Liuhe Night Market (六合夜市)

The night market sign.

Liuhe Night Market (liuhe yeshi; 六合夜市) is not only the most popular night market in Kaohsiung, but it is arguably one of the best-known tourists attractions in the city. Open from 5pm to 6am (!), the market offers a wide variety of foods to try, especially seafood. Naturally, like the majority of night markets in Taiwan, items like toys and clothes are also for sale in the market. 

Accessing the Liuhe Night Market isn't complicated; simply take the MRT to Formosa Boulevard Station (meili dao zhan;美麗島站) and consult the exit guide to determine where the market is located. It's less than a five minute walk from the station. Luckily, my dad and I were staying down the street from Formosa Boulevard Station so we didn't have to ride the train to get to the market. 

When it comes to food, Dad isn't as adventurous as I am. Therefore, we ate dinner at out hotel before going to the night market in case he didn't see anything appealing enough to try. I had eaten too, but of course I saved enough room to indulge at the market. My infatuation with food is undying. ;)

Seafood is king at this night market,
but it comes at a hefty price...

My favorite thing about Liuhe Night Market was that there were several snacks on sale there that I hadn't seen in other markets. Also, the market was clean and organized - certainly a big plus. 

Still, as the market is strongly geared toward tourists, several items were overpriced. A small portion of BBQ squid which is usually seen for around 50NT was 100NT at Liuhe Night Market! Often times, you can buy three portions of BBQ squid for 100NT. I allowed myself to try a few snacks, but I skipped several dishes due to the unfair pricing.

Me purchasing my overpriced BBQ squid while shamelessly
munching on another snack.

Despite the high prices, I somewhat regret not eating more seafood at Liuhe Night Market. It was well-presented and looked fresh, but I didn't want to gamble after being cheated when I bought crab at Miaokou Night Market in Keelung. Oh well. Hopefully my photos won't make you too hungry. I was sure to write this post on a full stomach!

When it's done, the squid is chopped
up and poured into a little bag.

BBQ squid, waiting for hungry customers.

Some of the seafood is cooked straight from the tank.

I believe this stall sold fried crab balls.

I wonder what kind of fish this is...

Creatures from the sea presented with chili peppers.
I spy a sea cucumber.

Large octopus tenticles and skewered squid.

Grilled oysters and abalone.

A selection of fried seafood.

If you don't like seafood yet find yourself at Liuhe Night Market, you needn't worry; there are several foods sold aside from seafood. I indulged in a few and enjoyed everything I tried.

This bun was filled with sweet potato and cheese,
pretty unique.

This stall sells a popular snack in Taiwan called
dachang bao xiaochang (大腸包小腸) or little sausage
wrapped in big sausage.

This stand sells another popular food in Taiwan,
lu wei (滷味) or chicken organ meats, fish balls, rice cakes, blood cakes, etc.
soaked in a soy sauce broth then grilled or served cold.

Night markets aren't places for only younger folk to hangout.
Here an older couple are enjoying dinner.

I'm wasn't sure what these were,
but I had seen them before elsewhere.

This appears to be some type of organ meat.

After consuming heavy, greasy food all night, market visitors commonly begin to crave drinks or sweet snacks. Night markets offer a wide variety of both; Liuhe Night Market is no different.

One of my favorite desserts is green/mung bean soup (ludou tang; 綠豆湯).
It doesn't sound like it would make a good dessert,
but it's delicious and relatively healthy.

Sometimes drinks are premade to prevent long lines
from forming.

Fresh fruit are juiced upon request.
This stand has apparently been visited by several well-known people.

This stand sells one of the most famous candies in Taiwan, nougat (niuga tang 牛軋糖).
The prices at this stand were reasonable, and the candy was delicious.

This stall sold ice cream cups that look like potted plants.

Serving up Turkish ice cream.

My favorite stand at Liuhe Night Market was the Turkish ice cream vendor's. He would sling the ice cream in the air, toss his instruments, and play jokes on customers. For their cooperation, patrons would get extra ice cream or other freebees. It was fun to watch him work. Also, his ice cream was delicious, so it isn't all a gimmick.

My dad received a double cone!

While some of the prices at Liuhe Night Market are clearly unreasonable, I still believe anyone visiting Kaohsiung should check it out, if not to people watch. It isn't complicated to find, and the night market makes for a fun nighttime activity for adults and children.

The end of the night market street.