Skye HsiaoIn Taipei, shopping is pretty much a national sport. No plans for the weekend? Shopping. Bored on a cold rainy day? Shopping. Hanging out with your bestie? Shopping. The city is filled with shopping malls, local markets and boutiques, selling anything and everything you can think of: high-end designer brands, handpicked vintage European jewellery, popular Korean skincare…
So, for those who are ready to do some shopping in the bustling city of Taipei, keep reading!
Wufenpu Shopping District
Image credit: Dizzy Fripper
Image credit: Jzee
Image credit: Jzee
Let’s start with the cheapest option. Wufenpu shopping district is a wholesale area consisting of hundreds of small open-front shops where all the street vendors buy their products from. Prices can go as low as US$3.50 for a t-shirt.
Tip: if you see something you like, just go for it. It’s a crazy maze and there is no way you’ll find your way back…
How to get there: take the MRT to Houshanpi Station and get out at exit 1. Walk straight towards the intersection of Zhongpo N. Road and Yongji Road Intersection.
Shida Night Market
Image credit: Jzee
Another cheap spot to check out is the Shida Night Market, right next to National Shida University. Usually, night markets in Taiwan are all about food, but this one is known for its affordable yet good-quality products. They sell clothes, shoes, jewellery, and headwear of the latest style trends, at prices not as crazy-cheap as Wufenpu but still definitely friendlier than boutiques. To get a sense of the prices, you can get a pair of high heels for US$14.
How to get there: take the MRT to Taipower Building Station and get out at exit 3.
East District
Image credit: Shih-Chang Huang
On the more expensive side is Dongqu, also known as the East District of Taipei. Its most lively area is around the Zhongxiao Dunhua MRT Station, where you can find not only chic boutiques but also fancy restaurants, bars and nightclubs hidden in the streets. On the main roads outside, there is a huge SOGO department store and a few international brands like Zara, Forever 21 and Mango.
How to get there: take the MRT to Zhongxiao Dunhua Station and get out at exit 2. Walk into the small street next to Zara and there starts your hunt.
Watson, Cosmed, Tomod’s and Poya
Image credit: Michael Rehfeldt
Who talks about shopping without mentioning makeup and skincare products?
If you walk around Taipei or any city in Taiwan, you will definitely see one of those cosmetic shops around the corner. This is where you can do all your beauty shopping. (Boyfriends, trust me, this is the best place to buy gifts for your girlfriends.)
Japanese makeup brands, Korean skincare, local hair products… everything you need in your makeup bag, you can find them here. They constantly have discounts and buy-1-get-1-frees, and you don’t even need to worry about missing out: the employees usually come stand in front of the shop with big signs and a loudspeaker to let the whole world know!
