Endless, fascinating possibilities at Fengjia Night Market

Words by Myles Cooney Translated by Angela Cheng
The content is developed jointly by Industrial Development & Investment Promotion
Committee of Taichung City, FM 89.1 Sunny Radio and Compass Magazine.

Picture yourself engulfed in a sea of people. Taiwanese food stands and accessory outlets buzz all around as hundreds of designer clothing stores compete to sell unique styles. Tea stands push samples of signature drinks to passers-by. Small "hole-in-the-wall" restaurants hustle to seat new customers. You overhear Taiwanese one second, English the next, followed by Korean and Spanish. Hundreds of small stores catch your eye, but are too numerous to cover in one night. As you stroll along, you catch the unforgettable aroma of stinky tofu. Where are you in Taichung? That's right, the famous Fengjia Night Market.

A massive mix of food, shopping, culture and people, Taichung's largest night market is right next to Feng Chia University, which adds a bit of a college-town flavor to an atmosphere that is unrivaled in its vivacity. A good place to start is the Beacon Plaza and Beacon building with McDonald's (corner of FuXing and FengJia roads). Walking in any direction seems to take you to dozens of shops selling anything from wallets to party products. So, what direction to go in?

From McDonald's, you can head down FengJia Road toward the university main gate, where you turn right and walk along WenHua Road, a narrow lane packed with all types of designer clothing stores. Want trendy, but affordable, locally-made shoes? It's hard to beat the selection here. Need a wardrobe change? Look no further than the big mix of outlets pushing the latest styles and anything from cheap T-shirts with graphic designs to tailored suits.

Along WenHua Road you'll find the entrance to Prague Mall, a mini mall filled with interesting fashion designer outlets, each appearing to have a peculiar style not found anywhere else--perhaps a good option for "fashion daredevils" out there. At the heart of Prague Mall is a moderately-sized seating area surrounded by two floors of more shops, ideal for a shopping break as you perhaps enjoy a tea or coffee from a nearby stand.

Further along WenHua Rd, to the right, you'll encounter Fun Start Plaza, a unique area with everything from a self-designed ring maker to a potted ice cream stand (interesting potted ice cream), perfect for kids who can enjoy the abundance of original shops and carnival-style game machines offering prizes. Deep inside this section is a set of stairs leading to a rooftop seating area where you can sit and enjoy the lively atmosphere, together with a large projection-screen showing movies.

From the university main gate, you can also head the other direction (north) along WenHua Road, where you'll find a slightly less-packed area also offering a wider array of culturally-diverse food places, from local to upscale. Just a bit up the way, turn the corner and you'll see Pizza Amica, a welcoming pizzeria run by Italian Luca, who offers both fresh ingredients and authentic Italian charm.

Even further down WenHua Road, you'll come across a modest, tucked-away commercial strip called Wenhua Dao. Businesses here include the small, outdoor, friendly, take-out barbecue shop, Gekiuma Yakitori, specializing in over 100 varieties (30 per day) of kebab-style meat and vegetarian skewers, marinated and cooked repeatedly and served with various vegetables, rice, other ingredients and Japanese spices and sauces in a mouth-watering blend. Buy two Asahi beers and the second is also half-priced. Like most night market eateries, food and drink prices are extremely reasonable.

Crossing FengJia Road in front of the McDonald's is bustling FuXing Road, lined with stores selling big brand names like Nike, Adidas and Levi's, as well as plenty of tea shops and small eateries. Head south far enough and, on the right, you'll come across a shop selling famous Japanese-style octopus balls--sweet, hot, doughnut-like balls stuffed with octopus, made in front of you, and topped with mayonnaise or mustard sauce.

As a foreigner, I didn't feel like I had fully experienced Taiwan until found myself walking through Fengjia Night Market for the first time. As a lover of cultural things, I was surprised by this energy-infused corner of Taiwan, filled everywhere with "eye candy". I truly felt like I could walk around for five or more hours, if things stayed open that long. In the clothing shops I was always looking for a better deal. When I was hungry, I could always find the exact, perfect something to eat. There were all kinds of activities that I wanted to introduce to friends and places to hang out in; the possibilities are endless and there's always something happening.

All in all, the Fengjia Night Market area is a Taichung marvel that shouldn't be overlooked by anyone. It's already the top city destination for visitors from all over the world and you should be no exception.