market

This is a list of some of the morning markets in Taipei

The wet markets of Taiwan usually are not on the regular tourist schedule. Most guides or local people would never think of bringing their customers or friends anywhere near them. The floors are wet, vegetables are still dirty with the mud from the fields, slabs of meat are cut open on the stands, all kinds of smells float in the air.

Taiwan's morning markets are ignored by most travel guide books, magazines and websites. But, if you really want to understand local culture, a walk through a morning market can teach you far more than a day at some sterile, packaged tourist attraction far away from real people's lives.

Taipei's jade market can be a very surprising place. The first surprise is that the jade isn't all green. The second surprise is that the stallholders don't seem very enthusiastic about selling jade.

Join the crowds strolling through Taipei's Flower Market on Sundays. It's good for people watching even if you're not buying, and in summer all that vegetation keeps temperatures surprisingly pleasant in the shaded market.