One Liuhe Night Market Kaohsiung Food Paradise

Think Taipei owns the night market scene? Try Liuhe Night Market in Kaohsiung, it’s the seafood king of the south.

It’s a short walk from Formosa Boulevard MRT (subway station), and each night Liuhe glows with neon, billows of steam, and the sizzle of grilled squid. You can almost taste the salt in the air.

Over 100 stalls line the alley, selling things like oyster omelet (a chewy egg dish with oysters and a tangy sauce), silky papaya milk, and mountains of grilled seafood. Most plates cost TWD 35–150 (about USD 1–5), so you can snack your way through the market without breaking the bank.

Go around 5:30 PM to beat the long lines, grab a communal table, and you’ll feel like you wandered into a neighborhood block party. Really. Um, you know?

One Liuhe Night Market Kaohsiung Food Paradise

Liuhe Night Market Kaohsiung (a lively open-air food and shopping street popular in Taiwan) sits on Liuhe 2nd Road in Yancheng District, Kaohsiung City. Exact address: Liuhe 2nd Road, Yancheng District, Kaohsiung City 803, Taiwan. It’s an easy walk from Formosa Boulevard MRT (metro) exit 11, and the neon glow and the sizzle of grilled seafood make it impossible to miss.

The market runs most nights from about 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM, though many stalls really pick up around 5:30–6:00 PM. You’ll find more than 100 food stalls stretched down the street, serving Southern Taiwanese specialties and seafood treats. Typical prices hover between TWD 35 and TWD 150 per dish, so you can snack your way down the street without emptying your wallet.

Liuhe started in the 1950s as a small street market and slowly turned into the seafood-focused spot it is today. It’s usually less crowded than Taipei’s night markets, so you can wander more, grab a seat at the communal tables, and breathe in the mix of char and sweet sauce. Try an oyster omelet (a chewy, savory egg dish with oysters and a tangy sauce), papaya milk (a smooth, sweet fruit drink), and grilled squid with that smoky, slightly charred bite.

Expect the busiest lines around 7:00–9:00 PM. If you want to avoid the rush, go earlier when the lights are just coming on and the vendors are firing up their grills. It feels like a neighborhood party, neon, steam, laughing people, um, you know? Love that vibe.

Transport Options for Liuhe Night Market Kaohsiung

Getting to Liuhe is easy, whether you like trains, buses, or a scooter jaunt. You’ll step out into the neon glow of the night market , the sizzle of stinky tofu and the chatter of vendors hit you right away, you know? Formosa Boulevard on the Orange and Red lines is the main MRT stop and the most convenient one. You can also hop off at City Council Station and walk about 10 minutes.

• MRT: Take the Orange or Red line to Formosa Boulevard Station, follow signs for the Dome of Light, then head toward the market area. The Dome is a good landmark , you can’t miss it.
• Bus: Local routes stop along Zhongzheng 2nd Road (sometimes spelled Jhongjheng on maps). Check the route maps at the stop or use a transit app to time your trip.
• Taxi: From central Kaohsiung expect fares around TWD 120–200 depending on traffic; meters are standard, so it’s pretty straightforward.
• Ride-hailing: Uber and local apps like Taiwan Taxi run citywide , super handy late at night or if you’ve got shopping bags.
• Scooter rental: Short-term scooters rent for about TWD 300 per day near the MRT; great if you want flexible stops, but wear a helmet and watch for traffic.
• EasyCard: Works on the MRT and buses; top it up before you go and just tap in and out for smooth transfers.

Pick whatever matches your pace , quick and comfy by taxi, budget-friendly on the MRT, or adventurous on a scooter. Have you ever strolled under those neon signs and thought, wow , Taipei’s night markets have nothing on this? I guess that’s part of the fun.

Top Street Foods at Liuhe Night Market Kaohsiung

Start at the first stall that smells like char and sweet sauce in Liuhe Night Market (a famous night market in Kaohsiung), and just follow your nose. You’ll run into long-running favorites right next to new hits. A few vendors have been here for decades, so you’re tasting history as much as food.

Think crispy edges, the sizzle from the grill, and cups of something cold and sweet to wash it down. For example, there’s a crispy-edged oyster omelet that vendors have been making since 1960 (oyster omelet, a savory egg pancake with oysters and a slightly sticky sauce) and a rich papaya milk stand pouring cups since 1965 (papaya milk, fresh papaya blended with milk). Pick about six bites and you’ll get a full tour of the market’s flavors.

Dish	Stall Name/Type	Price (NTD)
Oyster omelet (savory egg pancake with oysters)	Long-running oyster omelet stall (since 1960)	80
Zheng’s Old Brand Papaya Milk (fresh papaya blended with milk)	Zheng’s papaya milk stand (est. 1965)	70
Grilled squid	Seafood grill stalls	120
Eel noodles	Local noodle stalls	100
Walnut shrimp bites	Fried seafood/snack vendors	100
Mango shaved ice	Shaved ice dessert shops	80

There are also stinky tofu stands (fermented tofu with a strong aroma), pan-fried eel plates, and giant fried chicken cutlets tucked between the seafood grills if you want extras. Most vendors take cash only, and the market has communal seating, grab a table, pass the plates around, and taste a little bit of everything while the neon glow and night hum wrap around you.

Best Times to Visit Liuhe Night Market Kaohsiung

Weeknights, Mon-Thu, are your easiest bet. Fewer lines, calmer tables, and more space to wander. Try to get there early evening, around 5:30-6:30 PM, when stalls are firing up grills and the air fills with the sizzle of seafood and the sweet smell of papaya milk.

The busiest dinner rush is about 7:00-9:00 PM, when locals pour in and queues get long. If you hate waiting, show up later, between 9:30 and 11:00 PM, crowd thins, and communal seating usually frees up without a fight.

Weekends feel like a little festival, louder, full of game booths, and with the longest waits. If you can only go on Saturday or Sunday, get there right when vendors open or come back after the peak for a more relaxed pace.

Rain can close some outdoor stalls early, so have a backup plan. Dream Mall’s indoor food courts are a handy covered option with plenty of late-night choices.

Quick tip: pace yourself, try one thing, sit and savor it, then keep roaming for the next. Have you ever done that? It makes the whole night taste better, I guess.

Nearby Attractions & Itinerary Around Liuhe Night Market Kaohsiung

Liuhe sits in a great spot for a whole evening out. It’s right by the neon glow of the city and the air often smells like grilled seafood and mango shaved ice, you know? Love River (a scenic riverfront promenade in Kaohsiung) is about a 5-minute walk, perfect for a slow post-snack stroll with lights reflecting on the water.

Pier-2 Art Center (an arts district with murals and shipping-container galleries) is roughly 2 kilometers east if you want street art and pop-up stalls after dinner. Gushan Ferry Pier runs a TWD 50 ferry to Cijin Island (a small island known for beaches and fresh seafood) if you want to chase waves and fish stalls. And the Dome of Light at Formosa Boulevard (a famous, colorful MRT station art installation) is right along the way for a quick photo stop.

One-Day Evening Itinerary

• 6:00 PM , Start at Liuhe for a street-food crawl. Try an oyster omelet, sip a papaya milk, and share a smoky, sizzling grilled squid. The vendors are lively and the smells pull you right in.
• 7:30 PM , Walk to Love River for a riverside stroll or a short boat cruise. The air cools, the city lights soften, and it feels calm in a nice way.
• 8:30 PM , Pop over to the Dome of Light at Formosa Boulevard for a quick photo, then head east to Pier-2 to wander murals and outdoor markets. Lots of little crafts and surprises.
• 10:00 PM , If you still have room, scooter or taxi back to Liuhe for late-night sweets like mango shaved ice or a warm bowl of soy milk with sesame mochi.

Two-Day Kaohsiung Route

• Day 1 (morning to night): Start with a museum or gallery visit in the morning, linger at riverfront cafes in the afternoon, then spend the evening at Liuhe and walk over to Pier-2 for a late art stroll.
• Day 2 (morning to night): Take the TWD 50 ferry to Cijin for beach time and a seafood lunch, wander the island’s lighthouse and snack stalls, return in the afternoon to explore Qishan Old Street (a traditional market street with old-style shops) for local bites, then end the day with another relaxed night at Liuhe or a beer by the river.

Have you ever planned an entire evening around one perfect meal? Try it here and you’ll find the parts of Kaohsiung that stick with you.

Insider Tips & Budget Guide for Liuhe Night Market Kaohsiung

Most stalls at Liuhe take cash, serve small plates, and won’t break the bank. Expect dishes to run about TWD 35–150 (roughly $1–5). Walk under the neon glow, hear grills sizzle, and grab shaved ice between bites, it's lively and pretty safe at night, you know?

A few quick, practical tips to keep your night smooth.

• Bring small bills and coins. Vendors do give change, but having TWD 50s and 100s speeds things up; a snack crawl of 4–6 items usually stays under TWD 500.
• Carry an EasyCard (Taiwan’s contactless transit card) for the MRT and buses, but don’t count on using it for food, mobile pay and credit cards are rarely accepted at stalls.
• Check hygiene before you order: look for vendors wearing gloves, clear prep surfaces, and steady lines. Busy spots usually mean fresher food.
• Learn a tiny phrase: "Duōshǎo qián? (How much?)" , it’s friendly and handy. Keep a translation app ready since English menus are uncommon.
• Use convenience-store restrooms when you need them and grab water or small change there, places like 7-Eleven and FamilyMart are everywhere. Free public Wi-Fi is often around Formosa Boulevard station exits if you need it.
• Keep your bag zipped and close, split cash and cards in different pockets, and call a taxi or ride-hail for late returns, safer and easier than wandering tired.

Think of your visit like picking a bubble tea: start with a base, then add fun snacks. Bring cash, a little Mandarin, and comfy shoes for the best night out.

Final Words

You get the essentials fast: Liuhe 2nd Road in Yancheng District, daily hours around 5:00 PM–12:00 AM, born in the 1950s, about 100 food stalls, and most dishes run TWD 35–150. The sizzle of stinky tofu and the sweet papaya milk stick with you, you know?

Formosa Boulevard (exit 11) and City Council Station put you close, and topping up an EasyCard beforehand helps. Try oyster omelette, grilled squid, and mango shaved ice.

Go on a weekday evening for fewer lines, bring small bills, and say “Duōshǎo qián?” if you need to ask prices. It’s a tasty, friendly slice of Kaohsiung you’ll want to return to at liuhe night market kaohsiung.

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