It doesn't necessarily get that cold in December. I remember celebrating one Christmas in 30C weather.

It rains a lot and it's very humid, so if you leave wet clothes out too long, your clothes will get a moldy smell.

December is actually the best time to visit Taiwan because it's not hot and humid. I think the average temperature is probably between 60F-70F. Rarely does it dip down to the 50F.

If you visit places like Kaohsiung and Tainan, you will need to bring t-shirts and shorts.

If you like shopping, the Taipei 101, Shing Kong, Sogo, and Breeze Center (…travel-guides.com/city/…Taipei.html) are fun to visit. The MRT's underground mall is interesting too.

The Tienmou outlet stores are fun to visit. I don't like to buy things from the night markets because the quality is not very good (sources are dubious). It's fun to see the crowds at night markets.

If you have done YMS and Beitou hotsprings already, I would recommend Chihpen (Taitung) Hot Spring on the east coast of Taiwan. I stayed at the Chih Pen Royal Hotel and it was a wonderful experience. I think there are less expensive hotels, but it's easier to buy the hotel package. It's hard to get to Chihpen from Taipei, but it's worth a visit. Most people go to Chihpen from Kaohsiung. With the highspeed train, you can go from Taipei to Kaohsiung in less than 3 hours.

Taichung is a boring city--more known for the few surrounding university towns. Taichung has an English-speaking (British educated) mayor, so he wants to promote Taichung as a hot tourist spot--NOT!

I think places like Zhang Hua and Jia Yi are interesting because you get to see the real rural Taiwan and what the Taiwanese people are all about. The root of the Taiwanese people is still farming. I also like Hsinchu. It's where the Hakka people lived. Hakka culture is very different for Hoklo culture. I visited a small Hakka town outside Hsinchu in 2005 and I learned a lot about its people and culture.

eng.coa.gov.tw/content.php…

Check out the Go 2 Taiwan website for more interesting tourist sites and festivals:

http://www.go2taiwan.net/

The Northern Coast of Taiwan and Yilan's Snow Mountain Tunnel is a must visit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hsuehshan_Tunnel

I also enjoy visiting Kenting National Park, at the southern most tip of Taiwan. You can get there via Kaohsiung. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenting_National_Park

I have found that Wikipedia is a good source of information. Do a search on Tainan and Kaohsiung and it'll give you a list of places to visit and see.

eng.taiwan.net.tw/lan/Cht/search/index.asp

The Touch Your Heart slogan really works!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wRc0q9xQEQ4

Hi jtsaila

Thanks for you reply! I will look through the websites you've posted and see what I can come up with. Because I've been to Taipei twice already and I wish to go to places which I haven't been to such as Keelung and Jiufen.

I think this time round I hope to visit these places along with Tienmu and Maokong because my friends have told me much about them!

I don't know much about Tainan except heard that food is great there. I've heard from a friend that there is a 'starry tunnel' in Kaohsiung which I cannot seem to find online. Any idea if there is such a place and how I can get there? My friend told me it is opposite the Train station but we have to take a ferry. Not too sure about it. Seems quite interesting so I thought I'd visit there when I go to Kaohsiung.

Taichung is often used as a base for day trips to the surrounding scenic areas of Sun Moon Lake, Formosan Aboriginal Theme Park, Xitou bamboo forest, Shinse, etc. If you like museums, two national museums are located there---the National Fine Arts Museum and the National Museum of Natural Science.

The "starry tunnel" (星空隧道) is a tunnel on the "Cijing Round-Island Bicycle Path" on Cijing Island (旗津), just off Kaohsiung. According to the article below, it can be reached by either:

Kaohsiung Railway Station > Bus 248 > ferry pier > ferry > Cijing

OR

Kaohsiung Railway Station > Bus 236 > Chiencheng (前鎮) > Bus 35 > Cijing

kaohsiungwalking.kcg.gov.tw/CmsShow.aspx…

Virtual Tour of the "starry tunnel":

www.wintimes.com.tw/play/800/800/more/c-3.htm

National Museum of Fine Arts

http://www.tmoa.gov.tw/

National Museum of Natural Science

http://www.nmns.edu.tw/

From Kaohsiung Railway Station > Cijin Island

Take bus 2, 36 (not 236 -- there is no such service route number) > Chiencheng (前鎮) > Bus 35 > Cijin Island

Thanks for the heads up, TaiwanDIY! ;-)

Thanks calicocat and TaiwanDIY!

I really appreciate all the help here. I'm hoping this trip will be a success because I'm planning this really hard. Thanks once again :)

Actually it is getting colder compared to Winters 10 years ago, Beginning of a new cycle. We had longer periods of under 10C C Last year end and Early 2008 up in Taipei.

Going South will get you much warmer weather definitely with Kaohsiung and Pintung like a Late Summer!!

Shopping for good stuff is Luck. Again in Dec Jan, All winter clothing on offer , nothing suitable for Summer.

You can try Green Island and Taitung area for a change of Scenery and Hot Spring.

Hi nuttyazn

So the weather would be around 10 degrees C of so? I'm thinking of visiting in early Dec,will the temperature be ard 10 degrees? I heard that throughout CNY this year it was cold so I was quite surprised when I was told it's quite warm in winter. Now I'm confused >.< I don't want to overpack my luggage yet I don't want to underpack as well lest I freeze my bones off in Taipei haha.