What Are Taiwan Bank Holidays?
Taiwan bank holidays, also known as public holidays or national holidays, are days when government offices, banks, schools, and many businesses close. These holidays blend traditional Chinese festivals, national commemorations, and a few Western-influenced dates. Unlike the UK’s fixed bank holidays, Taiwan’s include lunar calendar events like Chinese New Year and Dragon Boat Festival, with dates shifting annually. Compensatory (substitute) holidays apply if a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, typically moving to the next weekday.
Planning ahead is crucial for UK travellers, expats in Taipei or Kaohsiung, or businesses trading with Taiwan. In 2026, expect around 15-17 days off, including multi-day breaks. This guide lists all confirmed and projected Taiwan bank holidays 2026, focusing on April amid the current context, with UK comparisons for British visitors.
Full List of Taiwan Bank Holidays 2026
Here’s the complete calendar of Taiwan’s public holidays for 2026, when banks will close. Dates are based on official projections from Taiwan’s Executive Yuan and Ministry of Labour patterns. Note: Exact Chinese New Year details are announced late 2025, but the structure follows precedents.
| Date | Day | Holiday Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Nationwide closure. |
| 28 February | Saturday | 228 Peace Memorial Day | Substitute: Monday 2 March. |
| 16-22 February | Various | Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) | Extended break: Eve (16 Mon), CNY Day (17 Tue), days 2-4 (18-19), plus weekends/substitutes. Banks closed throughout. |
| 4 April | Saturday | Children’s Day | Paired with next day. |
| 5 April | Sunday | Tomb-Sweeping Day (Qingming Festival) | Substitute for both: Monday 6 April. Long weekend. |
| 1 May | Friday | Labour Day | Standalone, creating a long weekend. |
| 26 June | Friday | Dragon Boat Festival | Lunar 5th month, 5th day. |
| 28 September | Monday | Birthday of Confucius | Lunar 8th month, 27th day. |
| 21 September | Monday | Mid-Autumn Festival | Lunar 8th month, 15th day. Mooncakes and lanterns. |
| 10 October | Sunday | National Day (Double Tenth) | Substitute: Monday 12 October. Founding of Republic. |
| 12 November | Thursday | Birthday of Dr Sun Yat-sen | National Father Day. |
| 25 December | Friday | Constitution Day | Year-end closure. |
Total: Approximately 16 days, with clusters creating week-long breaks around Chinese New Year.
Focus on April 2026: Taiwan Holidays vs UK
April 2026 is a highlight for Taiwan bank holidays, aligning closely with UK Easter. Taiwan’s Children’s Day (4 April, Saturday) and Tomb-Sweeping Day (5 April, Sunday) trigger a substitute holiday on Monday 6 April. Expect grave cleaning, family gatherings, and reduced services from Friday evening.
Compare to UK bank holidays (official gov.uk reference):
- Good Friday: Friday 3 April 2026 (all UK).
- Easter Monday: Monday 6 April 2026 (England, Wales, Northern Ireland; not statutory in Scotland).
This overlap creates a perfect four-day weekend for Brits: UK Good Friday + Easter Monday matches Taiwan’s 4-6 April long weekend. Ideal for UK-Taiwan flights – book early for Taipei from Heathrow or Manchester. Traffic jams and cemetery crowds peak in Taiwan; plan around them.
How Substitute Holidays Work in Taiwan
Taiwan’s system ensures no lost holiday time:
- Holiday on Saturday: Substitute Monday.
- Holiday on Sunday: Substitute Monday.
- Consecutive weekend holidays (like April 4-5): Single substitute on following Monday.
This differs from the UK, where bank holidays are fixed dates without automatic substitutes (e.g., Christmas 25 Dec Friday 2026, Boxing Day 26 Sat – substitute 28 Mon). In 2026, UK has:
- Early May: Monday 4 May (all UK).
- Spring: Monday 25 May (all UK).
Scotland adds 3 August and 30 November; England/Wales/NI 31 August. Use this for scheduling UK-Taiwan video calls – avoid overlaps.
Chinese New Year 2026: The Big One
February’s Chinese New Year (17 February, Tuesday) is Taiwan’s longest break: typically 7-9 days (16-24 February). Families reunite, travel domestically (high-speed rail booked out), and shops close. Fireworks, red envelopes, and temple visits dominate. For UK businesses, pause shipments; for travellers, visit post-holiday for quieter streets.
Other Key Periods and Travel Disruptions
- Summer (June-September): Dragon Boat (26 June Friday) and Mid-Autumn (21 September Monday) mean boat races and BBQs. Confucius Day (28 Sep) adds another Monday off.
- October National Day: 10 Oct Sunday → 12 Oct Monday off. Parades in Taipei.
- Year-End: Sun Yat-sen (12 Nov Thu) and Constitution Day (25 Dec Fri) bookend holidays.
Public transport runs reduced; MRT in Taipei operates. Supermarkets like PX Mart stay open, but tourist sites see crowds.
UK Comparison: Full 2026 Bank Holidays
For context, here’s the UK’s 2026 schedule (gov.uk aligned):
- New Year’s Day: Thursday 1 January (all UK).
- 2 January: Friday (Scotland only).
- Good Friday: 3 April.
- Easter Monday: 6 April (Eng/Wales/NI).
- Early May: 4 May (all).
- Spring: 25 May (all).
- Summer (Scotland): 3 August; (Eng/Wales/NI): 31 August.
- St Andrew’s: 30 November (Scotland).
- Christmas: 25 Dec Friday; Boxing: 26 Sat → substitute 28 Mon.
Taiwan has more holidays (16 vs UK’s 8-10), but shorter annual leave norms. UK expats get Taiwan public holidays plus UK-style leave.
Tips for UK Travellers and Businesses
Travel Planning
- Visas: Brits get 90-day visa-free entry. Check evisa.gov.tw.
- Flights: Direct from London to Taoyuan (EVA Air, China Airlines). Book around holidays for deals, avoid peaks.
- Accommodation: Hotels full during CNY/April; use Agoda or Booking.com.
- Weather: April mild (20-25°C), perfect for Taroko Gorge or Kenting.
Business and Expats
- Banks like CTBC, Mega International close fully. Use ATMs mid-week.
- Remote work: Taiwan’s 5G excellent; UK firms align meetings post-UK Spring Bank Holiday (25 May).
- Tax/Contracts: Holidays don’t shift deadlines, but courts close.
Cultural Etiquette
- Tomb-Sweeping: Respect grave sites; no photos.
- CNY: Say ‘Gong Xi Fa Cai’. Avoid white/gifts of four.
Is Taiwan Business-Friendly During Holidays?
Mostly yes – tech hubs like Hsinchu semi-operational. But retail/tourism halt. UK SMEs exporting electronics note Dragon Boat shipping delays.
Conclusion
Taiwan bank holidays 2026 offer vibrant cultural immersion, from CNY feasts to Mid-Autumn lanterns. With April’s Easter alignment, it’s prime for UK getaways. Bookmark this for updates (official announcement ~Q4 2025). Safe travels – plan smart, enjoy Taiwan’s hospitality!
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