Many people often call Taiwan a “treasure island.” Why is that? Taiwan is a pretty small island, but whatever you can think of off the top of your head, Taiwan produces. For this reason, if you come to Taiwan for a holiday, you must be able to buy something as a souvenir for yourself or your loved ones back home. We have compiled a list of Taiwan souvenirs and things to buy in Taiwan and where to buy them.
What to Buy in Taipei
Le Secret Mimi Crackers
Many travelers to Taiwan, especially Korean visitors, LOVE the milk yogurt crackers from Le Secret Mimi Crackers. No matter when you go to their shop, you will find a bunch of people lining up to get boxes of Mimi Crackers. What is so special about the crackers? First of all, the soda crackers that they use are not just regular crackers. There are bits of green onions within the biscuits, bringing out a hint of savory green onion aroma flavor. The inside filling is chewy, sweet milk yogurt. The taste of this savory crackers goes perfectly together with the chewy milk yogurt. Be sure to head to the shop early to grab your boxes of these delicious crackers! If you are looking for what snacks to buy in Taiwan, we recommend you try Le Secret Mimi Crackers.
Address: No. 21, Section 2, Jinshan South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City, 106
Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday 9 am – 1 pm
Taiwan Fu Wan Chocolate
In Pingtung County, which is in Southern Taiwan, many cacao farms make their chocolates from their home-grown cocoa beans. This bean-to-bar chocolate concept in Taiwan is relatively new, but some of our own Taiwanese chocolate producers have already won international chocolate awards with their specialty chocolates. Click here to read our blog on Taiwanese Chocolates.
When you are in Taipei, be sure to head to Fu Wan Chocolate shop inside the shopping mall of Taipei 101. There, you will be able to get your hands on chocolate flavors that you can only find in Taiwan. Their award-winning 62% Taiwan Tie Guan Yin Tea Chocolate is made with specially selected local Taiwanese tea. The chocolate, combined with exclusive Taiwanese tea, naturally brings out the unique flavor of tea goodness. In addition to the Tie Guan Yin Tea flavor, the Rose Lychee Nibs chocolate and 62% Taiwan Mango chocolate are also worth trying! Chocolate is the ideal gift for everyone in your family if you are not sure what to buy in Taiwan.
Address: 110, Taipei City, Xinyi District, Section 5, Xinyi Road, SongZhi Rd. Entrance B1
Opening hours: Monday – Sunday 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Things to Buy in Taiwan
Taiwan Yuchun Sake
Taiwan is a place where you can find plenty of rice paddies across the country. Penglai rice is a type of rice cultivated back in the days when the Japanese ruled Taiwan. Since then, Penglai rice is the most popular type of rice consumed by Taiwanese.
Yuchun pure rice sake uses the finest Penglai rice from Taiwan. The sake is fermented for three to six months under low temperatures. Once you open the bottle, the rich, fruity aroma of the sake fills the air. Yuchun pure rice sake is smooth and full-bodied with the scent of rice fragrance. It is best paired with cheese, eggs, or grilled meat.
One bottle of 600ml Yuchun pure rice sake sells for around NTD 200 (USD 7). The quality of this sake is definitely comparable to quality Japanese sake at around the same price. This bottle makes a perfect souvenir from Taiwan; your friends and family will be impressed with the excellent quality of this sake.
You can find the brand Yuchun sake at most convenience stores and supermarkets in Taiwan. For Yuchun Pure Rice Sake in the green bottle, head to a local Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation (TTL) store to find it.
Camellia Oil (苦茶油)
Camellia Oil became very popular in Taiwan in recent years. People often compare camellia oil with olive oil, which is an integral part of the Mediterranean diet. Camellia Oil must be completely squeezed from the tea seeds of camellia oleifera and camellia tenuiflora to comply with the National Standards of the Republic of China.
Olive oil and camellia oil have similar nutritional value when you look at their fatty acids composition. The content of unsaturated fatty acids in both types of oil is very high: 65 to 78% (olive oil) and 74 to 87% (camellia oil). Oleic acid is also the main component of monounsaturated fatty acids in both products.
With all the goodness camellia oil has to offer, next time when you are in Taiwan, pop into a local grocery or supermarket to get a bottle of camellia oil to bring back home!
You can find camellia oil in most local supermarkets and convenience stores. Prices range from NTD 600-1000 (USD 20-30) for a bottle of 500ml camellia oil.
What to buy in Taiwan Airport?
Number one MUST BUY at Taiwan Airport – Taipei Sweet Pineapple Brownie.
You can only get this pineapple brownie inside the duty-free shops of Taoyuan international airport. Each brownie is baked with an upper layer of pineapple flavored cake, a lower layer of chocolate brownie, with real pineapple in the middle. The chocolate brownie, together with the sweet and sour pineapple flavor, makes this pineapple brownie super delicious! The price of a box of Taipei Sweet Pineapple Brownie is NTD 350 (USD 12) for nine pieces of brownies.
Where to buy Taipei Sweet Pineapple Brownie? You can find this brownie at the Ever Rich Duty-Free store inside Taoyuan International airport.
Other than this fantastic pineapple brownie, you will want to look for the famous Alishan Tea made in Taiwan. This oolong tea is a high-mountain tea with a sweet and floral flavor. It is very different from black tea or green tea. The aroma of Alishan Tea is simply irresistible. Click here to read our blog on where to visit in Alishan and book a tour to Alishan with one of our friendly local guides!
What to buy in a Taiwan Night Market?
There are over 70 night markets in all of Taiwan. Whichever city you are in Taiwan, you will be bound to find a night market near you. What makes a Taiwan night market so special and an essential visit during your travel in Taiwan? First of all, you can find all kinds of typical Taiwan souvenirs such as Taiwan-shaped key chains, postcards, and colorful Taiwan magnets. You can also find great bargains on all sorts of electronics and mobile phone accessories.
Besides discovering many great bargains in a Taiwan night market, you will find at least over 100 food stalls in each night market for you to explore. The snacks that they sell in the night markets are traditional Taiwanese street food that you must try.
Oyster omelette is a classic dish made with fresh oysters and egg topped with sweet and sour tomato sauce. Another favorite snack amongst the Taiwanese is the “small sausage wrapped in big sausage.” It is Taiwanese style sausage wrapped in sticky rice and makes a tasty filling snack. If you are thirsty, grab a cup of black sugar milk and add your favorite toppings, such as tapioca balls or coconut jelly.
If you happen to be in Taichung, be sure to visit Taiwan’s largest night market, Fengjia Night Market. Click here to read more on Taichung’s night markets.
We hope to promote locally made in Taiwan products through this blog. Next time when you are in Taiwan, be sure to buy some of these beautiful souvenirs from Taiwan back home to share with your loved ones.
