What to see/buy in Taiwan? Pearls?

[Tartansparkles]

I'll be traveling for work to Taiwan, I'll have a full Sunday plus Monday night in Taipei, the rest of the week traveling or in a conference hall then back to Taipei on Friday with Friday evening free before flying home on Saturday. The Taipei hotel is within walking distance of the Taipei tower/ 101 center.

Any suggestions for what to see or the must buys to bring home as gifts? I like handmade stuff so my ideal souvenir would be a piece of pottery or a print by a local artist or photographer.

Has anyone been to the viewing platform at the Taipei tower - if so, are the lifts crowded? Or would be better to window shop the luxury boutiques instead

Or has anyone tried one of the cycling tours? (After a 13 hour flight I'm tempted to spend as much of the Sunday as possible outside and moving about).

And pearls, is there anywhere to see pearls in real life (the UK doesn't really have shops that sell pearls, at least not that I've seen.)

 

[jaysonsmom]

My parents live in Taiwan, and I don’t think they have ever brought jewelry as gifts. I usually get sweet items like pineapple shortbread, or taro pastry, or almond nougat.

 

[Tartansparkles]

My parents live in Taiwan, and I don’t think they have ever brought jewelry as gifts. I usually get sweet items like pineapple shortbread, or taro pastry, or almond nougat.

I read that cakes and sweet treats are high on the list of things to try which is fine by me. I wondered if they would make the journey home though (I was imagining patisserie style goodies in cardboard boxes) but it sounds like sweet treats will be fine with the traveling.

 

[icy_jade]

Sunnyhills pineapple tarts

Sugar and Spice Nougat

Tea

Instant noodles!!! I buy by cartons lol.

 

[icy_jade]

The palace museum is amazing, and I also like to go Jiufen although it’s a distance away. You can also go to the Eslite bookstores. They are always quite nice and you can get some nice souvenirs too. I can’t recall where but I’ve always enjoyed going to the design focused stores that stocks local designs and also brands from Japan.

Can’t recall pearls but yes to jadeite and chalcedony

 

[88_star]

Is coral popular there too? I remember in the GIA CS course they said there was a lot of coral produced from Taiwan. I didn't know about that the last time I visited otherwise I would have sought some out as well.

Yes to pineapple cakes. Definitely find a nice bakery and get some pastry buns while you're there also.

In all the times I've visited I've never been to 101 haha. I did visit the Palace Museum and Jiufen and agree those would be nice places to get a little bit of history. The SAs at the designer boutiques are all very nice if you want to window shop. I tried on one of the oiseaux de paradis necklaces at VCA and it was glorious.

 

[Tartansparkles]

The palace museum is amazing, and I also like to go Jiufen although it’s a distance away. You can also go to the Eslite bookstores. They are always quite nice and you can get some nice souvenirs too. I can’t recall where but I’ve always enjoyed going to the design focused stores that stocks local designs and also brands from Japan.

Can’t recall pearls but yes to jadeite and chalcedony

Off to Google the Eslite bookstores...

I read that you can order Sugar and Spice and collect from the airport on departure, any idea if that would be worth doing?

 

[Tartansparkles]

Is coral popular there too? I remember in the GIA CS course they said there was a lot of coral produced from Taiwan. I didn't know about that the last time I visited otherwise I would have sought some out as well.

Yes to pineapple cakes. Definitely find a nice bakery and get some pastry buns while you're there also.

In all the times I've visited I've never been to 101 haha. I did visit the Palace Museum and Jiufen and agree those would be nice places to get a little bit of history. The SAs at the designer boutiques are all very nice if you want to window shop. I tried on one of the oiseaux de paradis necklaces at VCA and it was glorious.

If given the option between visiting the viewing platform on the 101 tower or window-shopping, I think window shopping might win! Pineapple cakes are now also on my list

 

[qubitasaurus]

This has come up before

Jewelry and Gem Stores in Taiwan?

Hello everyone! We are visiting Taiwan soon to see my husband’s family. Are their any good places to look for jewelry and gems in the Taipei area?

www.pricescope.com

The national opera is good! I also echo Icy in saying the museums are good -- especially the national museum. The artefacts are unforgettable-- many of them are somewhat classified as stolen national treasures from China; which Chiang Kai Shek looted when he fled China. I can still remember the first time I saw them super vividly, and I think I was 9. I would say the collection in Taiwan puts the forbidden city's collection and the Xian and Nanjing (china's historic capitals) collections to shame.

 

[lambskin]

I bought angel skin coral beads there in 1986. There were so many options but even then they were pricey.

 

[Tartansparkles]

This has come up before

Jewelry and Gem Stores in Taiwan?

Hello everyone! We are visiting Taiwan soon to see my husband’s family. Are their any good places to look for jewelry and gems in the Taipei area?

www.pricescope.com

The national opera is good! I also echo Icy in saying the museums are good -- especially the national museum. The artefacts are unforgettable-- many of them are somewhat classified as stolen national treasures from China; which Chiang Kai Shek looted when he fled China. I can still remember the first time I saw them super vividly, and I think I was 9. I would say the collection in Taiwan puts the forbidden city's collection and the Xian and Nanjing (china's historic capitals) collections to shame.

Thanks, I now have some other places/street names to add to my list

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

for some reason i am fasinated by Taiwan
is there a gem silica shop somewhere ?

 

[icy_jade]

Thanks, I now have some other places/street names to add to my list

I used to go to Yong Kang Street to eat at the original Din Tai Fung or another beef noodles shop further inside the area and then spend some time walking around, depending on the weather.

 

[icy_jade]

national museum. The artefacts are unforgettable-- many of them are somewhat classified as stolen national treasures from China

There were free English guides - go for them if you can as they are quite good and you get a better sense of the artifacts on display