If you are a traveler, you probably feel the joy of buying something you can cherish to share with your family and friends. Whether it’s a local cuisine, jewelry, or the little cute Hello Kitty keychain, these slivers allow you to glean a lot about the culture and place. What makes shopping more exciting is being in a foreign place, looking for something interesting and unique. Experience all of that in Taiwan. This country is famous for being one of the best places to shop in Asia. It has a lot of night markets, boutique hotels, and shopping malls which offer almost everything.
So what are you waiting for? Find your heart’s desire by exploring what to buy in Taiwan!
1. Bring home a Crispy Bak Kwa
Have you had beef jerky before? This is Taiwan’s version of beef jerky but made extra thin and crispy. This snack is one of Taiwan’s famous products among locals and tourists because of its amazing flavors and uniquely thin strips. If you look closely, you’ll find almond nuts that are sliced thinly, adding more crispiness to the Crispy Bak Kwa.
This snack is placed in a vacuum-sealed packaging which makes it safe for traveling. This salty-sweet snack can be found in specialty stores in Taiwan, and it is not that hard to find because it’s almost everywhere!
Chiang Ji Hua Long
Store Address: Datong District, Taipei City, Taiwan
Price: approx. 6.94 USD
2. Join the trend of Chun Cui He Milk Tea
Chun Cui He Milk Tea is a popular souvenir from a Taiwanese beverage brand. Locals and tourists loved the the unique flavors of the drink which is placed in a bottle container. It is also sold in other neighboring countries like Singapore where it instantly clicked and became a trend.
It has an aroma of tea leaves and milk with a strong hint of sugar syrup scent. The brand from which it came from also released other flavors like Latte and Earl Grey Milk Tea.
7/11 Stores
Price: 2.80 USD
3. Light up the world with mini sky lanterns
Have you ever watched Tangled? The best part of that movie is probably the floating lanterns scene, where you can see thousands of floating lights that will take your breath away. Turn your fairy tale into reality by experiencing the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival. You can capture the moment and reminisce this awesome event by buying these amazing little miniature sky lanterns as Taiwan souvenirs.
They come with unique and cute designs, handcrafted and placed within transparent containers. Find and buy these at Ningxia Night Market - the best gift for someone special.
Ningxia Night Market
Price: from 1.50 to 3.00 USD
Store Address: 103 Hsinchuang, T'Ai-Pei, Taiwan
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4. Taiwanese tea - the best Oolong tea at Lin Mao Sen Tea Co.
If you have a tea lover in the family, then you must grab a box of leaves to take home. Taiwan’s mountain regions is the home of the best teas in the world. The nation’s proud history of tea making originates here, the reason why many tea lovers go to Taiwan just to taste and experience the ancient tang.
The most popular is the premium tasting Oolong tea, which you can buy at Lin Mao Sen Tea Co. Surprise your loved one with a gift from the mountain.
Lin Mao Sen Tea Co.
Price: from 1.96 to 120 USD
Store Address: Lin Mao Sen Tea Co, 195-3 Chongqing N Rd, MRT Daqiaotou
5. A-Po Iron eggs only at Grand Mom's Iron Eggs
Who would have thought that eggs can be turned into something more out of the earth’s taste? Thanks to Taiwan’s food innovation, your typical eggs became the A-Po Iron egg. Try this dark brown specialty egg-based dish, that is extremely chewy, sweet, salty, and slightly spicy. With hundreds of shops selling it, no one beats Grand Mom’s Iron Eggs - a well-known store for iron eggs. This is the best snack in cold weather with hot tea.
Grand Mom's Iron Eggs
Price: approx. 10.00 USD per set
Store Address: 135-1, Zhong Zheng Road, Tanshui, Taipei, Taiwan, 251
6. SunnyHills pineapple cakes
If sweet tooth’s run in the family, the pineapple cake in Taiwan is a must buy. It is a delicious buttery pastry with pineapple paste in the middle. It is one of the most famous sweets in the nation, so it wasn’t hard to find a store that sells it. SunnyHills is the most recommended brand of pineapple cakes. Their cakes can be sweet during summer and tangy during winter. You can find the store right by Minsheng Park - a nice spot to chillax and eat.
SunnyHills
Price: from 0.82 USD
Store Address: SunnyHills on the Park, 1 Alley 4, Lane 36, Section 5, Minsheng East Road, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan
7. Dried fruits at Nanmen Market
One of Taiwan’s cheap products, yet most delicious souvenirs you can buy are dried fruits. The Nanmen Market is the place to buy some. This isn’t a high-end market, but you can be guaranteed that all products here, especially foods, are authentic. Here, you can buy a selection of dried fruits from mango to banana, even veggies. So, never leave Taiwan without buying snacks here.
Nanmen Market
Price: approx. 1.00 USD
Store Address: No.8, Sec. 1, Roosevelt Rd., Zhongzheng Dist | C.K.S. Memorial Hall MRT station exit 2, Taipei 100, Taiwan
8. Wood sculptures at Sanyi Shuei Mei Wood Sculpture Street
Art lovers will want to have these wood sculptures in Sanyi Shuei Mei Wood Sculpture Street as a souvenir. You can find a lot of eccentric carvings and many interesting items at this place. You will also notice that most sculptures are bald-headed men, which is quite odd and intriguing.
Sanyi Shuei Mei Wood Sculpture Street
Price: approx. 2.61 USD
Store Address: Shuimei St., Sanyi Township, Taiwan
9. Taiwan ceramics at Yingge Ceramics Street
The beautiful ceramics in Taiwan are a good choice as a decoration for your home. Look for Yingge Ceramics Street that sells top-quality ceramics, coming in different sizes and shapes for a reasonable price. This should definitely be on your list of things to buy in Taiwan.
Yingge Ceramics Street
Address: approx. 3.27 USD
Store Address: Jianshanbu Rd., Yingge Dist., New Taipei, Taiwan
10. Mochi (rice ball dessert) at Taiwan Mochi Museum
If you happen to be in Taiwan in the winter, don’t miss the chance to experience the Yuan Xiao Festival, where mochis are in demand. The mochi or sticky rice is so tasty, stuffed with the sweet or tangy filling, seeping out the squishy white skin. It can be served in a lot of ways, but it is best with hot soup. If you want to taste this or buy one as a souvenir, you should head to Taiwan Mochi Museum. Here, you can taste mochi for free at the entrance and you will get also a chance to learn more about the history of mochi.
Taiwan Mochi Museum
Price: from 6.54 USD
Store Address: No. 3, Ziqiang 3rd Road, Nantou City, Nantou County, Taiwan 540
11. Plum wine at Charm Farm Winery
Trendy craft beers and alcoholic drinks are must-buy souvenirs for buddies. After your nice vacation in Taiwan, the next thing you would possibly do is catch up with your friends over a drink! The plum wine or rice wine is among the popular liquors in town. You can buy some at Sweet Charm Farm Winery, and you’ll also be able to do a plum wine tasting.
Charm Farm Winery
Price: approx. 9.80 USD
Store Address: 196-65, Donglan Road, Dongshi District, Taichung City, Taiwan 423
12. Sun cakes/biscuits at The Chia Te Bakery
One of the best foods to try in Taiwan is the sun cake/biscuit. It is a scabrous pastry that typically has a sweet and sticky filling. The Chia Te Bakery is among the favorites to find this treat; they sell very delicious sun cakes. They come with a variety of flavors from dried pork to green tea.
The Chia Te Bakery
Price: 1.08 USD
Store Address: No. 88, Section 5, Nanjing East Rd, Taiwan 105
Discover interesting souvenirs in Taiwan
Taiwan is one of the best countries to create happy memories. This place has a lot to offer from foods to festivals. The perfect way to capture those moments other than taking photos is by buying souvenirs to share with your loved ones.