Skip to content
MASA
Da'an and Yongkang Street, Taipei
asia

TaipeiTravel Guide

Taiwan4 stories

Taiwan's green, mountain-ringed capital — night markets, hot springs, imperial treasures and one of Asia's friendliest street-food cultures.

Is Taipei right for you?

When to come

Autumn and early spring

Around 35°C by day in July, 19°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

Mid-range. Comfortable without planning around money, expensive if you stop counting.

What we've planned, and who for

No hour-by-hour route here yet — the guides below cover it by subject instead.

When to go
January: around 19 degrees by day, 14 at night, 94 millimetres of rain, wet.
February: around 20 degrees by day, 14 at night, 102 millimetres of rain, wet.
March: around 23 degrees by day, 16 at night, 108 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
April: around 26 degrees by day, 19 at night, 101 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
May: around 30 degrees by day, 23 at night, 225 millimetres of rain, very wet.
June: around 33 degrees by day, 25 at night, 235 millimetres of rain, very wet.
July: around 35 degrees by day, 27 at night, 214 millimetres of rain, very wet.
August: around 34 degrees by day, 26 at night, 237 millimetres of rain, very wet.
September: around 32 degrees by day, 25 at night, 237 millimetres of rain, very wet.
October: around 28 degrees by day, 22 at night, 163 millimetres of rain, very wet. We recommend this month.
November: around 25 degrees by day, 20 at night, 89 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
December: around 21 degrees by day, 16 at night, 97 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Autumn and early spring

Average daily highs, recorded at Taipei, 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

Central Weather Bureau (Taiwan)

Budget level

Mid-range

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Shanghai, China690 km

    a full travel day · both good in March, April, October · a different price level (mixed)

  • Hong Kong, China810 km

    a full travel day · both good in October, November, December · a different price level (mixed)

  • Macau, China880 km

    a full travel day · both good in October, November, December · a different price level (mixed)

Plan itWhere to stay in Taipeiad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Taipei

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Taipei

The ceremonial plaza of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, with manicured gardens and the orange-roofed National Theater and Concert Hall on either side under a blue sky
01
Destinations

Taipei for First-Timers: Night Markets, Hot Springs and a Tower Above the Clouds

A complete first-visit guide to Taiwan's capital — what to see, what to eat, which night market to choose and the day trip everyone should make.

Taiwan · 2 min
Taipei 101 rising above the Taipei skyline at golden hour, seen across forested hills with silver grass in the foreground.
02
The List

Taipei in Eight Frames: The City's Most Photogenic Corners, Ranked

Eight Taipei frames worth the climb, the wait and the weather - ranked, with the hour each one actually works.

Taiwan · 11 min
The approach to the National Palace Museum in Taipei seen from its steps on a grey damp day, a broad stone plaza flanked by clipped cypresses running down to the white ceremonial archway, two visitors sharing an umbrella at the centre and green hills behind.
03
Itineraries

Taipei When It Pours: An Itinerary That Never Gets Wet

Plum rains, typhoon bands and months of winter drizzle — and a parallel indoor Taipei of imperial treasure, underground streets and volcanic baths that is genuinely better wet.

Taiwan · 14 min
The pedestrian crossing at the heart of Ximending in Taipei at night, a dense crowd flowing between illuminated signboards, a curved screen wrapping the corner building and neon column advertisements in traditional Chinese on either side.
04
Stays

A First-Timer's Guide to Choosing Your Base in Taipei

Skyline glamour in Xinyi, night-market energy in Ximending or steaming springs in Beitou — Taipei's districts offer completely different trips. Here is how to choose.

Taiwan · 2 min
In pictures

Taipei, framed

The illuminated entrance arch of Raohe Street Tourist Night Market in Taipei at night, ringed with paper lanterns and surrounded by neon shop signs and crowds.
A Taiwanese street-food stall at night, its hand-painted boards in traditional Chinese advertising braised angelica duck and duck noodle soup, cooks working behind the counter.
Taipei at blue hour seen from Elephant Mountain, Taipei 101 lit pale green above the packed grid of the Xinyi district
Photo: Timo Volz / Unsplash
The lantern-hung lane of Jiufen Old Street packed with visitors, painted signs down both sides
Photo: aestelle / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Taipei

See and do

Before you go

Practical essentials for Taiwan

Money

New Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Language

Mandarin Chinese, with Taiwanese Hokkien widely spoken; English signage is good on the MRT but spoken English is limited.

Power

Type A/B, 110V 60Hz

Getting around

An EasyCard (or iPASS) covers the Taipei MRT, city buses and convenience stores, and high-speed rail runs the length of the west coast.

Tipping

Not practised — the metered taxi fare and the printed bill are the whole amount, though smarter restaurants add a 10% service charge.

Tap water

Tap water is treated but is not drunk straight from the tap; boiled or bottled water is the norm and free refill stations are common.

Driving

Right-hand side; you need a 1949 International Driving Permit plus your national licence, validated at a local Motor Vehicles Office on arrival.

Emergency

110 police, 119 fire and ambulance

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

Keep exploring

More of Asia

The Pudong skyline of Shanghai at night, with the Oriental Pearl Tower and illuminated skyscrapers reflected in the Huangpu River
Shanghai
China
A busy Hong Kong street crossing in low sun, with tram tracks and yellow box markings on the road, a red taxi and minibus in traffic, and Chinese shop signs on the towers above.
Hong Kong
China
Carved stone facade of the Ruins of St. Paul's in Macau against a blue sky
Macau
China
The green volcanic cliffs of Seongsan Ilchulbong on Jeju Island curving around a black-pebble cove and clear turquoise water
Jeju Island
South Korea
A Filipino platter laid out on a banana leaf: grilled fish, a mound of steamed rice, salted eggs with tomato, grilled aubergine, okra and a dipping bowl of soy and vinegar
Manila
Philippines
A glowing red lantern marked with ramen characters lights a Fukuoka yatai food stall at night.
Fukuoka
Japan
Haedong Yonggungsa, Busan
Busan
South Korea
A vendor turning skewers of marinated meat over an open charcoal fire at a street grill in Cebu, Philippines
Boracay
Philippines
The skeletal dome and gutted brick shell of the Atomic Bomb Dome floodlit at night in Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park, its light laid in long ribbons across the black water of the Motoyasu river
Hiroshima
Japan
Neon-lit signs in Hangul towering over a crowded Seoul nightlife street after dark
Seoul
South Korea
Hanoi's colonial-era Opera House floodlit gold at night beneath a full moon, its columned facade facing a square streaked with the light trails of passing traffic.
Hanoi
Vietnam
The Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau) in Hoi An, its tiled roof and carved timber gallery raised on squat stone arches over the canal, a red Vietnamese flag flying from the ridge
Hoi An
Vietnam