Taipei Travel

The food price is not really cheap when comparing to the restaurant which provides services and proper table for you. The size of market is smaller than I expected, (I am Thai and many markets in Thai are much more larger) However, I was enjoyed visiting the market.

Shilin market itself is not much at all. All the small kiosks are around all the small streets. Quite a lot of choices and clean. Nice to check it out.

I was not interested in doing any shopping yet still spent two hours here. It is not like most night markets. Essentially you have real stores on pedestrian and non-pedestrian streets. Some of these streets also open to covered buildings with more stores, in all multiples blocks that take a good while to walk completely through. Add in hundreds of food stalls both indoors and outdoors (all very inexpensive, no big chain restaurants in the this market), and throw in lots of carnival kinds of games (throw darts at balloons to pop them and win prizes, etc) and you have the Shilin Night Market. This market is not really for the tourist as the stores offer inexpensive clothing and tech goods, etc, but not so much souvenirs. This market is not for the hipsters or young kids, they go to a market area in another part of town. This is for the locals who want to be entertained inexpensively. My wife and I walked for a couple hours, checking out the interesting food stalls, trying lots of things and browsing the shops. Only when we were about to leave did we find the downstairs food court with lots more cheap food restaurants but actual chairs and tables one could sit at.

Chock-o-block of rowdy people. Some indoor eating area, we could see, had less than desirable hygeinic condition. Same food every vendor is selling. Totally unimpressive.

Night market was a fun food adventure. Went on Saturday night. Very crowded but felt safe. Lots of different foods to try from sea food, fried food, the infamous stinky tofu. Strongly suggest a stroll first through the vendors and then decide, you can fill up pretty fast. I liked the vibe, the energy, and the meat on stick choices. Enjoy, gotta do this at least once