More and more visitors are coming to Kaohsiung from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Europe and North America. On a first trip to Taiwan, a few small things tend to trip people up: getting around without a car, whether your plugs will work, where to put big suitcases, and how to reach a guesthouse that mostly uses LINE.
This article gathers the questions international visitors ask us most, especially about staying in Kaohsiung's Yancheng District.
Kaohsiung for international visitors: the essentials
- Airport and high-speed rail
: from Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH) or HSR Zuoying Station (THSR), take the MRT Red Line, change to the Orange Line at Formosa Boulevard and leave Yanchengpu Station (O2) by Exit 2; about 20–25 minutes from HSR Zuoying- Power and plugs: Taiwan uses 110V/60Hz and flat-pin plugs (Type A/B); wide-voltage electronics only need a plug adapter
- Luggage: on your check-in day you can leave luggage from 12:00 (tell us first)
- Shopping: PX Mart is about a 4-minute walk and takes credit cards
- Contact: our email (
hellohouse2017@gmail.com) or a message on Instagram/Facebook- Where to stay
: Hello House (B&B No. 131, 8–26 guests) and Godin House (B&B No. 163,4–12 guests); every room has its own bathroom
1. Can't drive in Taiwan? The MRT is all you need
Many visitors worry that traffic in Taiwan works differently, and not every country's driver's license is valid here.
Getting around Hello Stay's two houses (Hello House and Godin House) are in Yancheng, Kaohsiung's old town, and you can see the city without renting a car:
- From Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH): take the MRT Red Line to Formosa Boulevard, change to the Orange Line for Yanchengpu Station, and from the station it is about a 7-minute walk to the houses.
- From HSR Zuoying Station (THSR): likewise, take the Red Line to Formosa Boulevard and change to the Orange Line for Yanchengpu Station
; the ride takes about 20–25 minutes, so even with big luggage you won't need a taxi. - Nearby: from the houses it is about 13 minutes on foot to the Pier-2 Art Center, a favorite with visitors from abroad, and about 20 minutes to the Great Harbor Bridge to watch it swing open; the Kaohsiung Music Center is within walking distance too. For a Sizihwan sunset or a ferry to Cijin for seafood, the light rail or MRT will take you there.
2. What's the voltage in Taiwan? Will my hair dryer and chargers work?
Voltage and plug shapes differ from country to country, and the wrong one can ruin an expensive camera or laptop, so it's worth checking before you leave.
| Coming from | Voltage and plugs at home | What you need in Taiwan |
|---|---|---|
| Japan, the US | 100V-120V / Type A/B flat two-pin | No adapter needed; plug straight in |
| Korea, Europe, Vietnam | 220V / Type C/F round two-pin | A Type C/F to Type A adapter (wide-voltage electronics can charge directly) |
| Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia | 220V-240V / Type G three-pin | A UK-style Type G to Type A adapter |
Power and plugs in Taiwan
- Voltage: 110V at 60Hz.
- Sockets: mainly Type A (two flat pins) and Type B (three pins: one round, two flat).
- What to bring, by where you're from:
- Japan, the US: voltage and plugs are close to Taiwan's, so most phone and laptop chargers plug straight in, with no adapter.
- Korea, Vietnam, Europe: these use 220V round-pin plugs (Type C/F). Phone and camera chargers usually say
100V-240V, so a single plug adapter is enough; for 220V-only appliances (hair dryers, curling irons) you'd need a transformer, so a wide-voltage model is the better thing to pack. - Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the UK: these use three-pin flat plugs (Type G). Chargers are usually wide-voltage too, so a UK-to-Taiwan plug adapter is all you need to charge.
3. Arriving early: can we leave big luggage first?
International visitors tend to travel with big suitcases, and dragging a 28-inch case around Yancheng before check-in time is no fun.
Leaving luggage At Hello Stay you can leave luggage from 12 noon on your check-in day:
- Tell us first: please drop everything off in one go as a group; we can't arrange last-minute or several separate drop-offs.
- Head out after dropping off: the house is still being cleaned, so you can't stay inside to wait or rest.
4. Want to try Taiwanese late-night snacks and supermarkets?
Many visitors come to Taiwan wanting to live like a local for a few days: buying Taiwanese fruit (pineapple, sugar apple, mango), instant noodles and Taiwan Beer, and getting together with friends where they're staying.
Shopping nearby
- PX Mart, Yancheng Shouxing store: at 243 Qixian 3rd Road, about a 4-minute walk (about 300 m)
from the houses, open 08: 00–23 :00 daily. Taiwanese snacks, cut fruit, Taiwan Beer and hot pot soup bases are all there. - Da Gou Ding traditional market: within walking distance, for a traditional Kaohsiung breakfast, old-style snacks and fresh fruit and vegetables.
- The whole house is yours: every Hello Stay house is booked as a whole, with no other guests. Hello House has an island kitchen, an induction hob and a double-door fridge: buy your ingredients at PX Mart, gather round the island counter and cook as you chat, for a hot pot or a late-night beer.
5. No Taiwanese LINE account? Email works too
Many visitors don't have a Taiwanese phone number before they leave, and LINE isn't common everywhere (it's widely used in Japan and Taiwan; travelers from Europe, the Americas and Southeast Asia may prefer WhatsApp or email), so it can be hard to reach the guesthouse and confirm details in advance.
Reach us on LINE or by email Besides LINE, Hello Stay answers email and social media messages:
- Email: write to our email address, hellohouse2017@gmail.com.
- Online replies: wherever you are, with or without LINE, our host answers questions about getting here, the rooms and luggage online.
6. Good to know before check-in
- Check-in and check-out: check-in from 16:00, check-out by 11:00. We can't hold luggage after check-out; the paid lockers at MRT stations are an option.
- Payment: bookings are paid by bank transfer only. If you don't have a Taiwanese bank account, ask us before you book about the easiest way to pay.
- No lift: both houses have stairs only, and you'll need to carry big suitcases up yourself; if you have a lot of luggage, talk to us about splitting the rooms when you book.
- Noise at night: the houses are in a residential lane, so please keep it down after 23:00.
Next: how many of you, and which house?
If you're planning a Kaohsiung trip with friends, family or colleagues, the next question is usually: "Should we book Hello House or Godin House?"
Here's the order to look at things in:
- Compare the two houses: the maximum group size, whether you can cook and whether there's a manual mahjong table are all set out in the comparison of the two-house plans.
- Browse the whole-house plans: plans for company trips, weddings, family reunions and get-togethers with friends are gathered on Hello Stay's whole-house plans for groups and families in Kaohsiung.
- Check availability straight away: if your dates are set, you can check availability and prices directly; booking on our website has no platform fees.
You're also welcome to go back to the Hello Stay home page to read about the two houses and our story.