hikouki

How is Taipei or Singapore for spending New Year's? Are shops generally open Jan 1? (I know that this coming new year will probably be under a "new normal", but I wanted to know how those two cities compare "normally")

ProleOnParole

Taipei: Jan 1 is a holiday but in practice everything is open. Recently businesses tend to stay open even throughout the Chinese New Year. The Taipei 101 fireworks are impressive but it can get crowded if you want to see them up close, fortunately there is a good choice of viewing spots farther afield. Weather-wise, mid-December to mid-February is not the most pleasant time of the year to spend in northern Taiwan: it can feel much colder than the temperatures would suggest. There is not a lot of rain though (if at all, it's just drizzle).

Singapore: not sure what they do for the New Year, it's not an obvious New Year destination (not that Taipei is). Weather-wise, it's the middle of the rainy season there. Temperatures are similar throughout the year.

So far Taipei seems to be doing much better as far as the virus is concerned: practically everything remains open. Might still be more difficult to get in at the time though.

hikouki

Thanks for the input!

Some of my relatives are based out of Manila and some in Bangkok. For years they would meet up in Hong Kong to escape the smog. I’m planning on visiting them this year, and a suggestion came up to meet up in Thailand. But I wanted somewhere else, so I thought of Taipei or Singapore.

Any other suggestions would be welcome.

MSPeconomist

Singapore has beautiful lights and decorations for Christmas (and later for Chinese new year), but like in other Asian places (Tokyo for example), the Christmas decorations tend to be all removed by December 26th.

If you mean new year in seven months, my concern would be more about entry and quarantine requirements than fireworks and shop closings.

s0ssos

I'd think Taipei is better. Unless you don't speak Chinese then Singapore would be easier.
Singapore doesn't have the same level of energy as Taipei, IMHO.

ProleOnParole

Maybe you should consider meeting in Bangkok then. Weather should be nice this time of the year.

I wouldn't count on travel between SE Asia and Taiwan to resume by the end of the year. I'd expect Taiwan to allow visitors from the EEA, US, Korea and Japan by then but not necessarily anybody else.

s0ssos

Do you have any sources for that? It seems that they would disallow US and EEA.
The rest of the countries opening in Asia aren't allowing US.

MSPeconomist

I don't really like this, but it's true and isn't an unreasonable reaction to the available data.

s0ssos

It's hard to plan for the future now. In the past few months it was the uncertainty. Now it is whether you will be allowed in, from your current country. Because I'm looking at all these "safe groups" and obviously the US is in none of those. I mean, even Canada doesn't like US people in.
Here is the "temporary restriction" notice from Mar 20 where it says it is good for 30 days.
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/agency-a...vid19-eng.html

ProleOnParole

They said they expect to start allowing visitors between October and December. What I mean is, even then I wouldn't expect the restrictions to be lifted for everyone but just for travel from certain countries.

I don't think they plan on allowing anyone soon and when they do, it'll probably be Japan and/or Korea first. But eventually it will become a matter of reciprocity with both the EU and the US.

s0ssos

Right now there is no reciprocity. Well, hmm, I guess technically the US is barring people from coming in and denying visas, but I don't think that is because they are worried about the coronavirus.

gengar

Taipei is actually a big NYE destination for partiers in the region, especially from Japan/Korea since Korea doesn't do much for NYE and Japan does the opposite of partying. The nightclubs in Taiwan also trend Western-style, so higher service levels. The centralized nature of Taipei's NYE festivities also play a big factor. Certainly, it remains to be seen how many of those people will be allowed into Taiwan by that time.

gengar

To be clear, the USA has not restricted foreign nationals for being in Taiwan. Taiwanese nationals who have been in Taiwan (or any other country not on the USA's restricted list) for the last 14 days are free to enter the USA. So it is correct that there is no reciprocity, but this is due to Taiwan banning foreign nationals, not anything the USA has done.

Also, note that the Canada-USA border is closed only for "non-essential travel". "Essential" travel is still permitted, with the definition being loose enough to include work travel.

Skyman65

And until there is a widely distributed vaccine, even if Taiwan opens for visitors, I expect the mandatory self-quarantine rule will still apply. So my GUESS is that it won't be feasible plan to drop in for a quick visit in January.

s0ssos

I think the mandatory self-quarantine is the best US people can hope for. Given that many countries would just not be opening their borders to the US otherwise.