SHOPPING

Taipei is a shopping extravaganza that caters for every budget. For those who are looking for an authentic Taipei shopping experience and who likes a bargain, then the night markets are the places to head for.

At Shi lin (Jiantan MRT) you can find everything from clothes to traditional Taiwanese foods. Stop for a bite to eat at one of the roadside food vendors, whose specialities include oyster omelettes. Hua Xi St or Snake alley as it is better known is located in the Wan Hua district and is more a bizarre tourist attraction than a real market. Ophidiophobics beware!! Here you will find everything; snake - performances, snake blood drinks and all manner of snake dishes. Try if you dare!

Looking for souvenirs? Then try the Chinese handicraft market at 1 Syujhou Road or Lin-Tien Bucket Shop, the only handmade wooden bucket shop in Taipei, 108 Zhongshan N. Rd or try the Zau Ho Market where you will find the Shandong Hsiaomo Sesame Oil Shop, which has been trading for nearly 150 years and sells all manner of cooking oils.

If it’s a more upmarket shopping experience you’re looking for then head towards the gleaming shopping malls. The most exclusive include the Taipei 101mall (Taipei City Station MRT) and the Living Mall. These stock the usual brand name goods.