What should you know when buying goods in Southeast Asia and shipping them to Taiwan?
HowBridge does not currently offer Southeast Asia-to-Taiwan shipping
HowBridge currently has no warehouse in Southeast Asia and does not offer consolidated shipping from Southeast Asia to Taiwan. This page is general guidance on shopping in Southeast Asia and sending purchases to Taiwan; the seller's international shipping terms and those of the actual carrier always apply.
What HowBridge offers today is consolidated shipping from mainland China (Taobao / Tmall / Pinduoduo, etc.) to Taiwan, available right now:
Updated 2026-09-24 ｜ HowBridge currently offers only China-to-Taiwan consolidated shipping
Why is buying from Southeast Asia worth it?
Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines) is a sourcing region that Taiwanese shoppers rarely reach, yet it offers unique advantages:
- Extremely low prices: labour and raw materials are cheap, with prices 50-70% lower than in Europe and the US
- Unique products: coffee beans, spices, religious items, handicrafts and spa fragrances
- Easy wholesale: large orders are practical for opening a shop or restocking an office
- Multilingual communities: Taiwan has large communities of Vietnamese, Indonesian and Thai migrant workers and new residents
The 4 countries: profiles and products
🇻🇳Vietnam
Signature products: Vietnamese coffee beans (Trung Nguyên, Highlands), roasted cashews, dried pho noodles, traditional dress (ao dai), lacquerware, silver jewellery, northern Vietnamese herbal remedies.
Main platforms: Tiki.vn (the largest), Shopee Vietnam, Lazada VN. Most platforms support local Vietnamese payment (online bank transfer) plus Visa international cards.
Note: Vietnamese tobacco (Lotus, Vinataba) is prohibited. Dried herbs require plant quarantine.
🇹🇭Thailand
Signature products: Thai spice pastes (green curry paste, red curry paste, tom yum goong paste), Thai silk, leather goods, handicrafts, spa essential oils (Aesop), Buddhist statues (check whether they comply with Taiwan customs rules).
Main platforms: Lazada Thailand, Shopee TH, JD.co.th, JIB (consumer electronics specialist).
Note: Buddha statues and religious items must be declared as "cultural items" so that they are not treated as antiquities.
🇮🇩Indonesia
Signature products: Indonesian coffee beans (Mandheling, Toraja), coconut products, Balinese handicrafts, Indonesian wax-resist textiles (Batik), Sambal chilli paste, religious items (Halal food).
Main platforms: Tokopedia (the largest), Lazada ID, Shopee ID, Bukalapak.
Note: the interfaces are in Indonesian and payment is mostly local, so before ordering, check whether international cards are accepted and whether the seller can ship.
🇲🇾Malaysia
Signature products: Malaysian coffee (white coffee, Old Town), bak kut teh spice packs, Halal food (Halal certified), durian products (freeze-dried, candy, cake), British brand goods (a legacy of colonial ties).
Main platforms: Lazada Malaysia, Shopee MY, PG Mall, Hermo (beauty).
Note: durian products face air freight restrictions (strong odour, some IATA restrictions).
The 5 major Southeast Asian e-commerce platforms
Southeast Asian e-commerce falls into two camps: ① cross-border groups (Lazada / Shopee / TikTok Shop) cover several countries and have English interfaces ② local platforms (Tiki in Vietnam, Tokopedia in Indonesia) are only in the local language. Using a mix of both is recommended.
- Lazada (Alibaba Group): covers 6 countries (Vietnam / Thailand / Indonesia / Philippines / Malaysia / Singapore), has an English interface, and accepts international cards on some sites
- Shopee SEA: covers 7 countries, multilingual interface, mainly Shopee Pay, with Visa accepted on some sites
- TikTok Shop: live-stream commerce is taking off here, with the widest range of influencer-promoted goods
- Tokopedia (the largest in Indonesia): a local platform with a local-language interface and mainly local payment methods; before ordering, check whether international cards are accepted and whether the seller can ship
- Tiki.vn (the largest in Vietnam): a local platform with a local-language interface and mainly local payment methods; before ordering, check whether international cards are accepted and whether the seller can ship
4 things to check before shipping to Taiwan
- Check whether the seller ships to TaiwanFirst confirm at checkout whether the seller or platform delivers to Taiwan; items that only ship domestically cannot be sent to Taiwan directly. HowBridge has no Southeast Asia warehouse and cannot receive parcels for you.
- Check the payment methodSome Lazada / Shopee sellers accept international cards; local platforms mostly rely on local payment methods, so confirm that you can pay with an international card before ordering. HowBridge does not offer cross-border payment on your behalf.
- Check whether the item can be imported into TaiwanFor food, plants, animal products, alcohol, religious artefacts and similar items, check Taiwan's import rules and quarantine requirements before the item is shipped.
- Customs clearance + EZWay + deliveryAfter arrival in Taiwan, confirm the declaration in the EZWay app, wait for customs release, then take local delivery within Taiwan. See the complete EZWay (易利委) guide for details.
7 products worth buying from Southeast Asia
1. Coffee beans (the hottest)
Vietnamese Trung Nguyên coffee, Indonesian Mandheling, Malaysian white coffee, northern Thai coffee. 40-60% cheaper than in Taiwan.
Note: coffee counts as general food, and up to 6 kg is exempt from inspection.
2. Spices and seasonings
Thai curry pastes, Indonesian Sambal chilli paste, Vietnamese fish sauce, Malaysian bak kut teh spice packs. Always choose intact packaging with at least 6 months of shelf life remaining.
Note: bak kut teh containing pork is prohibited (even though most of it is plant-based spice). See the food consolidated shipping guide for details.
3. Clothing and textiles
Vietnamese ao dai, Indonesian wax-resist textiles (Batik), Thai silk, Indian saris. Handmade, extremely cheap, and international brands run OEM production here too.
4. Handicrafts and home décor
Vietnamese lacquerware, Thai wood carvings, Indonesian rattan furniture (shipped after disassembly), Balinese stone carvings.
5. Spa products and essential oils
Thai Karmakamet fragrances, Indonesian coconut oil, Balinese essential oils, Vietnamese green oil (similar to Tiger Balm).
6. Silver jewellery and gemstones
Thai 925 sterling silver jewellery, Indonesian sapphires (mind the CITES convention), Burmese jade (distributed via Laos).
7. Stocking a shop (Lazada / Shopee wholesale)
Southeast Asia has plenty of OEM factories, and importing socks, T-shirts and accessories wholesale is 20-30% cheaper than from 1688 in China. See the B2B wholesale consolidated shipping guide for details.
Southeast Asia to Taiwan: frequently asked questions
Currently China-to-Taiwan shipping only
HowBridge currently offers consolidated shipping only from mainland China (Taobao / Tmall / Pinduoduo, etc.) to Taiwan. It has no Southeast Asia warehouse and no Southeast Asia-to-Taiwan route.
Learn about China-to-Taiwan shipping →