The Master Timeline

Nov 15, 2026 — Jan 6, 2027

Map View
Nov 15

Seattle Departure

Transpacific flight to Taiwan (~12h).

Nov 17 – 21 • 4 Days

Taipei, Taiwan 🇹🇼

65–75°F (18–24°C) • Mild, occasional rain. Light layers.

Leafy Minsheng Community cafes, Dadaocheng historic merchant shophouses, and specialty coffee roasters.

Golden Horse Film Festival
The "Oscars of the Chinese-speaking world" runs in late November. Expect indie cinema buzz and screenings around the city.
Nov 21 – 24 • 3 Days

Taichung, Taiwan

68–78°F (20–25°C) • Drier and sunnier than Taipei. T-shirts.

Calligraphy Greenway pedestrian spine, converted mid-century modernist Japanese villas, artisanal tea craft.

Nov 24 – 30 • 6 Days

Tainan, Taiwan

70–80°F (21–27°C) • Warm and sunny. T-shirts and shorts.

Ancient brick alleys, Shennong Street, iron grille architecture, and slow-cooked dawn beef soup masters.

Thanksgiving in Taiwan (Nov 26)
You'll be in Taiwan's culinary capital for the holiday. Swap the turkey for legendary bone-broth beef soup!
Black-Faced Spoonbill Festival
At the nearby Qigu Lagoon, November marks the annual migration festival for this rare, beautiful bird.
Nov 30 – Dec 3 • 3 Days

Xiamen, China 🇨🇳

58–70°F (14–21°C) • Mild, breezy coastal autumn. Light sweater.

Huaxin Road 1950s overseas Chinese villas, subtropical bougainvillea courtyards, ginger duck.

Dec 3 – 5 • 2 Days

Quanzhou, China

58–70°F (14–21°C) • Mild and pleasant. Light sweater.

UNESCO World Heritage Silk Road city. West Street alleys, Maritime Museum quarter, zero Western crowds.

Dec 5 – 11 • 6 Days

Guangzhou, China

55–72°F (13–22°C) • Sunny but cooler evenings. Light jacket.

Dongshankou red-brick Republican villa creative district, crispy roast goose, claypot sausage rice, arcade shophouses.

Guangzhou International Light Festival
Usually held around early December, the Canton Tower and Pearl River skyline light up with massive lasers and drone shows.
Dec 11 – 13 • 2 Days

Shenzhen, China

55–72°F (13–22°C) • Mild and clear. Light jacket for night.

OCT-LOFT tree-canopied arts & industrial quarter, Old Heaven indie bookstore, Nantou Ancient City walled enclave.

Dec 13 – 18 • 5 Days

Penang (George Town) 🇲🇾

78–90°F (25–32°C) • Hot, humid, tropical showers. Linen & shorts!

UNESCO World Heritage Straits-Chinese shophouses. Muntri Street, Hainanese chicken, siew yoke roast pork. Total slow-living downshift.

Dec 18 – 22 • 4 Days

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

78–90°F (25–32°C) • Hot & humid, afternoon thunderstorms.

Leafy Bangsar villas and The Row. A high-energy urban contrast before flying to Europe.

Dongzhi Festival (Dec 22)
The Winter Solstice is deeply celebrated by the Chinese-Malaysian community. Eat Tangyuan (glutinous rice balls in sweet ginger soup) for good luck!
Tropical Christmas
KL's megamalls build surreal, multi-story winter wonderlands indoors while it's 90°F outside.
Dec 23 – Jan 5 • ~2 Weeks

Brussels, Belgium 🇧🇪

35–43°F (2–6°C) • Cold, damp winter. Heavy coat, gloves & scarf.

Family anchor. Land Dec 23 morning, get rental car, head straight to mom's house to recover before Christmas Eve.

Plaisirs d'Hiver
The Brussels Christmas Market runs through the holidays with glühwein, raclette, and Grand-Place light shows.
Galette des Rois
You leave Jan 5, the day before Epiphany. Bakeries will be packed with these puff-pastry cakes with hidden charms.
Jan 5, 2027

Seattle Arrival

Depart BRU morning, land SEA afternoon. Full recovery day on Jan 6 before work Jan 7.