Taipei in Winter: Hot Springs, Rainy Days and Lantern Season

Taipei in winter is cool, often damp and much quieter than in the busy spring and autumn months. From December to February the northeast monsoon brings grey skies and light rain to the north of Taiwan, so it is not a season for long sunny walks. It is a good time for hot springs, night markets, tea houses and museum days, and the Lunar New Year and lantern festivals add colour in February. This guide covers what the weather means for your plans, which hot springs to choose, what to do on rainy days and how the 2027 lantern season looks.

Photo: C.L. Kao (eddie5150) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

What Taipei in winter feels like

Winter in Taipei is mild compared with Japan or Korea, but it can feel colder than the numbers suggest because of the damp air and the wind. Many buildings are not heated, so cafés and hotel rooms may feel chilly.

What to expect:

• Rain: frequent drizzle and grey days, especially in January and February. Heavy rain is less common than in summer.
• Temperature: cool by day and colder at night. A warm jacket, a sweater and layers are enough in the city.
• Mountains: Yangmingshan, just north of the city, is colder, often misty and sometimes windy. On a few days in a cold spell, there can be frost or a dusting of snow at the summits, which draws crowds.
• Coast: Keelung, Jiufen and the northeast coast face the monsoon and are often the wettest parts of the region.

Pack a compact umbrella, a waterproof jacket and shoes that cope with wet streets.

Hot springs near Taipei

Hot springs are the classic way to spend a cold day here.

Beitou. The best-known area, at the end of the red metro line branch. It has hotels with private and shared baths, a geothermal valley with steaming water and the Beitou Hot Spring Museum, a former bathhouse. The public Millennium Hot Spring, a low-cost open-air pool, was closed for renovation when we checked, with no reopening date announced. If it matters to you, check before you go. Private baths in the hotels are available by the hour.

Photo: FireFeather / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Yangmingshan. Higher up, with hot spring hotels and small public baths in a mountain setting. Combine a soak with a short walk if the weather allows.

Wulai. South of the city, with riverside hot springs, an Atayal village, a small waterfall and a mountain feel. It takes about an hour by bus.

Etiquette: in shared baths, wash before entering, do not wear swimwear in single-sex nude pools, and keep towels out of the water. Some public pools require swimwear, so read the signs.

Rainy-day plans

Taipei is easy on a wet day because the metro is fast and many sights are indoors.

• National Palace Museum. One of the world's largest collections of Chinese art. Allow at least half a day.
• Taipei 101. The observation deck is best on a clear day. On a cloudy day, the mall and food court below still work.
• Huashan 1914 Creative Park and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. Former industrial sites with exhibitions, shops and cafés.
• Tea houses. Take the Maokong Gondola for tea in the hills on a dry day, or visit a traditional tea house in Dadaocheng.
• Night markets. Many stalls have covers, and hot food is welcome in the cold. Raohe, Ningxia and Shilin are popular.
• Dadaocheng and Dihua Street. Old shophouses selling dried goods and herbs. Before Lunar New Year, the street hosts a busy new year goods market.

Lunar New Year 2027 in Taipei

Taiwan's Lunar New Year holiday in 2027 runs from 4 to 10 February, according to the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration. New Year's Day is Saturday 6 February.

What this means:

• Before the holiday: markets such as Dihua Street are full of shoppers, and the city is busy.
• During the holiday: many residents leave Taipei to visit family. The city is quieter, and some small restaurants and shops close for several days, especially on New Year's Eve and the first days of the year. Big attractions, hotels and department stores mostly stay open.
• Transport: high-speed rail and intercity buses sell out for the days before and after the holiday. Book early if you plan to travel around Taiwan.

Temples such as Longshan Temple and Xingtian Temple are very busy at midnight on New Year's Eve and during the first days, as people come to pray.

The 2027 lantern season

The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the new year, which in 2027 is Saturday 20 February.

Taiwan Lantern Festival 2027. The national event moves each year. In 2027 it is held in Miaoli County, around the Houlong area near the high-speed rail station, from 20 February to 7 March, according to the organisers. It is reachable as a day trip from Taipei by high-speed rail.

Taipei Lantern Festival and Pingxi Sky Lanterns. Taipei usually runs its own lantern displays around the festival, and the Pingxi district in New Taipei holds sky lantern release events. The 2027 dates and locations for both had not been announced when we checked. Look for them in January.

Photo: Jirka Matousek / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Jiufen and Shifen. These old mining and railway towns in the hills east of Taipei are popular all winter. Jiufen's lantern-lit lanes look good in the evening, but it is often misty and very crowded at weekends.

A 4-day winter plan

Day 1: central Taipei

Arrive, then visit Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Ximending and Longshan Temple. Evening at a night market.

Day 2: museums and the north

Morning at the National Palace Museum, then the metro to Beitou for a hot spring bath in the afternoon.

Day 3: hills or coast

On a dry day, go to Jiufen and Shifen, or take the gondola to Maokong. On a wet day, swap in Dadaocheng and the creative parks.

Day 4: Taipei 101 and departure

Check the weather and visit the observation deck if visibility is good, then shop around Xinyi before your flight.

Our 4 days in Taipei sample trip gives a full version you can edit in RoamerPlanner. If you want warmer weather, the south is often drier and milder in winter; see our 2 days in Tainan trip.

Is Taipei in winter worth it?

Yes, if you like food, hot springs, museums and festivals and do not mind grey skies.

Think again if you mainly want hiking with views or clear photos of the skyline. October, November and spring are usually drier.

If you are planning a wider winter trip around Asia, our guide to Lunar New Year 2027 covers Seoul, Singapore and Bangkok.

Quick FAQ

Is it cold in Taipei in winter? Cool rather than cold, but damp, and indoor spaces are often not heated. Bring a warm layer and a rain jacket.

When is Lunar New Year 2027 in Taiwan? New Year's Day is 6 February 2027. The official holiday runs from 4 to 10 February.

Is the Beitou Millennium Hot Spring open? It was closed for renovation when we checked, with no reopening date. Hotel baths in Beitou are open.

Sources, checked 4 November 2026: Taiwan Directorate-General of Personnel Administration 2027 holiday calendar; Taiwan Tourism Administration information on the 2027 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Miaoli (20 February to 7 March); Taipei City Government notices on the Beitou Millennium Hot Spring renovation. Dates for the 2027 Taipei Lantern Festival and Pingxi sky lantern events were not announced at the time of writing.

Cover photo: Sunkenbean / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0