Top Souvenirs & Gifts to Buy in Taiwan! (Guide by an Expat)

Taiwan is often overlooked by travelers from the West. I accidentally stumbled across Taiwan during a trip to Korea, where I needed somewhere to head for my visa run. Taipei happened to be the cheapest option. 

So off I went for a week, fell head over heels for the country, and the rest is, as they say history! Along with Japan, Taiwan has quickly become one of the countries I spend most of my time in. Thanks to the many night markets, it's also a place that's easy to travel to, even for those on a budget. And this, of course, includes splurging on souvenirs, snacks, and other fun things the country offers.

What to Buy in Taiwan

Feast on Sweets

Taiwan's a foodie's paradise, and there's no end to the number of delicious things you can fill your belly and suitcase with. 

I remember waiting in line to check into my flight at Taoyuan Airport years ago when I spotted a Korean girl flipping her giant bag onto the floor in front of her. After messing with the bag's locks, she flings it open to reveal it packed with every type of Taiwanese treat imaginable. Clearly, the girl had her priorities straight! I think of her even now as I wrestle all the snacks into my bag as my trip ends.

If you think of Taiwanese sweets, pineapple cake will probably be one of the first things that come to mind. Unlike bubble tea, these separately packed treats are the perfect souvenir to stuff your bags with and bring home. 

While you can find several shops at the airport ready to sell different brands before your flight, I recommend visiting one of the local pineapple cake shops near your Taiwanese city. If nothing else, then for the chance to sink your teeth into the freshly baked cakes. Some of the more famous and popular brands include Chia Te and Sunny Hills.

If you're like me and not a fan of anything pineapple, then you're in luck. This sweet treat is also available in flavors like blueberry or strawberry, and I 100% recommend you try them.

My personal go-to sweet treat is mochi! You can find a wide variety available in almost every sweets shop in the country. 

Other goodies include delicious nougat and sun cakes that are well worth paying the overweight fee at the airport for. Better yet? Many sweets shops offer samples of their treats for you to taste if you need help deciding what to get. You can also get great deals at most places if you buy several things simultaneously.

Mini-Lanterns

If you're traveling to Taiwan, you've already heard of the famous Sky Lantern Festival in Pingxi. While packing a full-size lantern into your bag might cause some problems, you can find several miniature versions to bring back home. 

The lanterns are available in many colors, each with a message, wish, or prayer. This can be everything from a yellow lantern wishing for success to a blue one signifying hope. 

You can find these lanterns a little here and there, but Ningxia Night Market in Taipei is one of the best places to pick up your own. While you're there, remember to try all the delicious foods the market offers!

Jade

Yes, you can find jade all over the world, but what you don't know is you can find some of the finest quality jade in Taiwan. The name "jade" means "precious stone" in Mandarin and is said to bring both luck and prosperity.

In Taiwan, you can pick up all kinds of keepsakes made from this material, from charms and jewelry to entire sculptures for the home.

You can find jade at the Jianguo Jade Market under the Jianguo Elevated Highway in Taipei. But before you go, it's a good idea to learn how to understand the different grades of jade available and spot imitations. There are three distinct grade qualities, each with its own features and price points; high-grade, semi-precious, and regular-grade.

Taiwanese Tea

Some of the most sought-after teas in the world stem from Taiwan's mountainous regions—and for a good reason. Whether you prefer white, green, black, or pu'er, you're sure to find some of the most delicious teas available.

If you decide to visit one of the great tea-producing areas in Taiwan, such as Sun Moon Lake, you can taste the teas for yourself before you buy them. Don't miss out on one of the most popular varieties: Oolong. You won't regret it!

Many high-end teas come with a price tag to match, so keep this in mind if you're trying to stick to a budget during your trip.

Travel tip: If you love Taiwanese tea, make sure to ride the Maokong Gondola to the forestry area of Maokong in southeastern Taipei, one of the top things to do in Taipei. Maokong is full of local tea houses and tea plantations where you can sip on the delicious drink while savoring the majestic views of Maokong!

Oilpaper Umbrellas

You'd be sadly mistaken if you think these umbrellas are only meant to protect you from the sun or rain. These might remind you of a giant version of the type of umbrellas generally stuck into your mai tai cocktail, but they're an important cultural symbol in Taiwan. 

Oilpaper umbrellas are generally given as wedding gifts in Taiwan to bless the couple with many children. "oil paper" is homonymous to "have sons" in Chinese. At the same time, the Chinese character for umbrella features the same character for "person" five times.

Cosmetics

While Taiwan might not be known for its cosmetics, you can find many famous brands for a reasonable price in most beauty stores. 

Whether you're hunting for sheet masks, lotion, mascara, or other cosmetics, you have plenty to choose from. Depending on where you're from, chances are you'll find these items much cheaper here than you would back home.

Like with tea, higher brand items are available that will leave a bigger hole in your wallet if you decide to buy them. These brands are also often very popular with tourists from other cosmetic hubs in Asia, such as China and Korea.

Bring Home a Taste of Taiwan

One of the first things I learned when visiting Taiwan for the first time was that this is indeed a paradise for foodies, including lovers of sweets as well. 

Taiwan is the perfect destination for someone who wants to reduce expenses and save money while traveling. While in the country, I recommend holding off until the evening and venturing around one of the country's many night markets. For a low price, you can eat like a king, and, depending on the size of the market, the options are seemingly endless. 

Of course, you can't pack that scallion pancake or those beef noodles into your luggage and bring it back home. But there are plenty of options for souvenirs available at relatively low prices. This, of course, includes both eatable and non-eatable options. 

Bonus: Meat-Stones

Stumble into the gift shop at the National Palace Museum in Taipei, and you might find yourself staring down what looks like trays of juicy slabs of meat. Beautifully marbled with layers of eerily flesh-like shades of pink and translucent white, you'd be forgiven for thinking that you're staring at hunks of pork belly or richly marbled pieces of steak.

You're looking at stones made of jasper and crystal, which would make a fun souvenir to bring back home to the meat-lover in your life or to keep for yourself. Remember that this is actually stone before you get too carried away and fill your bags with it. Otherwise, you might have to pay considerably high luggage fees on the way back!

Plan Your Trip to Taiwan with Pilot

Before filling your suitcase with more souvenirs than you can carry, you have to get to Taiwan! Now that you know the best places for souvenir shopping, you can start to craft your ideal travel experience for you, your family, and your friends.