Vitamin D in Taiwan in December: sun, UV and what to expect
Too cold Too cold here in December: afternoon highs average only 20.2°C, which is too chilly for sunbathing in light clothing. Try another month or a warmer destination.
3.9 hsun window (UV 2.5+)
4.1peak UV Index
13 minto a full dose
20°Cafternoon high
5/30rainy days
18/30sunny days
The country rating is for a typical beach, but some places in Taiwan still work in December: Kaohsiung (good), Kenting (good).
How long in the sun in December?
- If you travel anyway, plan your sun session around midday (roughly 11:00 to 15:00), when the UV Index peaks at about 4.1. With about a quarter of your skin bare, a full dose takes around 13 minutes for skin type III at age 30, and about 24 minutes at age 65.
- Stop well before your skin turns pink. At this UV level skin type III can start to burn after about 49 minutes of midday sun, so cover up, find shade and use SPF 30+ on skin that stays out.
- Water, sand and light surfaces reflect UV, so at the beach you get a little more sun than the number suggests, for the good and the bad.
| Skin type | Full dose, age 30 | Full dose, age 65 | Time to burn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type I | 9 min | 16 min | 33 min |
| Type II | 11 min | 20 min | 41 min |
| Type III | 13 min | 24 min | 49 min |
| Type IV | 20 min | 37 min | 73 min |
| Type V | 26 min | 49 min | 98 min |
| Type VI | 43 min | 81 min | 2.7 h |
Minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, at Penghu, the median coastal place. Time to burn is the time to reach one minimal erythemal dose and does not depend on age. A rough planning guide, not medical advice.
Places in Taiwan in December
| Place | Rating | Sun window | Full dose | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaohsiung | Good | 4.8 h | 11 min | 24°C | 3/30 |
| Kenting | Good | 4.6 h | 12 min | 24°C | 11/30 |
| Penghu | Too cold | 3.9 h | 13 min | 20°C | 5/30 |
| Hualien City | Too cold | 3.7 h | 13 min | 20°C | 11/30 |
| Taipei | Too cold | 1.6 h | – | 19°C | 8/30 |
Other months in Taiwan
- Jan Too cold
- Feb Too cold
- Mar Good
- Apr Excellent
- May Excellent
- Jun Bad weather
- Jul Bad weather
- Aug Bad weather
- Sep Bad weather
- Oct Good
- Nov Good
- Dec Too cold
Best months: March to May, October, November. Full Taiwan guide