FAQ
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How many campers will attend each camp?
A maximum of 8 children attend each camp. This creates a real feeling of family, develops close relationships and maintains safety.
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How old does my child have to be?
Your child should have finished first grade and be 6-15 years old. Efforts will be made to group students of similar age and ability.
Younger campers can be considered if parents feel they are ready for such an adventure.
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What will you do to help my child be safe?
With 2 guides catering to a maximum of 8 students, we provide an amazing 1:4 ratio of guide per student. This enables real support, supervision, and security.
Safety = Knowledge
Joel has an unmatched understanding of Taiwan’s nature, weather and environment. He strives to build confidence in the children through prepared and calculated adventure, not risk or endangerment.
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What language will my child use during the camp?
Your child will speak English almost exclusively, while not even realizing they are doing so. Learning naturally… just the way it should be.
At Camping Taiwan, English language acquisition is heightened through adventure, fun, excitement and happiness.
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How can I know how my child is doing?
Sit back and relax from the comfort of your own home and experience all the amazing adventures your child is embarking upon.
We will send all parents precious moments captured throughout the day, of your child having the time of their life! Simply join the parents LINE group “Happy Campers” and watch in awe as your child discovers new and exciting life skills.
We understand that some parents, just like their children, love adventure and want to share in the fun. CampingTaiwan will be adding “Family Camps” in the future. These will be aimed at educating parents in all that is needed to lead their families on amazing adventures for years to come.
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What if my child can not swim?
At Camping Taiwan we treat all campers as if they have zero swimming experience. We provide extremely comfortable, United States Coast Guard (USCG) Certified life vests and provide constant supervision and coaching.
Joel has spent a lifetime in the water and can instil a healthy respect of the ocean in our campers through understanding that builds confidence.
We have hand picked our swimming locations to ensure they are some of Taiwan’s safest, and we make sure every camper has a great experience in the water, regardless their swimming ability.
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What if my child gets homesick?
Camping Taiwan = Family = Adventure = Fun
In the past, homesickness has proven to be minimal. If you feel your child is not ready to join our adventures, wait until they are.
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Can I call and visit the camp?
No.
Why?
Camp guides Joel and Debby are contactable 24/7 in case you need to speak to us or your child urgently.
We have an amazing schedule designed to develop your child’s budding confidence by showing them the very best of what Taiwan’s nature offers. It would be sad to disrupt or hinder this REAL growth experience for them unless it was absolutely necessary.
Is your campsite Eco-friendly?
Yes, our campsite is one of Taiwan’s most eco-friendly campsites.
Camping Taiwan provides your child with first hand learning opportunities into sustainable living, as well as respect for Taiwan’s natural environment.
Your child will be amazed at the fun of utilizing solar power, the cleanliness of composting toilets and the simplicity of using a hand pump to access clean water.
The Campsite has a NO Technology RULE!
NO Phones!
NO Tablets!
NO Computer Games!Where should I drop off and pick up my child?
The adventure begins at Songshan Train Station in Taipei. Here, we jump on a train and say goodbye to city life. The train ride to Hualien gives us time to get to know each other and get excited about the real adventure that awaits us.
You can pick up your happy camper 5 days later at the same location. Each camper will return home with stories of adventure, fun and happiness. We hope you enjoy listening to them as much as we did creating them!
Where is the campsite located?
Shhhh...it’s a secret.
Joel and Debby’s private campsite has been their home base for all their adventures in Taiwan, and they hope to call it home for years to come. They cherish its natural beauty and want to share it with their campers—while keeping it a hidden gem.
Can you keep a secret? If so, we’ll happily share the location with you. After all, it may soon become your child’s favorite place in Taiwan!
What about very bad weather? Typhoons?
Camping Taiwan makes use of multiple weather forecast models when planning adventures. If the weather conditions bring too much rain, wind or heat, we have a house in a neighbouring town that is set up to accommodate our campers. Our campers safety and comfort is our priority at all times.
Joel has spent over 15 years studying Taiwan’s wind, swell and rainfall patterns. This knowledge has enabled him to discover many of Taiwan’s premier surf locations as visually documented at WavesTaiwan.com. Joel possesses a highly skilled understanding of Taiwan’s weather.
What will my child eat?
We love food! We will all eat together and eat the same healthy diet. All food is carefully selected, fresh and healthy local produce that tastes amazing.
What are the sleeping arrangements?
Three, 2-person, suspended tents combine to form one super “Trilogy Tree Tent” where all our campers sleep.
Raised only a few feet off the ground, campers feel like they are sleeping in the clouds, free from worry about moisture, bugs, and insects. This also allows a nice breeze to cool the underside of the tent.
Camping Taiwan guides Joel and Debby sleep only a few feet away and will be quick to respond to any of the campers needs.
Where does my child go to the bathroom?
Bathrooms are extremely close. Campers wake up their Bathroom-Buddy and the two campers go to the bathroom together.
Camp guides are close by to assist if necessary at anytime of the night.
Is your Summer Camp as fun as it looks?
Yes, Yes, Yes!
We love what we do!
We love Taiwan!
We love children!
We love adventure and fun seems to follow us where ever we go!
What is your refund policy?
Camping Taiwan Cancellation / Refund Policy
Camping Taiwan prides itself on offering the most amazing and inspiring camps in Taiwan. We do understand however that at times parents may need to cancel or postpone a camp for a number of reasons.
Our cancellation policy is outlined below:
Registration fee: $4000 Non-Refundable. Tuition fee: $20000 For late cancelations, camp refunds tuition based on the chart below. Cancellation 61-90 days before start of camp: 90% refund of tuition fee. Cancellation 31-60 days before start of camp: 70% refund of tuition fee. Cancellation 08-30 days before start of camp: 50% refund of tuition fee. Cancellation 07-0 days before start of camp: No refund. We will always try to work with parents and generously offer to postpone camps when possible to avoid any fees being incurred.
Typhoon / Natural Disaster Cancellation / Refund Policy
If CampingTaiwan cancels a camp in the event of a Typhoon or Natural Disaster parents can use their fees towards a future camp (Registration and Tuition Fee).
We encourage all parents to speak to us by phone or in person, so you can fully appreciate how committed and qualified we are to guide your child on the adventure of a lifetime.
Have further questions?
Please get in touch with Joel or Debby.What our little campers' parents say…
We love this camp! It introduced Nikki and Austin to the beauty of Taiwan and how charming nature is. So many activities and an amazing journey for the kids that instilled in them courage and adventure. Nikki and Austin returned with abundant memories and can't stop laughing when ever they reminisce about their summer camp. We love Debby and Joel's passion and professionalism. They taught the kids to face their challenges positively, without fear, always ready for the next adventure and to try new things. By the way, amazing images, thank you so much!
Tanya, Austin & Nikki's mom
Thank you CampingTaiwan for giving kids excitement, joy and memories that will last a lifetime. It is amazing to see how it helped Isan bond with nature and try new things. Without Joel and Debby he never could have experienced these amazing adventures in such a wonderful and safe way. See you next year!
Ray and Fish, Isan's mom & dad
CampingTaiwan is truly a wonderful chance for kids to immerse themselves in nature and learn about how much fun it can be! Kaiden loved it! He repeatedly keeps asking when he can join again! He loves sleeping in the floating tree tents, jumping into the ocean like superman and surfing! It is the most unique and beautiful camp in Taiwan for kids and we are so happy our Kaiden gets to share it with you each year.
Theresa and Jonathan, Kaiden's mom & dad
Our daughter's smile said it all, then we got the photos back and they blew our hearts away too! Joel and Debby are such authentic teachers who provided an adventure that will be at the core of Acacia forever. The most excellent education experience on the island!
— Burgasser Family
My daughter first encountered Camping Taiwan three years ago through a friend's recommendation. Since then, every winter and summer vacation, she has been asking me to sign her up for this camp. Joel and Debby lead eight children in various water activities. Every time my daughter comes back, she's left wanting more and can't wait for the next vacation to arrive.
During the five-day camp, the kids are completely disconnected from screens and fully immersed in nature.Reyna
Every summer we take Laura on adventures — ocean swimming, snorkelling, fishing, creek play, cliff jumping — but she was never brave enough to try any of them. When I saw this camp's activity design, I knew Laura had to join!
On the very first day she was happily playing in the ocean, and even went cliff jumping, river tracing, and swimming under waterfalls! Thanks to Debby and Joel's encouragement and guidance, Laura is no longer afraid of open water!
A week later, Laura is still sharing stories from camp! (Especially about Ocean 🐶, Laura misses him so much)
Looking forward to adventuring together every winter and summer!Christine
A huge thank you to Debby, Joel and Ocean for giving Chloe and Jeff an amazing five days! 😀 Stepping out of their comfort zone, they discovered just how much fun nature can be!
Chloe, who used to be terrified of bugs, bravely went barefoot with Ocean by her side ☺️ Cliff jumping, snorkelling, hiking — all unforgettable experiences! For Jeff, who just turned 7, it was an even bigger challenge 😀 They missed mum and dad, but with Debby and Ocean's constant companionship, they quickly forgot about homesickness 🤣
Camping Taiwan truly leads children to experience the wonders and joy of nature 😀 Highly recommended! 👍Vivian
The first step is always the hardest, for both children and parents ☺️
I'm so glad my daughter (age 7) was willing to say yes and give herself a chance to go on an adventure. When you take that step, you realise it's not as hard as you imagined 🤣
Debby is so attentive with children. When she shared that my daughter is an observer-type child, I knew she truly cares ❤️ At the train station, the returning campers ran up to her with huge hugs — children's reactions never lie.
This is a small camp, safe and simple. They let kids decide for themselves whether to jump — my daughter is cautious by nature. For two days there were no cliff-jumping photos. By day three, there she was! I cheered inside 👏 She told me it wasn't actually that scary 😆 Sometimes we just need that first step.
The moment she saw me: "Can I go again? Can I go for a month next year?" 🤣
Looks like nature still beats screens! 👍👍Sammi
I'm so glad we gathered the courage to let our kids adventure with Debby and Joel. They've now joined for three consecutive winter and summer breaks and are absolutely thrilled every time! Camping Taiwan is their most anticipated, most loved camp!
After coming home they even said screens aren't fun and just wanted to go back to camp! We also look forward to the nightly photo sharing — seeing their huge smiles makes us feel the joy too! Thanks to Debby, Joel and Ocean for the beautiful memories ❤️博郁媽媽
During the five-day camp, you can rest assured handing your children over to Debby & Joel. They lead the children to explore beautiful Taiwan in the most nature-connected way. All I had to do was look forward to browsing through those amazing photos of my children's smiling faces every day 😊
Winston
Last year was our first time discovering Camping Taiwan, and I immediately knew this was the summer camp I'd been searching for for our three boys: summer should be about playing in the water! No excessive rules, no being stuck indoors — just freely enjoying nature. When I picked them up at Songshan Station, though tanned to a crisp, all three said in unison "We want to come back next year!"
This year, back home they're still sharing all the different ways to play in the water. Different ocean conditions mean different fun — cliff jumping, surfing, bodyboarding, snorkelling, river tracing — never gets old. Thanks to Debby, Joel and Ocean for their companionship and leadership. This is truly the best camp we've ever attended.
If you can only choose one camp a year, it has to be Camping Taiwan! (From the three brothers' heartfelt words)
See you next year ❤️Alice
This is our second consecutive year flying back to Taiwan specifically for Camping Taiwan. The kids absolutely love it! After the first year, they immediately told me to sign them up again, and spent three days and nights talking about the fun things that happened at camp 😆
Joel and Debby are truly responsible, wonderful with the children, and safety is a top priority. Finding such an amazing summer camp in Taiwan is truly a gem — highly recommended! 👍👍👍Kristy