women
Common Mistakes Foreign Men Make in Taiwan
The biggest mistake?
Assuming Taiwan works exactly like Thailand, the Philippines, or Bali.
It doesn’t.
The second biggest mistake is assuming that being foreign automatically makes you interesting.
It doesn’t.
Taipei is a modern, educated city full of intelligent people and even though it is true that your foreigner status might give you at least a slight advantage with a few locals, it isn’t automatically a magic ticket that opens all doors (or hearts, or legs, depending on your immediate preferences).
Showing curiosity about the culture, asking thoughtful questions, having your own interests, and carrying yourself well goes much further than relying on your passport – as it usually is the case anywhere in the world.
Is Taipei Good for You?
Taiwan is not the first place most guys think about when planning a trip to Asia, but maybe it should be.
The dating scene isn’t the easiest, the city itself isn’t the cheapest, and you’re probably not going to walk off the plane and have women lining up to meet you.
But that’s good. That’s part of the appeal.
What you get instead is a modern city, a high quality of life, great food, friendly locals, and women who, in my experience, were smart, ambitious, attractive, and enjoyable to spend time with.
If you’re looking for an Asian destination that still feels a little under the radar compared to the usual hotspots, Taipei deserves a spot on your shortlist. And it might end up surprising you the same way it surprised me.
