Things to Do in Taoyuan in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
December Weather in Taoyuan
Long-run averages for December
68°F (20°C)
High Temp
59°F (15°C)
Low Temp
4.5 inches (114 mm)
Rainfall
80%
Humidity
5
Sunny-Day UV
⚠ The northeast monsoon dominates northern Taiwan in December. It brings sustained periods of grey skies and fine drizzle to Taoyuan that can last for several days without clearing. Persistent dampness combined with wind creates a chill that penetrates light clothing far faster than the moderate thermometer reading would suggest.
⚠ Mountain roads and forest trails in Fuxing District, around Xiao Wulai and the upper reservoir areas, can develop fog banks that reduce driving visibility to under 50 m (164 ft) with little warning. Damp conditions leave stone and root sections of hiking trails slippery for days after a rain event.
Making the most of December in Taoyuan? Browse tours and activities in Taoyuan on GetYourGuide.
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + December's average highs of 20°C (68°F) make Taoyuan's outdoor walking routes comfortable for hours at a stretch. This is genuine relief after the punishing summer humidity that tops 33°C (91°F) and leaves you drenched before you've crossed a single intersection.
- + Rainfall drops to 4.5 inches (114 mm), less than half of the May and June deluge. The trails around Shihmen Dam and Xiao Wulai are accessible most days without the mudslide risk that closes mountain paths in the wet season.
- + Crowds at Taoyuan's signature attractions thin out noticeably in December. Places like Daxi Old Street that draw weekend shoulder-to-shoulder traffic in spring and autumn are quiet enough that you can linger at tofu vendors and woodcarving studios without being swept along by a current of day-trippers.
- + Cool weather turns Taoyuan's heavy Hakka comfort food into exactly what you want to eat. Think steaming bowls of ban tiao flat rice noodles in pork bone broth, braised pork belly with pickled mustard greens, and warm lei cha ground tea that coats your throat with sesame and peanut richness.
Considerations
- − The northeast monsoon that settles over northern Taiwan in December brings persistent overcast skies and a fine drizzle that can hang in the air for an entire day without ever becoming a proper downpour. This is somehow more demoralizing than actual rain because you keep waiting for it to clear and it simply does not.
- − Daylight fades early, with sunset landing around 5:10 PM. This squeezes afternoon outdoor plans and means any mountain excursion to Fuxing District needs a morning start or you are driving winding roads in the dark.
- − The combination of 80% humidity and temperatures around 15°C (59°F) in the evenings creates a damp chill that seeps through clothing faster than the thermometer suggests. Visitors from dry climates are often caught underdressed because 15°C at home feels manageable but 15°C at 80% humidity in Taoyuan bites differently.
Settled on December? Compare hotel prices in Taoyuan for your dates on Trip.com.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Taoyuan in December settles into a cool, unhurried rhythm that catches most first-time visitors off guard. The subtropical heat that dominates the city from May through September has fully retreated, replaced by days that hover around 20°C and evenings that dip to a crisp 15°C. This is the kind of weather where a light jacket feels welcome after dark. But the afternoon sun still warms your shoulders on an open-air walk through Daxi Old Street. Rainfall drops to roughly 114 millimeters for the month, one of the driest stretches on Taoyuan's calendar and a sharp contrast to the drenching monsoon months of spring and early summer. Skies lean overcast more often than blue. The cloud cover diffuses light in a way that softens the industrial edges of this large city and makes the surrounding tea terraces glow a deeper green. The pace of daily life in Taoyuan shifts in December. Night market vendors along Zhongli's Xinming Road swap their shaved-ice stands for steaming pots of sesame oil chicken soup and thick, peppery bowls of beef noodles. The smell of slow-simmered bone broth hangs in the damp air well past midnight. Locals layer fleece under their scooter jackets and linger longer at the traditional breakfast shops, nursing warm soy milk and crunchy shaobing stuffed with egg and scallion. The city's proximity to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport means December also brings a steady stream of travelers either beginning or ending longer journeys across the island. Taoyuan's own attractions, the painted Hakka villages of Longtan, the ornate temples of the old city center, the limestone corridors of Xiao Wulai, are noticeably quieter than they would be during the sweltering peak of summer tourism. December is one of the few months when you can walk the wooden boardwalks at Shihmen Reservoir without weaving through tour groups, hearing only the rustle of camphor trees and the occasional cry of a crested serpent eagle circling above the water.
TPE Taiwan Taoyuan Airport: Premium Lounge Entry
otherStepping into the Premium Lounge at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport feels like crossing a threshold from the fluorescent hum and crowded gate seating into a quieter, carpeted world. The air smells faintly of brewed oolong. The noise of boarding announcements drops to a murmur. The lounge spreads across a generous floor plan with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the tarmac, where you can watch wide-body aircraft taxi past while sinking into a cushioned seat with a hot meal. Think braised pork rice, stir-fried greens with garlic, or congee ladled from ceramic tureens. The food selection rotates but consistently draws on Taiwanese comfort dishes alongside international options. The shower suites are a genuine relief after a long-haul arrival.
A bookable escape from gate-side chaos that turns a layover into a proper rest, with Taiwanese comfort food, hot showers, and tarmac views that remind you exactly where in the world you are.
Insider tip: Arrive within the first hour of the lounge opening for the freshest hot-food spread. The braised dishes are replenished throughout the day. But the initial service tends to have the widest variety and shortest queue at the noodle station.
Taoyuan Airport: Layover Taipei City Tour
guided_experienceIf you find yourself with a layover stretching past five or six hours at Taoyuan Airport, this guided city tour pulls you out of the terminal and drops you into the dense, aromatic streets of Taipei in under an hour. The itinerary typically threads through the most concentrated pockets of the capital. You'll see the red-columned corridors of Longshan Temple where incense smoke coils toward the carved ceiling beams, the narrow lanes of Dadaocheng where dried goods shops spill burlap sacks of star anise and dried shrimp onto the sidewalk, and the gleaming white geometry of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall where the changing of the guard echoes across polished marble floors. A guide handles the logistics of transit from the airport. You spend your limited hours tasting xiao long bao with soup that scalds your tongue rather than puzzling over MRT ticket machines.
The fastest way to convert dead airport time into real contact with Taipei, guided, door-to-door, with the routing designed so you taste, smell, and see more in a half-day than most independent visitors manage in a full one.
Insider tip: Confirm your terminal and re-entry requirements with the guide before departing the airport. International transit passengers need to clear immigration, so carry your passport and boarding pass for the onward flight in an easily accessible pocket rather than buried in your carry-on.
This month: December's cooler air in Taipei, averaging around 18-19°C, makes the walking portions of this tour far more comfortable than during the humid summer months, when the same route can feel punishing by midday.
TPE Taiwan Taoyuan INTL Airport: Oriental Club Lounge Access
otherThe Oriental Club Lounge at Taoyuan International Airport occupies a different register than the larger premium lounges. It is smaller in footprint, quieter in atmosphere, with a design vocabulary that leans toward dark wood, warm lighting, and the kind of deliberate calm you associate with a private study rather than a transit facility. The beverage selection tilts toward a curated tea and coffee bar where you can watch a proper pour-over being prepared, the hiss of the kettle and the earthy scent of freshly ground beans cutting through the sealed stillness of the room. Seating tends toward individual alcoves rather than communal tables. This makes it a stronger fit for solo travelers or anyone who wants to read, sleep, or simply sit without the ambient social pressure of a busier lounge.
A more intimate, contemplative alternative to the larger airport lounges, priced lower and designed for travelers who value quiet and a well-made cup of tea over an expansive buffet spread.
Insider tip: If you are choosing between this lounge and the larger Premium Lounge, consider your priority. The Oriental Club wins on atmosphere and price, while the Premium Lounge wins on food variety and shower access. If your layover is under two hours, the Oriental Club's quicker check-in and smaller footprint gets you settled faster.
Where to Stay in Taoyuan in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
★★★★
Mid-Range
Hyatt Regency Taoyuan International Airport
From $146 / night
Check Prices on Trip.com →
Public Holidays in December
Dates that affect opening hours, transport and crowds
Constitution Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday. Date calculated from the national holiday calendar.
Constitution Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday. Granted in lieu when the holiday falls at a weekend. Date calculated from the national holiday calendar.
Constitution Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday. Date calculated from the national holiday calendar.
Founding Day of the Republic of China
Observed nationwide as a public holiday. Granted in lieu when the holiday falls at a weekend. Date calculated from the national holiday calendar.
Constitution Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday. Date calculated from the national holiday calendar.
Packing Checklist
Bookmark this page — your progress is saved between visits
Need the full list with shopping links?
Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Taoyuan Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
The Taoyuan Airport MRT line is not just an airport shuttle. Locals use it as a regular commuter rail. The A18 station connects to the High Speed Rail that reaches Taipei in 20 minutes. This means you can base yourself in Taoyuan at lower accommodation rates and still access Taipei in less time than it takes to cross Taipei by bus. The trains run with surprisingly little crowding outside the 7-9 AM and 5-7 PM commuter windows.
Taoyuan's best food concentrates in its Hakka districts. Not anywhere near the airport or the high-speed rail station. The area around Zhongli and the older neighborhoods of Pingzhen have multi-generational noodle shops and breakfast spots. These serve you cong you bing (scallion pancakes) with an egg cracked on top and a bowl of warm soy milk. This tastes nothing like the packaged kind. Here is the general rule. If the signage is only in Chinese and the seating is plastic stools, you are in the right place.
December's northeast monsoon drizzle in Taoyuan is not like tropical rain. It does not arrive, dump, and leave. It settles in. Locals do not wait for a dry window because there may not be one. They carry an umbrella. They wear layers that handle moisture. They go about their day. Match this attitude and December opens up rather than closing down. The drizzle is rarely heavy enough to ruin anything except your expectation of sunshine.
Transit through Taoyuan Airport with six hours or more to spare? The airport MRT reaches Taoyuan city center in 25 minutes. That leaves comfortable time for a Zhongli night market dinner or a Hutoushan Park walk. Most passengers stay terminal-bound or bolt straight to Taipei. Taoyuan itself, the city right outside its own airport, remains invisible to the thousands passing through daily.
Avoid These Mistakes
Stop treating Taoyuan as merely an airport transfer point. The city holds Hakka food culture, colonial-era architecture in Daxi, and mountain scenery in Fuxing District. You would pay to see these if packaged under a different name. The airport's dominance over Taoyuan's reputation is wildly disproportionate to what the city contains.
Pack for the humidity behind the thermometer, not just the number on it. Visitors from dry climates consistently underestimate how cold 15°C (59°F) feels at 80% humidity with wind. That combination bites through a single cotton layer in minutes. By the time you feel the chill in your chest, you are already too cold to warm up without ducking into a convenience store for a hot can of coffee and a wardrobe rethink.
Do not expect Taipei-level English signage once you leave the airport MRT stations. Taoyuan is a working Taiwanese city, not a tourist corridor. Outside the transit infrastructure, menus, bus schedules, and market vendor conversations run almost entirely in Mandarin and Hakka. A translation app and a willingness to point and nod will get you everywhere you need to go. Effortless English navigation will not.
Short on time? See day trips around Taoyuan on GetYourGuide.
Ready to plan your trip to Taoyuan?
Now that you've got the research covered, here's where to go next.
Explore More Activities in Taoyuan
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Taoyuan.
See All Taoyuan Tours on Viator