To find souvenirs at a bargain or just to see the industriousness of the Taiwanese in action, few off-site excursions are as memorable as a visit to one of the country's many night markets. Below are the biggest and most colorful night markets of Taiwan, courtesy of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau (www.go2taiwan.net).
Shihlin Night Market (Taipei)
Shihlin Night Market has been in operation since 1899. Famous for its variety of authentic Taiwanese snacks, the most popular include deep-fried chicken breasts, kebabs, spring onion pancakes, pan-fried dumplings, grilled Taiwanese sausages, small buns wrapped in large buns, and oyster omelets.
This market wakes up in the late afternoon and early evening and is soon packed with people, especially on holidays. The market is close to the National Palace Museum, making it a good next stop for museum visitors.
Huasi Street Night Market (Taipei)
In its early days Huasi Street was the red-light district in Taipei, but today the street is known for its shops selling snake dishes and snake wine--said to have aphrodisiac properties. Huasi Street Night Market is the first night market to cater mainly to foreign tourists. Make sure you don't miss the nearby Longshan Temple when visiting this market.
Feng Chia Night Market (Taichung)
Among all the night markets in Taiwan, Feng Chia Night Market may be the biggest. On weekday evenings there are usually around 30,000 to 40,000 shoppers, while on the weekends or holidays the number can rise to 100,000. Altogether, there are an estimated 15,000 shops, restaurants and stalls in the market.
Liouhe Night Market (Kaohsiung)
The market is best known for its numerous eateries. Due to its location a short distance from Kaohsiung Railway Station, in the daytime it's a thoroughfare, and in the evening transforms into an open-air shopping arcade.
