April is the last comfortable month in Taipei before the plum rains arrive in May, when rainfall nearly doubles to 248mm. Daytime temperatures average 26°C (79°F), warm enough for shirtsleeves but nowhere near the 33°C highs that make July and August difficult. Nights drop to around 19°C (66°F), cool enough that you might want a light jacket if you are out late walking through Dadaocheng or along the Tamsui River. Humidity sits at 79%, noticeable as a slight stickiness on your skin but not the wall of moisture you hit stepping off the plane in August. Rain falls on roughly 12 days, though most April showers are short afternoon bursts that clear within 30 to 45 minutes.
Up in Yangmingshan's Zhuzihu valley, the annual Calla Lily Festival fills terraced hillside farms with white blooms through late April. The Baosheng Cultural Festival at Dalongdong Baoan Temple in the Dalongdong neighborhood brings folk opera, puppet theatre, and temple parades on dates tied to the lunar calendar, typically peaking in mid-April. Tomb Sweeping Day falls on April 4-5, a national holiday that empties downtown offices and fills intercity trains, so expect a brief domestic travel spike around that long weekend. Worth noting, none of these events trigger the hotel rate increases you would see during Chinese New Year in January-February or the National Day holiday in October.
April ranks as Taipei's 3rd-best visiting month behind November (25°C, 81mm rain) and December (20°C, 62mm). It sits in the gap between the cool, damp winter and the heavy summer rains that begin in May at 248mm. At 117mm, April's rainfall is less than half of May's total and a fraction of October's 261mm.
Why visit in April
- Temperatures between 19-26°C (66-79°F) make walking Taipei's neighborhoods comfortable for full-day sightseeing without heat exhaustion or heavy layering
- The Zhuzihu Calla Lily Festival in Yangmingshan runs through late April, with hillside farms covered in white blooms against green terraces that photograph well in the soft spring light
- April sits before the plum rain season. Monthly rainfall at 117mm is manageable, and most showers pass quickly. May nearly doubles that figure to 248mm
- Hotel rates and flight prices fall between Chinese New Year peak and autumn high season, with better availability in central neighborhoods like Zhongshan and Da'an
- The Baosheng Cultural Festival at Dalongdong Baoan Temple offers traditional folk arts, opera, and temple processions that are harder to catch outside this window
Worth knowing
- Rain on 12 of 30 days means you will carry an umbrella daily. The showers are short, but they can be sudden and heavy enough to soak you in 2 minutes
- The 79% humidity is a step up from March's drier days. It is not oppressive, but clothes take longer to dry and cameras can fog when you move between air-conditioned MRT stations and the outdoor air
- Tomb Sweeping Day (April 4-5) creates a 3-4 day domestic travel spike. Intercity trains sell out, Yangmingshan parking fills by mid-morning, and popular restaurants in Yongkang Street add wait times
- Zhuzihu calla lily farms on weekends draw large crowds from across northern Taiwan. The narrow mountain roads above Beitou gridlock by 10:30am on Saturdays
Best for
Think twice if
April in Taipei feels like a mild, slightly damp spring. Mornings start around 19°C with occasional fog on Yangmingshan's upper trails. By early afternoon, temperatures reach 26°C under partly cloudy skies. The air carries a faint heaviness at 79% humidity, though nothing like the thick summer months. Afternoon showers arrive 2-3 times per week, often announced by a sudden darkening over the Taipei Basin. They tend to be intense for 20-40 minutes, then clear to leave wet pavement steaming in the returning sun. The smell of rain on warm concrete becomes a regular part of the day.
Seasonal caution
- Afternoon thunderstorms can arrive with little warning. The rain itself is not dangerous, but lightning does occur over the Taipei Basin 2-3 times per month in April. Avoid exposed ridgelines on Yangmingshan's Seven Star Mountain trail if skies darken
- Fog on Yangmingshan's upper trails can reduce visibility to under 50 meters on some April mornings. The Qingtiangang grassland and Xiaoyoukeng areas are most affected. Conditions usually clear by 10-11am
Year-round climate
Averages from the last 5 years.
| Month | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | 13 | 50 |
| Feb | 20 | 14 | 89 |
| Mar | 23 | 16 | 113 |
| Apr | 26 | 19 | 117 |
| May | 29 | 22 | 248 |
| Jun | 32 | 25 | 221 |
| Jul | 33 | 26 | 176 |
| Aug | 33 | 26 | 166 |
| Sep | 32 | 25 | 206 |
| Oct | 28 | 23 | 261 |
| Nov | 25 | 19 | 81 |
| Dec | 20 | 15 | 62 |
Headline events
Zhuzihu Calla Lily Festival (竹子湖海芋季)
Late March through late April
Terraced farms in the Zhuzihu valley on Yangmingshan fill with white calla lilies (Zantedeschia) from late March through late April. Visitors walk through the fields, pick their own blooms for a small per-bunch fee, and photograph the flowers against the misty green hillsides. The festival draws tens of thousands of domestic visitors on weekends and has become one of Taipei's most recognized seasonal events.
Best things to do in April
Walk the Zhuzihu calla lily fields
natureThe terraced farms in Zhuzihu valley sit at around 600 meters elevation on Yangmingshan. White calla lilies fill the paddies from late March, and by mid-April the fields are at peak bloom. Visitors can walk between the plots on narrow earthen paths, with the cool mountain air carrying the faint green scent of wet stems. Most farms let you pick a small bunch to take home for a modest fee.
Peak calla lily bloom runs from late March through late April. By May, the flowers thin out and the plum rains make the hillside paths muddy.Booking tipGo on a weekday morning before 10am. Weekend traffic on Yangmingshan's mountain roads backs up past Beitou by mid-morning.
Attend the Baosheng Cultural Festival at Baoan Temple
cultureDalongdong Baoan Temple, a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award winner built in 1742, hosts weeks of folk opera, glove puppet theatre, and temple processions during the Baosheng Cultural Festival. Performances happen on the outdoor stage in the temple courtyard, with the smell of incense mixing with the sound of traditional Beiguan music. The main procession winds through the narrow lanes of the Dalongdong neighborhood.
The festival is tied to the birthday of Baosheng Dadi (the Great Emperor of Life Protection) on the lunar calendar, which typically falls in April or early May.Booking tipPerformances are free. The temple is a 3-minute walk from MRT Yuanshan Station (Red Line).
Hike Yangmingshan's Seven Star Mountain trail
hikingThe 1,120-meter summit of Seven Star Mountain (Qixingshan) is Taipei's highest point. The 2.4km trail from the Xiaoyoukeng trailhead climbs through sulfur vents that hiss with steam and smell of rotten eggs, then breaks into open grassland near the top. On clear April mornings, the view extends past the Taipei Basin to the ocean near Keelung.
April temperatures at the summit hover around 15-18°C, comfortable for the steep climb. Summer heat and afternoon thunderstorms make the same hike harder from June through September.Booking tipStart before 8am to avoid afternoon clouds and rain. The Xiaoyoukeng parking lot fills early on weekends.
Explore Dadaocheng's tea and fabric streets
cultureDihua Street in Dadaocheng stretches for about 800 meters through restored Qing and Japanese-era shophouses. The northern end still has working dried goods merchants whose shops smell of star anise, dried shrimp, and Chinese herbs. The southern stretch has shifted to cafes, craft shops, and small galleries. Side streets like Minsheng West Road hold fabric wholesalers and old tea merchants.
April's 26°C weather is ideal for walking this largely unshaded historic district. Summer months above 33°C make the same walk uncomfortable.Ride the Maokong Gondola for spring tea season
food_and_drinkThe 4.3km Maokong Gondola climbs from Taipei Zoo Station to the tea-growing hills above Muzha in about 30 minutes. The crystal-floor cabins pass over dense forest canopy. At the top, hillside tea houses serve fresh spring Baozhong and Tieguanyin tea with views over the Taipei Basin. The air up here is noticeably cooler and carries the scent of damp tea plants.
Spring first-flush tea is harvested in April. Tea houses serve it within days of picking, when the flavor is lightest and most floral.Booking tipThe gondola closes on Mondays for maintenance. Weekday afternoons have the shortest queues.
Browse Jianguo Holiday Flower Market
shoppingThe weekend flower market under the Jianguo Elevated Road in Da'an runs every Saturday and Sunday. In April, vendors sell potted orchids, seasonal lilies, and small herb starts. The adjacent Jianguo Holiday Jade Market operates on the same schedule, with about 80 vendors selling jade, agate, and semiprecious stones in covered stalls.
April brings the best variety of spring flowers and orchids. The market is outdoors, and the 26°C weather makes browsing comfortable compared to the summer heat.Visit the National Palace Museum on a weekday
cultureThe museum in Shilin holds over 697,000 Chinese imperial artifacts, including the famous jadeite cabbage and meat-shaped stone. The permanent collection rotates, and April typically sees lighter international tourist crowds than the summer months. The building's climate control is a relief on humid days, and the surrounding Zhishan Garden is green and quiet in spring.
April sits between the Chinese New Year domestic surge and the summer international peak. Weekday mornings in April often have noticeably thinner crowds in the popular jade and ceramics galleries.Booking tipBook tickets online to skip the entry queue. Tuesday evenings sometimes have extended hours.
Cycle the Tamsui River bike path to Tamsui Old Street
outdoorsThe riverside bike path runs about 25km from central Taipei to the old port town of Tamsui at the river mouth. The route is flat and paved, passing through Dadaocheng Wharf, Guandu Nature Park (where you might spot egrets in the mangroves), and ending at Tamsui Old Street. The sunset view over the Taiwan Strait from Tamsui's Fisherman's Wharf draws crowds on clear evenings.
April evenings around 22-24°C are comfortable for cycling. The ride is flat enough to do in casual clothes without overheating.Booking tipYouBike 2.0 stations are located every few hundred meters along the route. Register with an EasyCard at any station.
What to eat in April
In season: fruit
Loquats (枇杷)
Loquat season peaks in April and May across northern Taiwan. The small, golden-orange fruit appears at traditional markets like Binjiang Market in Songshan and Dongmen Market near Da'an. The flesh is soft and slightly tart, with a floral sweetness that fades within a day or two of picking. Street vendors in Dadaocheng sometimes sell them in small paper bags.
On menus now
Lurou fan (滷肉飯) with spring garlic
Taipei's signature braised pork rice appears year-round, but April brings fresh spring garlic to many vendors' tables. Stalls near Longshan Temple in Wanhua and along Yansan Road in Dadaocheng add raw garlic cloves and pickled garlic alongside their bowls. The bite of fresh garlic cuts through the rich, soy-braised pork fat.
What to drink
Spring Baozhong tea (春茶文山包種)
The first flush of Wenshan Baozhong tea comes in mid-to-late April from the hills of Pinglin and Muzha. It is lighter and more floral than the autumn harvest, with a clean, almost jasmine-like fragrance. Tea shops along Maokong's hillside road pour fresh cups for visitors, and the leaves still carry a faint dampness from the mountain air.
In markets
Green bamboo shoots (綠竹筍)
April marks the start of green bamboo shoot season in the hills surrounding Taipei. The shoots appear in soups, cold salads dressed with mayonnaise, and stir-fries at restaurants across the city. Yangmingshan-area restaurants serve them within hours of harvest, tender and faintly sweet. Night market vendors in Shilin and Raohe begin offering bamboo shoot soup as a seasonal addition.
Regular events in April
Baosheng Cultural Festival (保生文化祭)Free
Weeks of folk opera, puppet theatre, and temple processions at Dalongdong Baoan Temple in the Dalongdong neighborhood. Performances take place on the outdoor stage and in the surrounding streets. One of Taipei's longest-running temple festivals.
Mid-March through late April (lunar calendar dependent)Tomb Sweeping Day (清明節)Free
National holiday on April 4-5. Families visit ancestral graves and tombs, often in the hillside cemeteries of Yangmingshan and Muzha. Downtown offices empty, intercity trains fill, and some restaurants close. A public holiday that affects transit and availability for 3-4 days.
April 4-5Taipei Earth Day eventsFree
Environmental organizations around Taipei hold cleanup walks, film screenings, and educational events in late April. Daan Forest Park and Huashan 1914 Creative Park typically host the largest gatherings.
Around April 22Best places this April
Zhuzihu Calla Lily Fields
natureTerraced flower farms at 600m elevation in Yangmingshan National Park. White calla lilies peak in April against a backdrop of misty green hillsides. The cool mountain air and the smell of wet earth make this feel far removed from the city below.
YangmingshanDalongdong Baoan Temple
templeA 1742 temple and UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award recipient. The carved stone columns, painted door gods, and incense-filled courtyard are worth a visit year-round, but the Baosheng Cultural Festival in April adds live folk opera and street processions.
DalongdongDadaocheng / Dihua Street
historicAn 800-meter stretch of restored Qing and Japanese-colonial shophouses. The northern end smells of dried goods and Chinese medicine. The southern end holds cafes and craft shops. April's mild weather makes the largely unsheltered walk pleasant.
DatongMaokong tea hills
food_and_drinkThe hillside above Muzha is Taipei's closest tea-growing area, reached by the 4.3km Maokong Gondola. In April, the spring first-flush harvest of Baozhong and Tieguanyin tea is being picked and processed. Tea houses serve it fresh with views over the basin.
WenshanYangmingshan National Park
natureTaipei's mountain park covers volcanic terrain from 200m to 1,120m elevation. April brings wildflowers to the Qingtiangang grassland, sulfur steam at Xiaoyoukeng, and clear summit views before summer haze sets in. Trail temperatures run 5-8°C cooler than downtown.
YangmingshanGuandu Nature Park
natureA 57-hectare wetland reserve at the confluence of the Tamsui and Keelung rivers. April is part of the spring bird migration window. Egrets, herons, and migratory shorebirds feed in the mangrove mudflats. The park has elevated boardwalks and bird hides.
BeitouHuashan 1914 Creative Park
cultureA repurposed Japanese-era sake brewery in Zhongzheng district. The brick warehouses host rotating art exhibitions, indie markets, and film screenings. The grassy central courtyard is a pleasant spot to sit in April's 26°C afternoons.
Zhongzheng
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Insider tips
The Zhuzihu calla lily farms are significantly less crowded on weekday mornings. Saturday traffic on the Yangmingshan mountain road regularly backs up past Beitou MRT station by 10:30am, turning a 20-minute drive into over an hour.
Maokong tea houses serve the freshest spring Baozhong in mid-to-late April, within days of the first flush harvest. Ask for the current season's tea specifically, as some shops default to serving last autumn's stock to casual visitors.
The Baosheng Cultural Festival's folk opera performances at Baoan Temple run on an outdoor stage and are free, but they follow the lunar calendar and schedules are often posted only a week or two in advance. Check the temple's official site before planning your day around a specific show.
If Tomb Sweeping Day (April 4-5) falls on your visit, book intercity train tickets at least 2 weeks ahead. THSR (high-speed rail) and TRA tickets sell out fast for the long weekend, and Yangmingshan's roads become gridlocked with families visiting hillside cemeteries.
The Jianguo Weekend Flower Market under the elevated highway in Da'an is open Saturdays and Sundays only. The adjacent jade market runs the same hours. Mornings before 10am have the best selection and thinnest crowds.
Guandu Nature Park near the end of the Tamsui bike path is an overlooked stop. April is spring migration season, and the mangrove mudflats attract shorebirds that birders travel from across East Asia to see. The park's bird hides are positioned at eye level with the feeding flats.
Avoid these mistakes
- Driving to Zhuzihu on a Saturday morning. The single mountain road gridlocks by mid-morning. Take the bus from MRT Beitou or MRT Shipai instead, or go on a weekday.
- Assuming April is fully dry. At 117mm over 12 rain days, you will encounter rain. Leaving the hotel without an umbrella on a sunny morning is a gamble that fails about 40% of the time.
- Trying to visit Yangmingshan and Tamsui in the same day. They are on opposite sides of Taipei's transit network, and each deserves 4-5 hours. Rushing both means enjoying neither.
- Skipping layers for Yangmingshan. Downtown might be 26°C, but Seven Star Mountain's summit sits at 1,120 meters and runs 5-8°C cooler, with wind. The temperature difference catches people off guard.
- Booking a beach trip to northern Taiwan's coast. Water temperatures near Keelung and the North Coast hover around 22-23°C in April. That is cool enough to be unpleasant for swimming. Kenting in the south is warmer but adds significant travel time.
Practical tips for April
April in Taipei falls in the gap between cool winter and the plum rains of May, which makes it one of the better months for outdoor plans. That said, carry an umbrella every day. Afternoon showers hit 2-3 times per week and arrive fast. The MRT runs from 6am to midnight and covers most of the places mentioned here. For Yangmingshan, bus routes S15 and 260 connect from MRT Jiantan and Beitou stations. An EasyCard handles all public transit, YouBike rentals, and convenience store purchases. Recharge it at any MRT station kiosk. If Tomb Sweeping Day (April 4-5) overlaps with your trip, expect busier trains and roads for 3-4 days. Book any intercity travel well in advance. For Maokong, note the gondola closes Mondays. Weekday afternoons have the shortest wait. Most museums close one day per week, often Monday. Check individual schedules before heading out.
FAQ
Is April a good time to visit Taipei?
April ranks as Taipei's 3rd-best month for visiting, behind November and December. Temperatures average 19-26°C (66-79°F), which is comfortable for walking. Rainfall at 117mm is moderate, and most showers pass in under an hour. It falls before the heavy plum rains that start in May at 248mm.
How rainy is Taipei in April?
Taipei receives about 117mm of rain over 12 days in April. Most of it comes as afternoon thundershowers lasting 20-45 minutes. Mornings are usually dry. It is noticeably less rain than May (248mm) or the summer typhoon months, but you should still carry an umbrella daily.
What should I wear in Taipei in April?
Light, breathable layers work best. Daytime temperatures reach 26°C, so a t-shirt or linen shirt is fine. Bring a light jacket for evenings at 19°C and for Yangmingshan, where trails run 5-8°C cooler. Waterproof shoes help with afternoon rain puddles on Taipei's sidewalks.
Is the Zhuzihu Calla Lily Festival worth visiting in April?
The calla lily fields in Yangmingshan's Zhuzihu valley peak in mid-to-late April. The terraced farms covered in white blooms against misty green hills are genuinely photogenic. Go on a weekday morning to avoid the weekend traffic jams that gridlock the mountain road. The flowers thin out by May.
Are there typhoons in Taipei in April?
Typhoons are extremely rare in April. Taiwan's typhoon season runs primarily from July through October, with most activity in August and September. April's weather risks are limited to afternoon thunderstorms and occasional fog on mountain trails.
How crowded is Taipei in April?
Crowd levels are medium. April falls between the Chinese New Year domestic surge (January-February) and the summer international tourist peak. The main crowding spike is around Tomb Sweeping Day (April 4-5), a national holiday that fills trains and popular outdoor sites for 3-4 days. Outside that window, major attractions have manageable visitor numbers.
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