According to the tourist arrival numbers, December is the most popular month of the year to visit Taiwan. Does that surprise you?
Some of the reasons people may want to spend December in Taiwan include taking their Christmas holidays abroad, escaping from cold weather in Europe/North America, escaping hot weather in Southeast Asia, soaking in Taiwan’s amazing hot springs, flower viewing, and seeing autumn foliage in the mountains of Taiwan.
Christmas activities and one of the world’s most epic New Year’s Eve fireworks displays are the finishing touches that make December one of the best months to visit Taiwan.
Because it is the most popular month, expect serious crowds and sold-out hotels/trains. Book ASAP! New Year’s Eve is usually the busiest night of the year in Taipei – hotels triple in price and they pretty much all sell out.
December is a transitional month between autumn and winter in Taiwan. Chilly winter weather usually arrives in Taipei around November and December, while the south of Taiwan remains pleasantly warm and dry in December.
See how it compares to other months in my Taiwan weather guide.
For more general information, see these common FAQs about Taiwan.
Taipei in December: Best Things to Do
While Taipei may start to get fairly chilly in December, it surely won’t stop you from visiting any of the main Taipei attractions or night markets. Start planning your trip with my general Taipei city guide.
By far the best antidote to the cool weather is taking a dip in thermal hot springs. Beitou hot spring is Taipei’s very own hot spring resort, first developed by the Japanese when they colonized Taiwan.
Read my guide to Beitou to find out the best hot spring spas and hot spring related attractions to explore in Beitou.
Beitou Public Hot Spring will still be closed for renovations in December, but I suggest the best alternatives in my article.
Another good way to warm up is by spending an evening enjoying all-you-can-eat hot pot with friends; most places have a two-hour time limit. Here are my favorite hot pot places in Taipei.
Flower lovers also can’t miss the Shilin Residence Chrysanthemum Show (see info). Held in the former residence of Chiang Kai-Shek, it will take place from November 28 to December 14 in 2025.
Get off at Yuanshan MRT for the event. Consider to combine your visit with Maji Square, known for its excellent semi-outdoor food court, or Shilin Night Market nearby.
The annual Taipei Marathon (official site) usually takes place in mid December. The 2025 date will be December 21. It is a popular event for foreign participants to take part in. Recent years have seen over 100,000 runner takes part!
On the 23rd day of the 10th month of the lunar calendar (December 12 in 2025), Taipei folk celebrate the Qingshan King’s birthday.
This usually includes noisy, traditional daytime and nighttime parades around Bangka Qingshan Temple during the three days before it (December 9 and 10 nights, and 11 will be a grand processions in the daytime).
In December, you can still see some autumn foliage at Yangmingshan National Park (click the link to see my recommended viewing spots). But the park is usually a few degrees colder than Taipei and it is common to experience fog or rain up there, so dress warm!
Make sure to learn these essential Taiwanese Mandarin words and phrases before your trip.
Christmas Markets and Events in Taipei City
Christmas was not traditionally celebrated in Taiwan. However, starting from 2025, December 25 will be a national holiday for another reason: Constitution Day. The day off will be a Thursday this year, so it won’t result in a long weekend and won’t have a big impact on travel.
While local families don’t really celebrate Christmas, the holiday has taken off big time in a more public way. You’ll see Christmas lights in many locations in Taipei, with the biggest being Christmasland – we’ll get to that below.
For Christmas Lights in Taipei, these will be the best locations in 2025:
- Xinyi Shopping District (Shinkong Mitsukoshi Mall near Taipei 101): Tons of decorations, sea of lights
- Uni-President Department Store: Venice-themed, many decorations and Christmas market
- Zhongshan MRT: Zootopia-themed Christmas tree
- Taipei Main Station (train station building, ground floor): largest Christmas tree in Taipei
- Nangang Lalaport and Bellavita: other malls with decorations
- Jiqin Christmas Alley (吉慶聖誕巷, see here) in Beitou (usually, but I haven’t confirmed a 2025 event)
The annual European Christmas Market usually takes place in early December. Last year, the event was November 28 to December 1. There’s no announcement yet about a 2025 one.
There is also a German Christmas Market, which already took place on November 28 to 30 in 2025.
If you’re traveling to Taiwan with kids, you can sit on Santa’s lap and get a photo of it at the Regent Taipei.
Santa usually sets up beside the largest Christmas tree in Taipei, inside the hotel. The tree is 15 meters tall and has over 27,000 bulbs!
In 2025, the Christmas tree will feature a short lights and music every day at 12:15 / 13:15 / 14:15 / 15:15 / 16:15 / 18:15 / 19:15 / 20:15 / 21:15 / 21:15 from November 27 to December 25.
You can get a photo with Santa or sit on his lap from 12:00 -17:00 and 18:00 – 21:00 from November 28 to January 1.
Ximending Shopping District usually has some fun Christmas decorations and Christmas tree around Ximen MRT, but I haven’t confirmed this for 2025. Let me know in the comments if you see anything!
Every year there is a Christmas Fair at Gongguan Water Park, featuring lights and other activities. In 2025, it will be from November 29 to December 31. The main activity days are usually Saturdays during that time period. While you’re in the area, also check out Gongguan Night Market!
From late November until December 28, there will be a Snoopy-themed Christmas pop-up event, in honor of the 75th anniversary of Peanuts.
The event will feature Christmas displays, snowy vibes, and Peanuts merch. It will taken place in the Men’s Former Bathhouse (男澡堂) building, which is on the ground floor of the old tobacco factory. Here’s the official event page.
If you’re looking for Christmas dinner in Taipei, here are some bars, restaurants, and hotels that offer Christmas dinner in Taipei. For most, you’ll need a ticket, as many expats in the city will be looking for somewhere to get a nice Christmas dinner.
Christmasland in New Taipei City
For the best of the best Christmas events in Taipei, you simply can’t miss Christmasland in Banqiao, New Taipei City. It usually starts in mid-November and goes every day until the end of December. In 2025, the dates are November 14 to December 28.
There you’ll find yourself in the midst of completely over-the-top Christmas lights display, including tunnels of lights, Christmas concerts, and more.
The event takes place on the north and south sides of Banqiao train/MRT station plus this year there will be an area at Lin Family Mansion.
They usually make a whole brand new website for every year’s event. Here’s the official 2025 Christmasland page, with all the info you need.
Beware that this event can be extremely crowded and noisy, with very long lines for activities. To avoid the worst crowds try to come on a weekday, and ideally not right around the festival begins, or on weekends closest to Christmas Day.
I’ve also covered Christmas events in other cities across Taiwan in my guide to spending winter in Taiwan.
Christmas Sky Lantern Event in Shifen
This year, for the first time ever, there’s going to a Christmas Sky Lantern Event on December 25 in Jiufen and Shifen. This is a private event with a stop in Jiufen followed by releasing sky lanterns in Shifen but with Christmas decorations.
Eastern and Western traditions combined! This is basically a taster of the main Lantern Festival event to come in February and March.
Spaces for this organized day trip to the event are limited, so make sure to book ASAP if you want to join it. Make sure to select the December 25 event, not the later Lantern Festival events.
New Year’s Eve in Taipei
In 2025, New Year’s Eve will be on a Wednesday. This means Thursday, January 1, 2026 will be a national holiday.
Unlike in the past, the government most likely won’t make this into a long weekend. It will just be one day off in the middle of the week (people will still have to go to work on Friday).
However, any weekends around Christmas and NYE are usually some of the busiest weekends in the year in Taiwan, and some locals may take the Friday off. Expect trains to be sold out and hotels everywhere to be more expensive than usual or sold out, too, ESPECIALLY in Taipei.
There are ususually 3 major fireworks events in Taipei area. The earliest one is usually the Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf fireworks, which started at exactly 8:25 PM last year. Due to the earlier start time, this is a good one for kids. Here’s some more info.
At midnight, besides the Taipei 101 fireworks, there’s also fireworks art Miramar Mall (the one with the large Ferris wheel).
The Taipei 101 fireworks and LED lights display on New Year’s Eve surely ranks as one of the world’s greatest. You’ll need to arrive in Xinyi District hours in advance to secure a decent spot (dress warm!) among the hundreds of thousands of spectators.
Find the best (and least crowded) spots to watch the Taipei 101 fireworks here. Also read my guide to visiting Taipei 101 itself.
For many Taiwanese youths, the best place to take in the fireworks is the New Year’s Eve Bash held and Taipei City Hall Square, north of Taipei 101, which features concerts from some of the country’s top pop stars, and of course a view of the fireworks.
New Year’s Eve is a super busy and expensive night to party in Taipei. Most night clubs have steep cover charges, and you’ll need to get a ticket in advance or wait in a long line.
I’ve covered other New Year’s Eve events across Taiwan in my guide to visiting Taiwan in winter.
Christmas and New Year’s Even in Other Cities
In Taoyuan, you can check out the Christmas display at Gloria Outlets (next to Taoyuan HSR Station and Xpark) on the way to/from Taoyuan International Airport.
Іn Таісhung, the biggest Christmas lights display in 2025 will be the Qinmei Caowu Christmas Village (here in Calligraphy Park). Also check out Waku BBQ (a restaurant covered in lights, here) and any major malls.
Taichung’s New Year’s Eve and fireworks display will be at Taichung Central Park (here, not to be confused with Taichung Park in the city center). Find more info here.
There is also usually a major fireworks display at Lihpao Land (see here), a theme park and outlet mall outside the city center.
In Kaohsiung, the biggest Christmas lights displays in 2025 will be at Dream Mall (Venice-themed) and Hanshin Arena. You can also expect some Christmas lights at displays at major department stores, Pier 2 Art Center, and along the Love River.
Kaohsiung’s fireworks displays are usually held at Dream Mall (which you can view from places afar such as Pier 2 area or Shoushan Love Lookout) and E-Da theme park. This year’s event at Dream Mall is already confirmed, with a big concert and fireworks. See news about it here. The fireworks display at E-Da, an outlet mall and theme park north of the city center, is going to last 999 seconds. See news about it here.
In Tainan, there will be a combined Christmas and New Year’s Eve events called 台南好Young. Here’s the official page. It will feature multiple events at different locations in December and a NYE countdown concert at this location.
In Taitung, there will be a free NYE concert called 東！帶我走 Taitung Seashore Park (here) featuring a concert headlined by A-Mei, Taiwan’s most famous indigenous pop star.
Welcoming the Near Year on the Coast
Every year, masses of people gather on the east coast of Taiwan to watch the first sunrise of the year. The most popular spot to do this is at Fulong, called the Fulong Welcome Sunrise Festival (福隆迎曙光).
Usually the beach will have some special lights, concerts, and additional late-night trains running from Taipei to Fulong for the event. Here’s my guide to Fulong and other beaches around Taipei.
Other popular places to watch the first sunrise of the year are Qixingtan beach in Hualien and Sanxiantai in Taitung.
Search for cooking classes in Taiwan for a fun winter activity. There are lots of different choices!
Taiwan in December: Best Places to Visit
If you’re planning to do a full tour around the country in December, then begin by consulting my recommended Taiwan itinerary for 1-3 weeks, and find more ideas on my list of the 50 best things to do in Taiwan.
Will cooler weather, you may want to consider day trips from Taipei that involve soaking in hot water, including Wulai or Jinshan in New Taipei City and Jiaoxi Hot Springs in Yilan County.
Taroko Gorge in Hualien may still be closed in December 2025, following the huge earthquake that heavily damaged it in April 2024 and massive landslide that blocked it in October 2025. Check for status updates and here are other places to visit in Hualien besides Taroko.
Further afield, hot spring lovers can also try Tai’an hot spring in Miaoli and Guanziling mud hot spring in Tainan. For other awesome hot springs around Taiwan, see here!
Art & food lovers should dedicate a few days to Taichung during their trip; here’s my recommended Taichung itinerary, including of course Rainbow Village.
Flower fans should plan to visit the free Xinshe Flower Festival (official site), held in Taichung in November and December.
The 2025 dates for Xinshe Flower Festival are November 8 to 30 in 2025 with PowerPuff Girls theme. There will be free shuttle buses to the free event from Songzhu train and MRT station in Taichung.
If you miss it, you can see seas of flowers year round at Zhongshe Flower Market, also near Taichung.
At Gaomei Wetland in Taichung and Sicao Green Tunnel in Anping, Tainan, it is possible to spot flocks of migratory birds from December to February.
If you plan to be in Taichung for NYE, the city usually holds its main celebration and fireworks at Lihpao Village; see my article on the best Taichung Day trips for more information.
Sun Moon Lake can be slightly chilly in December, but skies are often clear.
December is the start of the strawberry season in Taiwan. You can visit these strawberry farms in Dahu to try picking them yourself. After, head to nearby Taian hot spring to stay in one of its excellent hot spring hotels.
Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, and Taitung are lovely to explore in December, with warm weather and almost no rain.
To observe flocks of Taiwanese Purple Crow butterflies, head to Maolin Scenic Area in Kaohsiung.
In Taitung, the annual Taiwan Pasiwali Festival, a music festival of the Amis Indigenous people, will take place from December 13-14.
In Chishang (Taitung county), the rice fields will be mostly bare, but Lisong Hot Springs will be perfect to visit.
December is, along with November, the best month to observe autumn foliage in Taiwan. In Taoyuan, the best spots include Bade Bald Cypress Forest (八德落羽松森林), Shimen Reservoir (石門水庫), and Lalashan (拉拉山).
In Yilan, try Mingchi National Scenic Area (明池國家森林遊樂區), but you’ll need to drive to get there. The forest paths and “Bong Bong Train” at the peak of Taipingshan (太平山) are also gorgeous spots for autumn foliage viewing.
In Taichung, but usually accessed from Yilan on the east coast, Wuling Farm (武陵農場) has the best fall foliage.
Another option near Wuling Farm but further up the highway is Fushoushan Farm (福壽山農場).
Autumn foliage can also be seen at Alishan Forest Recreation Area in December. Being the most popular month for tourism, Alishan will be very busy at this time.
Book your hotel and transportation early! Here’s how to simplify your Alishan itinerary, how to book the bus, and how to book the train.
Meanwhile, Aowanda (奧萬大) National Forest Recreation Area in Nantou County is one of the country’s most famous autumn foliage spots; if you make it that far, also stop in at Cingjing Farm.
Xitou Nature Education Area (溪頭自然教育園區) is yet another prime spot for fall colors, and don’t miss Xitou Monster Village right next to it.
Down in Tainan, Hongye Park (紅葉公園) is the most well-known place to see beautiful fall colors.
It is located adjacent to Guanziling (關子嶺), famous for its unique mud hot springs; taking a dip in the mud-colored water or rubbing the skin-smoothing mud on your face is an experience you can’t miss in Taiwan in December!
Taipei Weather in December
After the last few months of crisp, autumn weather, December officially marks the start of winter in Taipei. The average high temperature in Taipei in December is 21°C (70°F), while the average low is 15°C (59°F), which can be coolder than it sounds if you’re used to a dry climate.
While December can be cool, it is also the least rainy month of the year in Taipei, with only 75mm of rain (12 days with spots of rain, on average).
For this reason, purely in terms of weather, December is the most pleasant of the winter months in Taipei; January is noticeably colder, while February tends to be both rainy and cold. If you face rain during your December visit, here’s my are my suggested Taipei indoor activities.
In recent years, there have even been some freakishly warm (or even hot) days in Taipei in December, but that is not the norm.
What to Wear in Taipei in December
If you’re mainly staying in Taipei, then jeans plus a few layers on top are ideal. When the sun pokes out, you may find a T-shirt will suffice, but most of the time, you’ll probably want to have a hoodie or light jacket on as well, especially for going out in the evening. An thin outer layer which is both wind and waterproof is ideal.
Visitors from countries with tropical climates such as the Philippines or Southeast Asia may want to bring more winter-like attire, as Taipei in December may be quite a bit chillier than what you are used to.
– Find out where to stay in Taipei.
– Read my tips and making the best use of the Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass.
Taiwan Weather in December
Most of Northern Taiwan has similar weather to Taipei in December, including Yilan and Taroko Gorge in Hualien County. What’s more, anywhere near the coast, including Yehliu Geopark and Jiufen, can be quite windy, making it feel even cooler.
If you intend to go autumn foliage viewing in the mountains, or to high mountain resorts such as Cingjing Farm or Alishan, then it’s going to be even colder. For example, Alishan can go down to 10°C (50°F) or lower in the early morning while you’re waiting for the famous sunrise.
The further south you head from Taipei, the warmer it will get. Taichung is usually a few degrees warmer than Taipei, while cities further south such as Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Taitung can be a few degrees warmer still.
In Kenting National Park, it is still possible to swim on the beach in December. If you love mild/warm weather, then December is one of the best times of the year to visit these parts of Taiwan. Here’s where to stay in Kenting.
What to wear in Taiwan in December
Shorts and a T-shirt are enough to get by in the far south of Taiwan in December, but for Taipei and especially for visiting any forests or high mountain areas, you’ll want full-length pants/jeans, and multiple layers to keep your body warm.
For watching the sunrise at Alishan, you’ll even want to have gloves and a winter hat. But if you forget to bring them, they do sell them there.
Conclusion: Is December a Good Time to Visit Taiwan?
Well the weather can be a little chilly in Taipei and the north of Taiwan in December, the sheer number of events in December in Taiwan can more than make up for it. What’s more, there’s hardly any rain across Taiwan in December, which makes it the best winter month in terms of weather.
From flowers and autumn foliage viewing in the mountains to some of the best Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations in Asia, it’s no wonder December is the most popular month of the year to visit Taiwan!
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