An island where north and south are always a season apart, and typhoon season is the one thing genuinely worth planning around.
October and November carry the least risk: the storm season has passed, the weather works in both north and south, and Taipei's winter damp has not set in. If the trip focuses on the south, winter is also an excellent choice.
A high mountain spine splits Taiwan's weather in two. The north, Taipei included, sees rain spread through the year and a damp, grey winter; the south around Kaohsiung is drier and much warmer in winter. Summer is hot and humid island-wide and is typhoon season, while spring and autumn are the most comfortable stretches.
October and November carry the least risk: the storm season has passed, the weather works in both north and south, and Taipei's winter damp has not set in. If the trip focuses on the south, winter is also an excellent choice.
Lunar new year week, when high-speed rail seats and rooms go first and many restaurants close for days. Unless the festival is the reason you came, shifting by a week or two makes the trip far easier.
Coverage across the island is strong, high-speed rail and small towns included. It thins on the high mountain routes and parts of the east coast where the hills come down to the sea. During a typhoon the common problem is a local power cut rather than the network failing.
12 countries · partner networks
Taiwan, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Thailand
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
12 countries · partner networks
Taiwan, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Thailand
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
117 countries · partner networks
Taiwan, Japan, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, DR Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Zambia
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
117 countries · partner networks
Taiwan, Japan, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, DR Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Zambia
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
12 countries · partner networks
Taiwan, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Thailand
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
117 countries · partner networks
Taiwan, Japan, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, DR Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Zambia
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
Not necessarily. Storms do not arrive every week and the days between them are often fine. What matters is keeping a spare day and not scheduling tight onward flights in that window.
Damp, grey and often drizzly. The temperature is not very low but the humidity makes it feel colder than expected; the south in the same month is usually sunny and warm.
Temperatures at altitude are far from those in the city even in summer, and signal thins along the valleys. Download an offline route map and tell someone when you expect to be back before you set out.
