Shopping in Taichung: Shopping Spots and Must-Buy Products

For shopping lovers, Taichung is one of the best places in Taiwan to shop. It has enough options to make a shopaholic busy for several weeks without ever visiting the same store twice. From classy shopping districts to high-end malls, every shopper is well cared for in Taichung. Shopping in Taichung is an excellent activity if you want to taste local homemade products, buy jade and other crystal accessories, flowers, art pieces and many more. Moreover, night markets offer unlimited items for every budget shopper and have unique products you may have never seen before.

Tourists often look for wonderful souvenir items and keepsakes that they can bring back home. Stashing souvenir items and must-buy products should not be missed when taking a trip to Taichung. To start your search for Asian collector’s items, head at the Jade Market located at Wen Xin Road and Taichung Port Road, which is open only during Fridays to Sundays. You can buy custom-made necklaces here where you string jade charms into your own design. Looking further, you can see various Buddhist delights, teapots and other antique arts.

The past decade marks the construction of department stores, which are regarded as among the bigger establishment in Taiwan. These shopping malls include the Guang San SOGO, Shinkong Mitsukoshi and Chung Yo Department Store. Located outside the major downtown area, in Fengyuan District is the biggest department store in Taichung, the Pacific Department Store. Today, the city also has numerous large shopping malls such as Tiger City, Park Lane by CMP and Taichung Central. Small shopping complexes and hypermarkets are all over the city including Carrefour that have attached department store area and Sunshine Plaza fashion mall, which shares the same building with Hotel Holiday Inn Express. In general, shopping malls, department stores and other shopping complexes are open everyday from 11am to 10pm.

Shopping streets is another great venue when shopping in Taichung. The JingMing 1st Street is the city’s best-known hot spot among locals and foreigners alike, thanks to its distinct European-style café and street-like motif. This 60-meter pedestrian-only place is home to sidewalk teahouses and cafes, fashion boutiques and shops selling artworks, jewelries, medium to high-end clothing brands, health products and more. Other shopping streets in Taichung City include Electronic Streets for technophiles and electronic shoppers, JiGuang Street, Sun Mall and La Cite, another European-styled sidewalk.

People who want to see unique items other than fashionable clothes and jewelries should visit specialty and traditional markets in Taichung. One is DaLong Road Creative Market where more than 20 independent artisans, craftspeople, artists and other vendors sell almost wide range of eclectic items such as paintings, hats, printed T-shirts, postcards, earrings and hats, making this shopping place an ideal spot for mementos and souvenirs.

Taichung City has an extensive number of commercial areas that are very popular for sightseeing and shopping. When shopping in Taichung, do not miss getting around some well-known places such as YiZhong and Fengchia Street night market, the SanMin Road shopping area and the newest TaiZhongGang Road Commercial district and Seventh Redevelopment Zone.