The Best Times to Visit Taipei, Taiwan
On the edge of the tropics, east of China and southwest of Japan, the small island of Taiwan drips with promise – and a fair bit of traveler sweat.
In the capital city of Taipei, the four seasons blur into two, and the calendar shifts to lunar logic. It’s humid and hot much of the year, with temperatures and crowds peaking from July to August.
However, whether you’re visiting during the warmest months or during the slightly cooler months, there’s still plenty to do – from festivals and hiking to beaches and biking.
June to September: The Best Times for Festivals and Water-Based Activities
Summer is the high season, but with summer temperatures exceeding 30°C (86°F), you won’t want to spend long wandering the streets of Taipei. Instead, head to the nearest body of water for surfing, snorkeling, and diving experiences. By late afternoon, the heat eases off, and the parties start.
A traditional festival, the Dragon Boat Festival in June, continues the custom of competitive dragon boat racing followed by rice dumpling making over the three-day weekend.
Marking the start of the monsoon season (June to September), June’s forecast can look challenging, but dodging the rain is possible. Watch out for darkening skies, pack a sturdy umbrella, and aim to finish your outdoor activities by early afternoon.
Taipei celebrates its day of romance on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. Head to Daocheng Wharf (Dadaocheng) for fireworks displays atop shipping containers that double as food stalls. The Taipei Water Festival also kicks off in July, a perfect way to keep kids cool and entertained during a family outing.
August marks the opening of the gates to the underworld, and Ghost Month is Taiwan’s spookiest Taoist tradition. Throughout August, people refrain from inauspicious activities such as whistling after dark, and Tao believers hold rituals and prepare sacrificial items in front of their local temples to promote good fortune.
One of the more thrilling events is the Grappling with the Ghosts pole-climbing competition held in Yilan on the last day of the month.
September brings a 2000-year-old tradition marking the harvest festival and brightest full moon of the year. The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated casually in modern Taiwan, with families firing up their barbeques on the roadside while children run around with pomelo skins atop their heads.
November to March: Ideal for Outdoor Adventures
Low season provides a cooler setting for outdoor adventures such as hiking, biking, and hot springs hunting if high temperatures and humidity aren’t your preferences. Winter in Taipei can get a little chilly (13-18°C/55-64°F), but adventure travelers will be thankful for this cooler air when hiking the Pingxi Crags or biking through Pinglin.
November offers numerous activities, both in and outside of the city. Take a break from the city buzz on a day trip, or explore the Taipei Riverside Bikeway on your bike. Alternatively, go hiking on Yangmingshan, finishing with an illicit nighttime dip in Bayan Hot Spring.
New Year’s Eve is another holiday that Taipei residents embrace. Enjoy the Taipei 101 fireworks extravaganza by gathering with crowds around Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall and the Xinyi shopping district. Better yet, gain a vantage point atop Elephant Mountain – arrive early for the best views.
Chinese Lunar New Year, Taiwan’s biggest public holiday, runs for one week in late January. During this time, Taipei becomes a bit of a ghost town, with many restaurants and shops closed as city dwellers head south for family gatherings.
Try arriving in the days prior, hitting the thronging markets of Dihua Street and Nanmen, and consider staying in anticipation of the annual dragon dance on New Year’s Day.
Come mid-February, you’ll have several lantern festivals to choose from across Taiwan, but the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is the most celebrated and close to Taipei, where lanterns are released along the charming old railway.
Winter is long gone, but summer is not yet here, making March a fantastic time to visit Taipei and explore the outdoors. Avid bikers tend to start round-the-island tours, while surfers take to the east coast.
March is also the best time to see the cherry blossoms, although you can continue to enjoy them into April at higher elevations, offering colorful hiking opportunities on Yangmingshan.
March to May and October to November: Best for Stunning Foliage
Blink and you’ll miss them, but there are indeed four seasons on display in Taiwan. The short-lived spring (March to early May) is when the forested mountains backing Taipei bloom in pink and white, while in fall (October and November), the forests turn a rusty red.
With such natural beauty on display and more comfortable temperatures (19-22°C or 66-72°F in April), these shoulder seasons are perfect for getting outdoors.
A selection of great art and design events kick off in spring, with numerous cultural parks competing for picnicking locals and art lovers. Of these, Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Taipei Expo Park, and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park host a mix of independent design boutiques, art galleries, and independent film showcases, complemented by weekend markets held outside.
The first Asian destination to legalize gay marriage, Taiwan hosts the region’s largest LGBTIQ+ celebration in October. Taipei’s annual Pride parade sees around 100,000 advocates and activists take to the streets around City Hall, culminating in Halloween-Pride festivities across the city.
