Taiwan itinerary — December 2026
For the Taiwan trip (Taipei & Taroko Gorge), December 2026 is a comfortable month by weather. Daytime highs sit around 21°C / 70°F in Taipei. Plan around 5–7 days using Taipei as your base for the day trips.
In this order — about 5–7 days:
- Taipei5 nights
- Route noteReserve the longest intercity leg first and keep transfer days free of timed sights.
By TripSapien Research · Updated May 20, 2026
Taipei
Taipei in December
TempTemperature
70°F / 60°F
21.1°C / 15.8°C
RainPrecipitation
13d
3.7in · 95mm
LightDaylight
10.5h
December is cool, grey, and usable; bring a light layer for riverside Tamsui and Beitou evenings.
City overview
Taipei sits in a mountain-ringed basin where the Tamsui and Keelung rivers, MRT lines, and surrounding hot-spring hills shape daily travel. Xinyi, Wanhua, Daan, Shilin, Beitou, and Wenshan each give a different version of the city: tower skyline, old temples, student food streets, museums, baths, and tea mountains.
Food & drink
Taipei is built for grazing: beef noodle soup, oyster omelet, oyster vermicelli, fried chicken fillet, stinky tofu, xiaolongbao, and aiyu jelly all belong on a first trip. Shilin, Ningxia, and Raohe night markets cover snacks, Yongkang Street is a beef-noodle and shaved-ice anchor, Din Tai Fung began on Xinyi Road, and prices stay lower than Tokyo, Seoul, or Hong Kong unless you choose hotel dining or Michelin tasting rooms.
Events & festivals
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Taipei Christmasland 2026
Taipei's signature Christmas festival with light displays, markets, performances, and family activities centered around the Xinyi shopping district.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Dec 5 – Dec 20
Taipei International Flora Expo 2026
A large-scale floral exhibition showcasing innovative horticulture, garden designs, and floral art held at various venues across Taipei.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Dec 10 – Dec 15
Taipei International Book Exhibition 2026
An annual event featuring book launches, author talks, and cultural exchange programs at the Taipei World Trade Center.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Dec 12 – Dec 27
Taipei Contemporary Art Festival 2026
A city-wide contemporary art festival featuring exhibitions, installations, and performances at multiple galleries and public spaces.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Dec 20 – Dec 31
Taipei Lantern Festival Preview 2026
A preview event showcasing lantern art installations and cultural performances leading up to the main Lantern Festival in early 2027.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Bao'an Temple
- 2National Palace Museum
- 3Longshan Temple
- 4Beitou Hot Springs
- 5Taipei 101
- 6Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan)
- 7Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
- 8National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine
- 9Maokong Gondola & Taipei Zoo
- 10Shilin, Ningxia & Raohe night markets
1Bao'an Temple
4.7★ · 4,560indoorOpen dailyDalongdong Bao'an Temple sits north of the old core and is often paired with the Confucius Temple. Its restored woodwork and festival calendar make it less rushed than Longshan.
2National Palace Museum
4.6★ · 60,955indoorClosed MonThe Shilin museum holds imperial Chinese collections spanning roughly 5,000 years, with only a small share displayed at one time. It is the city's highest-value indoor stop on rainy days.
Wikipedia
3Longshan Temple
4.5★ · 48,972indoorOpen dailyWanhua's Longshan Temple is the best first stop for old Taipei temple life, incense, carved roof detail, and the surrounding herb and night-market lanes. Combine it with Ximending on the same MRT line.
Show 7 more sights
- 4Beitou Hot Springs
- 5Taipei 101
- 6Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan)
- 7Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
- 8National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine
- 9Maokong Gondola & Taipei Zoo
- 10Shilin, Ningxia & Raohe night markets
Neighborhoods
1Xinyi
Xinyi is the skyline district: Taipei 101, department stores, city hall, clubs, and Elephant Mountain access. It is clean, vertical, and pricier than the older west side.
2Wanhua & Ximending
Wanhua is Taipei's old core around Longshan Temple, while Ximending adds youth fashion, cinemas, street snacks, and pedestrian neon. The contrast is the point: temple incense and pop retail sit minutes apart.
3Zhongzheng
Zhongzheng is the political and academic centre, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, government buildings, Taipei Main Station, and access to Gongguan and National Taiwan University areas.
4Daan, Yongkang & Shida
Daan is the food-and-cafe base for many visitors, with Yongkang Street, Shida student lanes, Daan Forest Park, and small tea houses. It is central without Xinyi's mall feel.
5Shilin & Tianmu
Shilin puts the National Palace Museum, Shilin Night Market, and riverside access on the northern map. Tianmu adds international schools, quieter residential streets, and easy taxi hops toward Yangmingshan.
6Beitou & Wenshan
Beitou is Taipei's hot-spring edge, while Wenshan is the tea-and-zoo side with Maokong Gondola. Both are MRT-reachable half-day districts rather than quick downtown detours.
Getting around
Taipei MRT trains run roughly 06:00-midnight, with EasyCard fares usually NT20-65 and a 20% discount on many rides; the same card works on buses, YouBike, and convenience-store payments. Taoyuan Airport MRT Express reaches Taipei Main Station in about 38 minutes for around NT150-160, while Maokong Gondola and river/MRT combinations handle the mountain and Tamsui edges.
Planning the Taiwan route?
Add your dates and we'll pace all 1 cities — every place checked for closures, limited hours, and booking needs in December.
Don't-miss stops along the way
Taroko Gorge
A marble-walled canyon on the east coast, cut by the Liwu River — Taiwan's headline natural sight, reached via Hualien.
Sun Moon Lake
The island's largest lake, ringed by mountains and temples in the central highlands — a calm counterpoint to Taipei.
Weather by month for the Taiwan trip
In December, the Taiwan trip runs daytime highs near 21°C / 70°F, with nights down to about 16°C / 61°F. Climate averages show about 13 rainy days. December is a comfortable month by weather.
The most comfortable months across Taipei & Taroko Gorge are February, November and January, based on average daytime temperatures and rainfall at every stop. December 2026 is a comfortable month.
Common questions about the Taiwan trip
- When is the best time to do the Taiwan trip?
- The most comfortable months in Taipei are February, November and January, based on average daytime temperatures and rainfall. December is a comfortable month by weather — see the weather below for the climate averages in December 2026.
- How many days do you need for the Taiwan trip?
- A comfortable Taiwan trip runs about 5–7 days — roughly 5 nights in Taipei with day trips to the featured sights. Add a day if you want a slower pace or extra day trips.
- What's the route for the Taiwan trip?
- The classic order is Taipei & Taroko Gorge. Taroko Gorge and Sun Moon Lake are the standout side-trips along the way. The city below has its own December weather, any available event listings, and a top-sights list, plus the featured day trips above.
Ready to plan the Taiwan trip?
Turn this route into a day-by-day plan for December 2026, every stop checked for closures and booking needs on your exact dates.