Top of mind when visiting or living in an unfamiliar country is personal safety, and rightfully so. Being a senior a long way from home without a network of friends or family to assist can be disconcerting, but I can assure you that Taiwan is remarkably safe and in my personal experience, far safer than the southern Ontario cities I have lived in.
Walking alone at night is not a threat and obvious by the number of people, young or old, male or female, that stroll alone down the streets and lanes at night and appear to be very relaxed. Nobody is clutching their belongings, walking quickly, or looking over their shoulders. They’re looking at their phones and walking at a very chill pace.
On many occasions and in different cities, I have visited bank ATMs late at night and had to get over the urge to stand back and survey the area looking for strangers hanging around or occupied cars in the area before going to the machine as I would in Toronto. Being aware of your surroundings is a good idea, but not a serious consideration in Taiwan.
The Taiwanese people are some of the most honest I’ve ever met, and there are many stories of people forgetting their phone or belongings on a restaurant table only to find it waiting for them to pick it up later. Streetside stalls and restaurants are common and on dozens of occasions I have pretended I had no idea how much my purchase totaled and just held out a handful of change to pay. Not once did anyone take even one coin more than needed. I had reason to visit a paint store in Taipei and was amazed that the shopkeeper kept much of his inventory outside near the curb and not just for that day, but for weeks. I inquired about theft, and he looked at me like I was crazy while shaking his head ‘No’. No cameras, no problem.
The latest Crime Index report from Numbeo, a crowd-sourced database that measures costs and quality of life, shows Taiwan at 4th lowest in crime compared to Canada at 75th and the United States at 89th of 147 countries listed.
There is one major risk to personal safety however, and that’s pedestrian safety. In the newer areas of the cities the sidewalks are wide, clean, and safe. In the older areas the sidewalks are cluttered with outdoor kitchens, parked scooters and any assortment of obstacles along the sidewalk which has allowed shops to modify their entrances creating many tripping hazards as the elevations rise and fall. Many find it easier to walk along the level street but that has it’s own risk with the scooter and auto traffic. I suggest avoiding this practice at night because most cars have heavily tinted windows and if you aren’t wrapped in reflective safety vests your chance of getting hit increases dramatically.
All in all, Taiwan is very safe and you can add that to your list of reasons why you should consider wintering here.