Shopping · Taipei · Taiwan
Shopping in Taipei
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: AngMoKio, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Taipei is good for tea, design goods, electronics and snacks. Xinyi has the glossy malls, Zhongxiao East Road and Zhongshan the boutiques, and Dihua Street and the night markets the traditional products. Best souvenirs: High-mountain oolong tea, Pineapple cakes and Taiwanese whisky.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 5
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- High-mountain oolong tea
Where to shop
Xinyi
Department stores and malls around Taipei 101, linked by covered walkways.
Zhongxiao East Road (East District)
Department stores and side lanes of independent fashion and lifestyle shops.
Ximending
Youth fashion, sneakers, anime goods and accessories.
Dihua Street
Teas, dried fruit, herbs and fabrics in historic shophouses.
Guanghua Digital Plaza
A multi-storey building of electronics, cameras and computer shops.
Markets
Shilin Night Market
Clothing, accessories and games alongside the food stalls.
Raohe Street Night Market
One long street of snacks and inexpensive goods by Ciyou Temple.
Jianguo Weekend Flower and Jade Markets
Weekend markets under the Jianguo elevated expressway selling plants, flowers, jade and carvings.
What to buy
High-mountain oolong tea
Loose-leaf oolong from tea merchants on Dihua Street or in Maokong, often vacuum-packed for travel.
Pineapple cakes
Boxed pineapple shortbread from well-known bakeries, Taiwan's classic gift.
Taiwanese whisky
Single malts from Taiwan's distilleries have won international awards and are sold in duty-free and liquor stores.
Dried fruit
Dried mango, guava and other local fruit from Dihua Street shops.
Design goods
Stationery, ceramics and homeware from Taiwanese designers at Songshan and Huashan creative parks.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Shilin
Shilin Night Market
Taipei's largest night market sprawls through the streets near Jiantan MRT station, with snack stalls, games, clothing and an underground food court.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- After dark
- Iconic
- Kids
- Shopping
Market · Songshan
Raohe Street Night Market
A single long street of food stalls beginning at the ornate Ciyou Temple, near Songshan MRT station.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- After dark
- Free
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Street · Dadaocheng (Datong)
Dihua Street and Dadaocheng
Taipei's oldest shopping street is lined with Qing and Japanese-era shophouses selling dried mushrooms, herbs, teas and fabrics, now mixed with design shops and cafés.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Shopping
- Food
- Architecture
Neighbourhood · Taipei Main Station (Zhongzheng)
Huashan 1914 Creative Park
A former wine and sake factory from the Japanese era, turned into a creative park of exhibitions, concerts, pop-up shops, design stores and cafés in brick warehouses and on lawns.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Stinky tofu, Bubble tea, Mango shaved ice and Oolong tea. Every night market; follow your nose. Ask if the broth or sauce contains meat if you are vegetarian. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Taipei Main Station (Zhongzheng) | $$ | The city's transport hub, near government buildings and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall |
| Ximending | $$ | Pedestrian youth district of fashion shops, cinemas, street snacks and late nights |
| Xinyi | $$$$ | Taipei 101, glossy department stores, skybridges and the city's club scene |
| Da'an | $$$ | Leafy residential district of cafés, Yongkang Street eateries and Da'an Forest Park |
| Zhongshan | $$$ | Department stores, boutique lanes, cafés and Japanese-style bars |
| Wanhua | $ | Taipei's oldest district, around Longshan Temple and the old Bangka port |
| Dadaocheng (Datong) | $$ | Old merchant quarter of tea traders, herbal shops and riverside sunsets |
| Beitou | $$$ | Hot-spring suburb at the foot of Yangmingshan, with spa hotels and steaming valleys |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in TWD. Tipping is not expected in Taiwan. Many restaurants and hotels add a 10% service charge; elsewhere, simply pay the bill.
- Hand over and receive money, cards and gifts with both hands.
- Use an EasyCard for all transport; MRT–bus transfers are discounted when paid with the card.
- Shops displaying the tax-refund sign can refund VAT to foreign visitors on qualifying purchases.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January, March, May–June and August–September; the busiest months are the peak holidays.
- January: Lunar New Year — Dihua Street New Year market in the weeks before; some shops close for several days (late January or February)
- February: Lantern Festival — lantern displays in Taipei and the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival (15th day of the lunar year, February or early March)
- June: Dragon Boat Festival — races at Dajia Riverside Park (fifth lunar month, usually June)
- September: Mid-Autumn Festival — riverside barbecues and mooncakes (September or early October)
Staying near the shops
$$ · Best for budget, shopping, nightlife and solo travellers
Ximending
Pedestrian youth district of fashion shops, cinemas, street snacks and late nights
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Taipei?
High-mountain oolong tea, Pineapple cakes, Taiwanese whisky and Dried fruit.
+Where is the best shopping in Taipei?
Xinyi: Department stores and malls around Taipei 101, linked by covered walkways.
+What are the best markets in Taipei?
Shilin Night Market, Raohe Street Night Market and Jianguo Weekend Flower and Jade Markets.