Shopping in Taiwan will be an adventure, there is so much to discover from the traditional markets to the fancy shopping malls! However as most clothes and shoe shops tend to stock only the smaller sizes western ladies can, sometimes, be disappointed.

On the other hand if you are looking for "Do it yourself' pearls, beads, ribbons, adhesives, buttons, chains... check out No s 181, 235 and 271 on Chung- An W. Road close to Taipei Main Station for an exciting experience, guaranteed to get your finger tips tingling. In addition an underground shopping mall (entrance 100 Civic Blvd) provides all the necessities for fabric artists and accessory creators.

Most of the beads and stones are sold on a long string. It's worth going just to see the thousands of beads in all the colors of the rainbow hanging in long rows like candy: a pure visual delight of glass beads, jade, freshwater pearls and much more, prices from NT50 to NT500 / string. The more expensive beads, such as Amazonite, Rhodonite, Rose Quartz, or Rock crystal, cost 1000 NTD or more per string.

Xinyi district is often considered the 'fancy' area with its modern shopping malls and department stores, the most prominent of which are Sogo and Mitsukoshi together with Taiwan's own Far Eastern Department Store. In the same area is Taipei 101, housing boutiques representing all the hottest brand names worldwide as well as a first-class supermarket offering a wide range of international foods.