What to Buy from Taiwan: Traditional Snacks and Food Gifts

Sausages in different shapes and sizes are among the most common sights at Taiwanese night markets . We saw Kurobuta sausages, pearl sausages , sausages encased in tofu skin, even sausages sandwiched in a glutinous rice “bun”. You’ll find many stalls offering fried chicken chops at night markets but the Hot Star brand is the most well-known.
Stroll to the end of the 800m-long boardwalk and you’ll reach an open area where you can walk on the wet sand. We chose to skip the extensive walking and instead picked a spot halfway down the path to sit with our legs dangling over the edge. While Gaomei Wetlands may not appear spectacular during the day, it’s a whole different story at sundown. 台東 伴手禮 Watching the golden orb of the sun inch down towards the horizon feels almost surreal, and the row of windmills adds to the charm of the scene. The blue and white colour scheme is calming on the eyes, and needless to say, this architectural gem makes for beautiful photos. That requirement doesn’t stop tourists from buying them, though.

Would come back again if I were to come back to Chishang. This is fresh, good food, would absolutely eat again and happily chill out while the host actually cooks to order. It's not Chillis or McDonald's, so come relax and enjoy. Use your heart to add some creativity to your ingredients. It’s a big beefnoodle restaurant with a big parking lot.
Evidence of human occupation in Taitung goes back 25,000 years, as uncovered at the Baxiandong caves (八仙洞) on the coast. In Taitung city, right beside the train station, the Beinan site (卑南遺址) has upright “moon rocks” and over 200 stone burial coffins dating back thousands of years. I’d need a tour gude, someone to explain why I’m standing in this, or that, line. I’m pretty adventurous when it comes to food but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to know what it is that I’m eating.

Terraced tea fields are highly photogenic places, and there are many places in Taiwan, even as easy day trips from Taipei, where you can get up close to admire their simple beauty. Taiwan is also home to several interesting and informative tea centers and museums. Don’t miss my guide to the best hostels and hotels in Taipei. Following the First Opium War and Treaty of Tianjin, Taiwan was forced to open its ports to trade with the West. Tea became a major export, and around the time the capital of Taiwan was moved to the north, a thriving riverside port called Dadaocheng developed around the tea trade. The neighborhood remains one of the best places to experience Taiwan’s tea culture.
must buy in thailandColorful and unique sarongs with elegant and sophisticated prints are great gifts reflecting Thai culture.
Dao people are known for their white loincloths, hand-carved canoes, semi-underground houses, and Flying Fish Festival (see “Taitung Events” section at the end). Taitung Train Station is inconveniently located at the north end of town. If you have a bit of time to kill, you can see Beinan Archaelogical Site (卑南遺址公園) beside it.

The sticky rice makes it more firm and chewy, similar to mochi. Interestingly, it’s cooked in a cylindrical clay oven similar to an Indian tandoori oven. Baked at high heat over charcoal, the buns are stuck to the sides of the oven and scraped off with a blunt knife or spatula when ready. We had the peanut ice cream roll pictured below from a food stall at Dongdamen Night Market in Hualien.
So popular is  this dish that a festival and competition is held every year to find the best bowl of beef noodles in Taiwan. Only a handful of restaurants can lay claim to the title of “Best Beef Noodle Soup” in Taipei, and Tao-Yuan Street Beef Noodle Shop is one of them. Orchid Island not only has beautiful scenery, but also possesses a distinctive charm when it comes to food and culture. The people are really generous and have a good sense of humor.

Just make sure to arrive at Alishan maybe 30 min or 1 hr before the bus departs to secure your spot in line. If you choose inland Highway 9, you’ll have the option of riding a scooter, taking this day tour, or hopping between towns on the train. At each town, you can rent a bicycle or scooter to explore the area.
It was good, but not as eye-openingly good as the steamed milk pudding. I’ve been hearing about this popular breakfast/dessert shop for many years, and I finally got to try it on my most recent trip to Hong Kong. Whichever branch we ate at is where I put each restaurant. Taitung Slow Food Festival won the Japanese “Good Design Award” this October. This highly coveted title is sought after by global corporations and groups. Slow Food Festival won the Best 100 which has a winning rate of less than 2%.
I actually prefer sheng jian bao to xiao long bao because of its crisp pan-fried bottom. Cheung Hing Kee was on the inaugural Michelin Hong Kong street food guide but it appears to have dropped out since. One Dim Sum serves the more traditional type of char siu bao or steamed bbq pork buns. The buns are pillowy soft and filled with the most delicious bits of savory-sweet char siu pork.

Treat yourself if you’re a spicy food lover, or gift it to someone who appreciates setting their stomach on fire. If you’re looking for something to induce acid reflux or an unpleasant morning on the toilet, look no further. If I could eat  spicy stuff, I’d use it with every meal. I’ve lived in Taiwan for over 5 years and have tried most snacks from Taiwanese supermarkets.
You can get fish balls stewed in different types of sauces, but my personal favorite is the spicy curry. You’ll find stalls selling grilled or deep-fried battered seafood in virtually every night market in Taiwan. When I was doing research for our trip, I came across this intriguing sounding dish described as a “night market specialty of Tainan and Taipei since the 1940s”. Coffin bread is basically a thick hunk of fried bread that’s been hollowed out and filled with a creamy chicken, seafood, or vegetable chowder. As you can see below, it really does resemble a coffin. It tastes cleaner, like Hainanese chicken, but it’s still gamey and flavorful.