Yes, I hear you.  It’s been a year and a half since you went to Taiwan!  What’s with all the posts now?  Well, I’ve finally sat down to try and get some more helpful things about Taiwan out to you.  I’ve wanted to and now I finally am.  Keep an eye out for similar things on other places from who knows how long ago.

Taiwan has over a hundred night markets making it a bit overwhelming to decide which to visit. I’ll be covering some of the more popular and well-known markets in this. A lot of them are similar, but some have specialties. Ask at your hostel or hotel to see which they recommend. I’m hoping this guide gives you some insight and assistance on which to see while you’re there.

General Helpful Things:

• Most open between 4 PM and 5 PM, and close down between 12 AM and 1 AM.
• Not all of them are open everyday, so check hours online or ask at your hostel to make sure before going.
• Most dishes are 20-70 NTD (New Taiwan Dollars) and people usually spend 100-300 NTD.
• You’ll start accumulating change. This is the perfect place to spend it. And it’s way easier than sitting around waiting for change with a huge line behind you.
• All markets have food, but some also have carnival style games and other goods, like clothes, bags, shoes, trinkets, and kitchen tools.
• Find a couple people to go with to split food, but make sure they’re ok with sharing. You don’t want to be the pushy person trying to share everything. Or, share some things, like stinky tofu, and get other things just for yourself, like pork buns.

On that note, let’s get going. I’ll start with Taipei and the surrounding area, then work clockwise around the country.

Shilin Night Market

Fun Facts

This is one of the largest, most well known night markets in Taiwan. It’s definitely one of the largest in Taipei and has soooo much to offer. It’s mostly food with some other goods as well. I would leave at least two hours to walk around here, maybe more.   It gets pretty busy, but it’s worth fighting the crowds.

How To Get There

To get there, take the MRT to the Jiantan station, NOT the Shilin stop. You can get there from both, but it’s right across from the Jiantan stop. It’s also on the way to the National Palace Museum. It also has a cafeteria area downstairs; don’t forget to check that out.

Try:

• Hot Star large fried chicken (it’s close to the front of the market)
• Stinky tofu
• Spring onion pancakes
• Oyster omlette (the best place for these is in the downstairs cafeteria)
• Oyster vermicelli
• Bubble tea
• Taiwanese sausage
• Pan fried dumplings
• Pork Buns

Rahoe Street Night Market

Fun Facts

This is one of the oldest and most popular night markets in Taiwan. It’s in the Songshan district. It’s 600 meters of market between Fuyuan Street and Ciyou Temple.   It has great food, other goods, and carnival games.

How To Get There

To get there, take the MRT green line to Songshan and go out through exit 5. If you go out exit 1, it’s just around the corner.

Try:

• Fried scallops
• Grilled scallops
• Black pepper pork buns
• BBQ sausages
• Stinky tofu
• Sugarcane juice

Ningxia Night Market

Fun Facts

Ningxia only has food and is frequented by locals, which is rumored to mean it is more authentic. Tough to beat that, right? It’s less busy on weeknights and it’s easy to eat your way down the street. It is on Ningxia road, between Nanjing West Road and Mingshen West Road.

How To Get There

Take the MRT to the Shuanglian stop and take exit 2 then walk about 10 minutes west along Mingshen West Road. You can also take the MRT to the ZhongShan stop, take exit 1 and walk about 10 minutes west along Nanjing West Road.

Try:

• BBQ squid on a stick
• Grilled squid
• Fish rolls
• BBQ stinky tofu
• Duck head
• Taiwanese sausage in a gluttonous rice sausage

Huaxi Street Night Market aka Snake Alley

Fun Facts

This is a more controversial night market, as it used to be a legal red light district. You can find fortune telling, massages, porn, clothes, and food all in one place. It really is a bizarre market. It also connects with a couple other markets near Longshan Temple. Many locals do not favor it. This is also the place you can try snake and turtle.

How To Get There

Take the MRT blue line to Longshan. It will be out of exit 1 on the west side of the temple. If you go to the market and the temple, got to the temple first because it closes much earlier.

Try:

• Snake (and snake blood)
• Turtle
• Squid
• Taiwanese sausage
• Fresh fish
• Shellfish
• Fish head and fish steak stew
• Dading pork soup

Keelung Miaokou Night Market

Fun Facts

This market is in Keelung, an easy trip from Taipei, adjacent to the harbor. It is food focused and is a wonderful place to try delicious and fresh seafood. Lines can be long, but that just means it’s even more delicious.

How To Get There

Take the MRT to Taipei Main Station. Take the local train to Keelung station. They leave every 15-20 minutes. The market entrance is at the intersection of Aisan Roadn and Rensan Road. It is mostly on those two roads with a few lanes going in other directions.

Try:

• Butter crabs
• Eel stew
• Taiwanese tempura
• Pao Pao shaved ice
• Cream crab
• Fried sandwiches
• Dingbiacuo (rice noodle soup with oysters, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, dried tiger lilies, dried shrimp, and shredded pork.)

Bonus Taipei Market: Dihua Street Chinese New Year Market

Fun Facts

This market is only around the two weeks before Chinese New Year in January. The street is known for it’s architecture and is relatively calm most of the year, but is then known for the atmosphere and decorations the two weeks of the market. Locals flock to it to gather decorations and supplies for the New Year and tourists go to soak it all in. It can be a little intimidating, but totally worth it. You can ask for sample of pretty much everything here, so go hungry like usual.

How To Get There

It’s 10-15 minutes from the new Beimen MRT station, or about 20 minutes from the Shaunglian station. It can be combined with a trip to the Ningxia market or the nearby Yongle market.

Try:

• Candy
• Dried fruit
• Dried veggies
• Various soups
• Fish jerky
• Spiral chip things (I have no idea what they are, but they’re good and everywhere)

Luodong Night Market

Fun Facts

This is one of the biggest and most crowded night markets in all of Taiwan. It opens around 6 PM and has food, general goods, and games. It is one of two night markets in Yilan County. It is right next to Luodong Park.

How To Get There

Take the train to Luodong Station and walk along Chongcheng Road, then turn right onto Xindong Road. You can also go by bus. Take the Gouguang Bus towards Luodong or the Capital Bus towards Luodong.

Try:

• Mutton herbal soup
• Iced tapioca with red bean
• Rice noodle thick soup
• Smoked duckling
• Ox tongue shaped pastry
• Yilan scallion pancake
• Salty rice noodle
• Longfeng legs
• Fried Chicken steak

Liuhe Tourist Night Market

Fun Facts

This market opens at 6 PM and takes about 30 minutes to walk through. It’s just one street, but has a lot to offer. The highlight of the market is seafood and some stalls are actually restaurants.

How To Get There

It’s near the Kaohsiung railway station. Take the Kaohsiung MRT red line to R10 stop, or the orange line to O5, Formosa Boulevard and follow exit 11.

Try:

• Papaya milk
• Stinky tofu
• Crab
• Shrimp
• Octopus
• Big sausage in little sausage
• Fish soup

Rueifong Night Market

Fun Facts

This is another night market in Kaohsiung. It is less touristy because it hasn’t been changed to suit the tastes of tourists. The one is NOT open every night. It is closed Monday and Wednesday, but opens 6 PM – 12 AM every other night. Keep this in mind if you’re planning a visit. It is in the Zuoying District. It is busiest after 8 PM and less busy Tuesday and Thursday.

How To Get There

Take the MRT red line to R14 and follow the exit for San Min Vocational School. The campus should be on your right as you walk.

Try:

• Hot pot
• Iron fried steak
• Squid
• Stir fry noodles
• Meat and veggie BBQ skewers
• Stinky tofu
• Onion rings
• Shawarma
• Joy’s cookies

Fengjia Night Market

Fun Facts

This last market is in Taichung on the west coast. It is next to Feng Chia University and is also known as Wenhua Market because it is along Fushing Road and Wenhua Road. As you approach the University gates, it is off the side streets and alleys. The main streets open around 2 PM, but it is really bustling from 7 PM to 1 AM.

How To Get There

Get to the Taichung HSR station and take shittle bus 160 towards Chinese Overseas University and get off at Feng Chia University. It is free for HSR passengers, so hold onto your receipt if you do this.

Try:

• Yam rice ball
• Squid balls (look for the big blue octopus sign)
• Pizza
• Deep fried mushrooms
• Fried duck
• Kung Fu Monkey
• 1000 layer onion cake
• Cia Cia Fu Fries with plum powder
• Stinky tofu
• Red tea stinky tofu
• Minglun pancake
• Fried pork bun

With everything Taiwan has to offer in it’s night markets alone, this is really just dipping our toes in the water. It’s hard to plan this ahead of time, but it can help with an idea of where to go and what to try. My best advice for night markets is to go to as many as possible and try as much as you can, even if it does smell like rotten feet.

Have you been to any night markets in Taiwan?  What was your favorite food there?  Least favorite?