Post credits to: Tripovo
If you're a Muslim, can you enjoy a holiday in Taiwan without facing the hassle of finding a safe place to eat and pray? The answer is "yes." While Taiwan has a very small Muslim population, the Taiwanese government is becoming conscious of the fact that the country receives hundreds of thousands of Muslim tourists every year. Thus, although Taiwan has yet a way to go to become a truly Muslim-friendly destination, you can totally have fun on your Taiwanese holiday without having to worry about where to eat and pray.
Halal beef noodles shop in Taipei.
Taiwan has two Halal certification boards: the Chinese Muslim Association and the Taiwan Halal Integrity Development Association. So if you have any doubts on whether the food you're going to eat at a restaurant or buy from a store is halal-certified, all you need to do is look for certification labels from these two organizations.
You'll actually find a lot of halal dining options in Taipei. As a cosmopolitan foodie city, Taipei is teeming with restaurants specializing in Indonesian, Indian, and even Egyptian cuisine that are largely safe to eat for Muslims. Sampling the street food at the food lanes and night markets, however, can be tricky because there won't always be a sign that the food served is halal-certified. To play it safe, just stick to the vegetarian options.
Sticking to the vegetarian options is also the rule of thumb when you travel outside of Taipei. Your food options may be more limited once you travel out of Taipei to the more rural areas of Taiwan. Thankfully, most Taiwanese are vegetarians so you'll always find vegetarian food wherever you go.
Taipei Grand Mosque.
Looking for places of worship won't be difficult as long as you're in a major city like Taipei, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Zhongli or Taichung. There is usually a mosque or two in the urban centers. Taipei, in particular, has the Taipei Grand Mosque and the Taipei Cultural Mosque.
Additionally, the Taiwanese government has taken the effort to provide prayer facilities at major tourist destinations, including national parks. So if you're at a government-run tourist spot, just ask the staff for directions to these prayer facilities.
If you happen to be in the more rural areas, though, you'll have to be more resourceful in finding a place to pray. The easiest way is to find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed and whip out your compass app to find which way is west, where Mecca would be in relation to Taiwan.
But the best way to avoid the inconveniences of finding safe food and quiet places for prayer is to book your trip with a travel agency that handles effective and enjoyable Muslim tours in Taiwan. That way, you'll have a tour guide that will arrange Muslim-friendly accommodations for you, as well as find places where you can eat great yet safe food, as well as places where you can pray undisturbed. Book your Muslim tour to Taiwan with us today.
