SHILIN MARKET is the premier night market in Taiwan for bargain goods, clothes, accessories and yummy street food. It’s our favorite night market and one of the reasons why we fell in love with Taiwan.
Here’s a photo essay on what to expect in Taiwan’s #1 Shopping Attraction…
Flavors of Taiwan Series (2012):
- DIN TAI FUNG Experience @ Taipei 101!
- TAIPEI 101: On Top of the Tallest Building in Taiwan 🙂
- TIAN WAI TIAN Hot Pot – The BEST Hot Pot I’ve Ever Tasted
- The Making of Tea (Nantau, Taiwan)
- CHATIME: What We Can Learn from the Market Leader in International Bubble Tea Industry
- Taiwan’s SHILIN MARKET: #1 Shopping Attraction in Taiwan!
- SHILIN MARKET Taiwan: Xiao Tze (Small Eats) Food Trip Guide
- XIMENDING Market (popularly known as the Harajuku of Taipei) 🙂
How to get to Shilin Market
The best way to go there is via Taiwan’s light rail system. Arrive at JIANTAN Station (one station before SHILIN) via the red line.
One-way fare would range from NT$20 to NT$40.
The light rail system is very efficient and clean.
The stations have clean restrooms that feature an ‘available cubicle’ lighting system similar to what we see in parking lots.
(TIP: Use the restrooms here because we don’t recommend Shilin Market’s public toilets.)
They use a plastic coin-like sensor, which you can deposit back when you exit.
After a few minutes’ walk from the station, you’ll arrive at Shilin Market.
SHILIN NIGHT MARKET
This is the newly renovated Shilin Market. It has a high ceiling that protects tourists and shoppers even when it rains.
Here’s an interesting game of catching shrimps…
You use a small rod and hook to catch as many shrimps as you can.
This is the new tourist area of Shilin Market–a long row of fixed stalls that open every night.
You can play Mahjong…
Shoot for some money…
Play home-made arcade games…
Buy toys for the kids…
Or have your fortune told.
If you take a taxi, you can ask to be dropped off at the original main entrance of the Shilin Market.
I like this area better because it has more character. Plus, it’s pleasant walking along the old shopping streets of Taiwan.
You can purchase cheap and fashionable clothes.
You can also buy shoes and accessories.
Don’t forget to visit the Sassy Store for some original items to add to your wardrobe.
Rache bought a lot of unique skirts here…
As you go around the Shilin Market area, you can have a N$100-massage that makes use…
of bamboo sticks.
The place is also full of weirdly named stores like this Museum of Alien Studies…
where they give you a massage using knives!
For NT$100 for 10 minutes or NT$220 for 20 minutes, the masseurs use knife-chopping motions to massage your head.
But the best part of Shilin Market is the Xiao Tze (Small Eats) Food Trip where you sample the best of Taiwan street food.
To be continued…
Read Shilin Market Part 2: SHILIN MARKET Taiwan: Xiao Tze (Small Eats) Food Trip Guide!
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Flavors of Taiwan Series (2012):
- DIN TAI FUNG Experience @ Taipei 101!
- TAIPEI 101: On Top of the Tallest Building in Taiwan 🙂
- TIAN WAI TIAN Hot Pot – The BEST Hot Pot I’ve Ever Tasted
- The Making of Tea (Nantau, Taiwan)
- CHATIME: What We Can Learn from the Market Leader in International Bubble Tea Industry
- Taiwan’s SHILIN MARKET: #1 Shopping Attraction in Taiwan!
- SHILIN MARKET Taiwan: Xiao Tze (Small Eats) Food Trip Guide
- XIMENDING Market (popularly known as the Harajuku of Taipei) 🙂
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
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Full Disclosure: The Taiwan Familiarization Trip was courtesy of the Taiwan Tourism Board. 🙂
P.S. Here’s my roommate and partner RJ Ledesma’s account of the Taiwan Trip. Check this out:
Read Related Post: Philippine STAR | Taiwanathon by RJ Ledesma
I saw this market in one of Wong Fu’s short films. Anton, are you gonna feature Kaohsiung in the near future? 🙂
Hi Anton, hope you don’t mind… just to correct the station to get down to Shilin night market, it should be Jiantan station, the one before Shilin station 🙂
Thanks for the correction!
Live an Awesome Life,
Anton Diaz
Founder and Digital Publisher
http://www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
the massage with knives is kinda scary!
hi, the one with the main entrance comment, is that the main entrance? and how do you go from there to B1 the newly renovated one? thanks in advance 🙂
It's walking distance naman but it's located on opposite ends of the Shilin Market.
Anton
Shopping in Taiwan is great. My friend was there many times and he enjoyed shopping very much.
Very interesting pictures. I have been to Taiwan once but I have never seen or been to Shilin Market. The catching shrimps are awesome. Makes me want to try that out if I get the chance to visit the country again.
Best,
Loweise