Taiwan has been on the radar for a while. What keeps it there is the food, the temples, the mountains thirty minutes from the city, and a cost of living that makes your pound go embarrassingly far. China Eastern flies from Gatwick with one stop, and prices start at £325 return.
✈️ The deal
- From: London Gatwick, UK
- To: Taipei, Taiwan
- Airline: China Eastern
- Stops: 1 stop
- Price: £325–£399 return
- When: November 2026 – March 2027
Example dates:
13/11/2026 – 26/11/2026
14/11/2026 – 26/11/2026
13/11/2026 – 01/12/2026
06/12/2026 – 20/12/2026
05/01/2027 – 21/01/2027
07/01/2027 – 19/01/2027
16/02/2027 – 24/02/2027
04/03/2027 – 21/03/2027
💰 How far does your money go?
A bowl of beef noodles at a local restaurant costs around NT$180, about £4. A bubble tea from a street stall is NT$60 to NT$90, roughly £1.30 to £2. For what you'd spend on a single round in a London pub, you can eat and drink well for an entire day in Taipei.
☀️ The weather
November in Taipei sits around 21–22°C, warm enough for short sleeves during the day. December cools to 14–16°C, occasionally dropping lower at night. January and February are the coldest months, averaging 16°C with nights sometimes falling to 8–10°C in the north. March warms back up to 16–22°C, with flowers in bloom across the city. Southern Taiwan is warmer throughout, particularly in February.
🏨 Where to stay
Taipei's main neighbourhoods for tourists are Da'an, Zhongshan and Ximending, all well-connected by the MRT.
Amba Taipei Zhongshan — 8.5/10 · From £45/night A design-led budget hotel in Zhongshan district, close to restaurants and the MRT. Clean, modern rooms and a relaxed atmosphere.
Just Sleep Ximending — 8.7/10 · From £80/night In the heart of Ximending, Taipei's busiest shopping and street food area. Good breakfast included and stylish common areas.
W Taipei — 9.1/10 · From £200/night In the Xinyi district opposite Taipei 101. Rooftop pool, designer rooms and panoramic city views. One of the city's most consistently rated luxury hotels.
🎯 What to do
Taipei is dense with things to do: temples, markets, hikes and a food scene that punishes early nights.
Shilin Night Market — The biggest and most famous night market in the city. Dozens of stalls serving scallion pancakes, oyster omelettes, stinky tofu and everything in between. Best after 7pm.
Longshan Temple — One of Taiwan's most active temples. Built in 1738, still packed with worshippers burning incense and lighting candles. Free to enter. Go on a weekday morning for the full atmosphere.
Elephant Mountain — A 20-minute hike from Xiangshan MRT station brings you to one of the best views in the city: Taipei 101 rising above a sea of mid-rises, particularly dramatic at dusk.
Jiufen — A former gold-mining town built into a hillside above the northeast coast, less than an hour from Taipei. Narrow stone staircases, old teahouses with ocean views, and a setting that feels unlike anywhere else in Asia.
🗺️ Where to go from here
Taiwan is compact but varied. Taipei is an easy base for the rest of the island.
Taroko Gorge — One of the great natural landscapes in Asia. A dramatic marble canyon on the east coast, around 2.5 hours from Taipei by train. You can day-trip it, but staying overnight is worth it.
Kaohsiung — Taiwan's second city in the south. Warmer, less hectic than Taipei, with a waterfront, excellent temples and a very different feel. About 90 minutes by high-speed rail.
Penghu Islands — An archipelago off the west coast with clear water, old Dutch-era forts and some of Taiwan's best beaches. Short domestic flight from Taipei's Songshan Airport.
Yehliu Geopark — Coastal rock formations shaped into mushrooms, honeycombs and the famous Queen's Head. About an hour north of Taipei by bus. Worth a half-day.
£325 to Taiwan is a serious price. Check the dates against your calendar, then check availability before they move.
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