Taipei Travel

The Chinese value jade above all else. Jade comes in many varieties but all jade must be worked by an expert to reveal its true beauty. Diamonds lack, in Chinese society, the value placed on them in the West. Good jade is, in colour greenish or grey with complex patterns. By the way, it is easy to be deceived when buying jade. Take a knowledgeable friend if you can The flower market is famous for its blooms, You can also buy bonsai, the miniature plants that take decades to perfect. Taiwan's bonsai reflects the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945) when the island adopted many Japanese cultural pursuits.

The Flower, Jade & Arts Markets are open only weekends, underneath a bridge overpass. The flower market itself has pull down rolling green shutters which create walls on each side of the underpass. Like the Raohe night market, the flower market runs a good 600 metres and takes a very long time to walk through and back. Across a main street is a similar Jade Market where hundreds of vendors selling precious and semiprecious stones, jewelry, carved sculptures. It boggled the mind. I assume these vendors also have stores for business during the work week. It is not as long but long enough to walk through. The Artist’s Market is much shorter. I really enjoyed walking through the flower market on a rainy day, sheltered by the bridge overhead. It was very colourful and bustling with Taiwanese shoppers walking out with bags of plants. I wondered how much work it was to haul tons of plants and goods here just for a weekend market. The market sold not only plants, but all things associated with plants: planters, vases, seeds, soils, small water fountains, even one aquatic plant place. I liked the tall white plastic planter which could grow a large number of lettuces, foods for eating. I tasted a small leaf off a chocolate mint plant and yes, it really did taste like chocolate mint. Along with selling herbs, there were organic farmers selling their produce but not much. Tea canisters appeared from time to time selling an assortment of teas to shoppers. The flower market is easy to find at Daan Park metro stop, exit 6.

If you are a green thumb or bonsai enthusiast, don't pass up on the opportunity to see this market. wide array of bonsai to feast your eyes on and take inspiration from. Accessories and implements are much cheaper here than in japan. so might as well buy them. The jade market is worth taking a look at,though somewhat pricey. Allot 2 hours at least.

Even if you are not obsessed by jade (or gems or antiques or wear-able jewels), or plants, this market is worth visiting just for the scale and passion of the exhibitors! WOW. I'm a plant nut and found the Flower Market amazing....the best I have seen anywhere. Floral art, bonsai, orchids, succulents, pots, decorations,etc. And then the Jade- another WOW....so many collectors with antiques, statues, teapots, carvings, stones, JADE, and then the 'string' to make the jade into necklaces/bracelets,etc. A cultural experience on par with the best you'll have anywhere in Asia.

It’s an amazing flower market open during weekend, they have lots of varieties of flowers and plant at a very good price( best bargain after 5:00 PM, as the market close at 6:00), they also sell gardening kits and equipment at reasonable price. Very close to Da’an metro station, it’s a must visit place, next to this there is this Jade market which have varieties of gemstones stalls.