Guanghua Digital Plaza & Syntrend Electronics Mall

Theo

I've lived in Taiwan for over 5 years and love discovering all it has to offer. I made this blog to share Taiwan living and travel resources I wish I'd had.

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Category: Taipei Attractions, To Do

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This guide will help you decide whether it’s worth visiting Guanghua Digital Plaza and Syntrend Creative Park. Keep reading to learn more.

I frequently visit Guanghua for PC parts and Syntrend for peripherals. This guide will help you decide if it’s worth the trip.

Both malls are adjacent, so I’ll cover both in this piece.


Is Guanghua Digital Plaza & Syntrend Worth Visiting?

Guanghua Digital Plaza and Syntrend are great for tech enthusiasts. They offer a wide range of electronics and gadgets. Nearby attractions include Simple Kaffa and Huashan 1914 Creative Park. Prices, however, may not be lower than those in Western countries.

These malls might not appeal to all tourists.

However:

For accommodation, check out Hua Shan Din by Cosmos Creation. It’s next to Guanghua and features themes from its former life as a brewery and bank.

Hua Shan Din by Cosmos Creation

I stayed here with my wife and it was one of our best stays. Not as fancy as Humble House. But it reminded me of a quirky version of McMenamins in the Pacific Northwest.

Anyway.

If you’re an expat in Taipei or New Taipei who’s terminally on your computer, you’ll likely need to visit both malls frequently for parts, repairs, and peripherals.

Let’s begin with learning more about Guanghua.



Guanghua Digital Plaza

Avg. Time Spent Here2 hrs
HoursMon – Sun: 11 AM – 9 PM
AddressNo. 8號, Section 3, Civic Blvd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, 100
Free Wi-Figh3c_visitor
Chinese Name光華商場; guānghuá shāngchǎng mùlù
Websitegh3c.com.tw
Number of Floors6
guanghua 13 1 scaled

How to Get to Guanghua Digital Plaza

1. MRT

Take the Taipei MRT Orange or Blue Lines to Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station.

Use either of these exits:

  • Exit 1:
    • Walk toward the Mega Bank building (don’t cross the road).
    • Turn left into the alley and continue until you hit a dead end.
    • Turn left, then right at the 3-way intersection, and continue straight to Guanghua.
  • Exit 4:
    • Cross the street towards Mega Bank.
    • Turn right on Xinsheng S Road.
    • Turn left at the Panasonic building.
    • You’ll see a Lenovo store. Turn right here to find Guanghua.

Here’s a guide on taking the Taipei MRT.



2. YouBike

Here are nearby stations to drop off YouBike rentals:

More on renting these bikes here.


3. Bus

First off, use the Bus+ app to track buses. This app is critical in Taipei.

These other apps will help you in Taiwan, also.

Here are the different buses you could take to get here:

StationBus Numbers
Ba-De Road / National Taipei University of Technology205, 257, and 276
Civil Boulevard / Guang Hua Digital Plaza669
Xin-Sheng North Road / Guang Hua Digital Plaza72, 109, 214, 214Exp, 222, 226, 280, 280Exp, 290, 505, 642, 643, 665, 668, 675, 676, 680

Taking the bus is the cheapest way to get around, but the most time consuming (and maybe dangerous).

I’ve had to wait more than 20 minutes to get on a bus. And it feels like you’re on a rollercoaster with the way the drivers drive.

They could have changed, though. Who knows…


4. Car

There’s a parking garage under Syntrend with the following costs:

  • Cars: NT$50 per half-hour (NT$60 on holidays)
  • Scooters: NT$20 per half-hour

These prices can change at any time. Don’t rely on my guide for accuracy of parking lot prices.

You should rely on my guide that teaches you how to rent a car.

You can also use Uber or local taxis. I recommend the FindTaxi and 55688 apps.

Welcome to Guanghua. Let’s see what there is to do.


What’s There to Do?

Besides browsing stores, there’s not much else to do here. This is one of the best places where you’d buy electronics in Taipei.

Guanghua doesn’t have as vast of a food court as Syntrend. You’ll find at least 10 stores on the first floor and that’s all.

I suggest exploring the alley across the road for traditional Taiwanese restaurants and street food.

There’s also a Burger King further down the road.


Here’s What to Buy

If you’re building a PC, this is the place to find most of your parts. Even if you order online from Coolpc  — Taiwanese computer part-picking website — you’ll likely pick up your purchases from stores here.

I’ve built 2 PCs during my time here and had to pick them up from around 5 different stores.

Despite Taiwan being home to brands like ASUS, MSI, and Gigabyte, prices here aren’t necessarily lower. They’re allegedly higher due to Taiwan’s smaller market.

Other than PC building parts, I’ll typically come here to buy DVDs and peripherals. I reserve items like charging cables and such for online shops.

Besides PC parts, I also buy DVDs and peripherals here. The third floor has a DVD store where you can find Taiwan region code DVDs. Some are priced steeply, though.

If you leave from Zhongxiao Xinsheng Exit 1 and head toward Guanghua, you’ll see a store named 利得影視. I found the Warcraft movie and Tropic Thunder for around NT$50 each there.

They have hundreds of other DVDs.

Here’s a directory of the shopping center.


Guanghua Digital Plaza Floor Guide

FloorDescription
1Laptop repair, Wacom store, a couple small cafes, laptop shops
2Phone accessories, PC parts, video game shops
3Audio devices, video games, peripherals, LED stores, phone repair, PC parts, computer assembly
4POS stores, measurement instrument, audio devices, accessories, video games, cameras
53D printing shop, PC repair, accessories, a video game store, more accessories, more camera stores. Walkie talkies, phone repair
6Repair shops and classes
Guanghua Digital Plaza directory

Notes:

  • POS = point of sales
  • By “measurement instrument” I mean devices like meters (e.g., water meter) and sensors.
  • By “cameras,” I’m referring to security cameras and GoPro-like devices

The themes among all floors are inconsistent.

Though, some floors will have more of a particular item than others:

  • 1st floor: Mostly POS systems, smartphones, and accessories
  • 2nd & 3rd floors: PC building parts
  • 4th floor: Audio devices and wiring
  • 5th floor: Repair shops

Most folks are on floors one through 4. Head to the 5th and 6th floors if you need repairs.

Every time I go to the 6th floor, it’s a ghost town. Thus, I wouldn’t head up there.

Once you’re done at Guanghua, you should head to Syntrend.



Syntrend Creative Park

HoursSun – Thur: 11 AM – 9:30 PM
Fri & Sat: 11 AM – 10 PM
AddressNo. 2號, Section 3, Civic Blvd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, 10058
Avg. Time Spent Here2 hrs
Chinese Name三創數位生活園區; sān chuàng shùwèi shēnghuó yuánqū
Websitesyntrend.com.tw
Number of Floors12
guanghua 8 scaled

Floor Guide

Here’s what you’ll find on each floor in Syntrend:

FloorFloor ThemeDescription
B2FTasteFood court
1FLOOKStores include cellular businesses, ASUS, & Starbucks
2FTOUCHLaptop/desktop brands like Microsoft, Acer, & Dell
3FSTYLEPhotography equipment from stores like DJI, Nikon, & Canon
4FHOMEHome appliances
5FLISTENAudio equipment from brands like Bose & JBL
6FGAMENerdy/weeby toys shops & video game stores
7FCOLLECTToy store, kids’ arcade, & maid cafe
8FEXPLOREThermaltake & Samsung store
9FDINEHigh(ish)-end restaurants
10FDREAMCo-working space
11FINSPIRECo-working space
12FSHOWShowroom
Syntrend directory

Syntrend rotates its stores often, so I won’t list every shop. Instead, I’ll highlight examples I believe will stay.

Most stores in Syntrend charge an arm and a leg for their products, making it only a great place to test products.

If you’re a tourist, you likely won’t have the opportunity to find better prices online.

I have a guide on shopping online in Taiwan. Read it if you’re curious.

The first floor usually hosts exhibitions like e-sports tournaments or food fairs. These events are what keep me coming back.

Here’s how to get there.

How to Get to Syntrend

This mall is adjacent to Guanghua Digital Plaza.

Syntrend Tourist Tax Refund

If you spend NT$2,000 or more in one day, you’re eligible for a 5% VAT tax refund. Make sure the product is unopened, and visit the first-floor customer service counter with your non-Taiwan passport and purchases to claim the refund.

More information on this process here.

Once you’re done at Guanghua, you’ll need something else to do.


Things to Do Near Guanghua

Here’s what there is to do nearby Guanghua:

PlaceDescriptionAverage Time Spent There
Don Don DonkiJapanese discount store chain~1 hr
Huashan 1914 Creative ParkVarious exhibitions2 hrs
Sun Yat-sen Memorial HallClosed for renovations~1 hr
Jianguo Holiday Flower MarketFlower, jade, and art markets1 hr
Simple Kaffa Flagship StoreThird wave coffee shop1 hr

Otherwise, you’ll find a lot of electronics shops nearby.

There’s an alley across the street from the tech markets that with street food vendors. This vendor is noteworthy because of their cakes:

guanghua 11 scaled

You might know Don Don Donki as Don Quijote. It does have some souvenirs that you can only get in Taiwan. I mention those in my souvenir guide.

guanghua 10 1 scaled
This is inside the Panasonic building.

The flower market is a 25-minute walk from Guanghua and  not worth it for tourists. The adjacent jade market is if you want to buy jade souvenirs (these are pricey).

“Third wave coffee” is a complex way of saying a coffee shop has great-tasting coffee. A world barista champion opened this chain and it has the best coffee I’ve had in Taiwan.

It’s a bit pricey. But it’s an experience you’ll only have in Taiwan.

What would I do?

I typically take the MRT to some other spot. Zhongxiao Xinsheng is connected to the Orange and Blue lines. Giving me easy access to stations like Dongmen, which is by the Yongkang Shopping District. And Taipei Main Station.

If you’re an expat, you could walk or ride a bike from here to the malls around Zhongxiao Dunhua station. It’s a great route for exercise.

Let’s finish this off with some photos.


Guanghua Digital Plaza Photos