LOS ANGELES, CA – A US-based pop culture travel guide, Jaunted, said last week that Taiwan is one of the easiest options for travelers to Southeast Asia, based on three major advantages.

After a visit to the “heart of Asia,” the staff of Jaunted reported that Taiwan’s popularity and appeal as a tourist destination are growing, in tandem with its increasing flight connections and reputation as a food mecca.

Taiwan’s foremost advantage in the Southeast Asian region, however, is ease of access, particularly compared with China, according to the travel guide.

“Unlike mainland China, you won’t need to deal with complicated visa paperwork in order to visit,” Jaunted reported. “Aussies, Americans, Canadians and Brits are among the many nationalities able to enter Taiwan without a visa, provided the individual doesn’t have a criminal record.”

It said Taiwan is also well-connected to major U.S. cities, with nonstop flights to New York and Los Angeles, and also to Honolulu in Hawaii.

Secondly, Taiwan is easy to navigate, given its relatively small size and efficient public transportation, the travel guide said.

“Taiwan’s train system is extremely well-organized and easy to follow, even if you don’t speak Mandarin, it said. “Announcements are made in four languages — Mandarin Chinese, two Taiwanese dialects, and English — and tickets are printed in multiple languages as well.”

In addition, it said, Taiwan can be combined with a trip to another Asian destination since it feels close to almost everywhere else.

Taiwan’s third advantage is its family-friendly environment, Jaunted reported.

With one of the lowest birthrates in Asia, Taiwan makes a big effort to accommodate children and their parents, it said, noting that there are breastfeeding rooms in most of the country’s major buildings, including train stations.

At tourist sites, most people will smile and wave at children instead of seeing them as a bother, the guide said.

“Need a high chair at a restaurant? They’ve already brought one over before you had a chance to ask,” Jaunted said.

It also noted that the New York Times recently included Taiwan on its list of 52 must-visit destinations for 2014.