No Taiwanese city is complete without a vibrant night market, and the Keelung locals are particularly proud of their offering.
Keelung’s MiaoKou Market sits right in the centre of the city, constantly busied by tourists and locals seeking anything from fried squid and sweet potato balls to traditional Luo Rou Fan (Braised Pork Rice) and Douhua (Tofu Pudding). The night market has even been visited by the likes of Antony Bourdain who documented his layover in Keelung which involved happily chomping his way through the market.
If you enter the market and venture towards Dianji Temple, you’ll find Wu Chi dishing up food from his stall. Wu Chi is the owner and operator of Bainian Wujia Ding Bian Cuo, a bustling stall in the heart of the night market serving Ding Bian Cuo. Here’s what he has to say about the city he’s lived in for over 50 years.
Name: Wu Chi
Job: Owner of Bainian Wujia Ding Bian Cuo
"The beautiful river I remembered from my childhood gradually disappeared — it's a memory of Keelung that no longer exists."
What makes Keelung unique?
Keelung is special because it’s a port city. One function is the military port, where naval ships dock. Another is the cargo port, which handles goods brought into Keelung from abroad. Because of this, Keelung Station and the surrounding area must operate 24 hours a day. This is why many of the shops nearby also stay open around the clock—a rarity in Taiwan. Even the Keelung Miaokou Night Market operates 24 hours a day. The harbor’s activity has shaped the unique lifestyle in Keelung.
What place in Keelung holds special memories for you?
The place in Keelung I remember most fondly is called Shiying Gang—or “the hard stone by the river.” In Keelung, when people say “gang,” they usually mean a living area. This place was actually a river, now called Nanrong River. Unfortunately, the river has now become very small, just a drainage channel.
When I was a child, my family home was next to this river. The river was wide, with lots of ducks swimming—these were ducks raised by locals. Along the riverbanks, there were small groves of trees, and many people planted sweet potatoes there. It was a beautiful, pastoral scene. Sadly, it’s all gone now, because the river has been reduced to a small drainage ditch to provide more space for residents to live and move around, The city government built three large buildings over Xuchuan river, which blocked the river and destroyed the landscape.
So the beautiful river I remembered from my childhood gradually disappeared. I was born in 1963, and I still saw the river until around 1973. By 1975, construction over Xuchuan river had begun, and the river vanished. What I miss most is that Shiying Gang and its beautiful river—it’s a memory of Keelung that no longer exists.
What is something people might not know about Keelung?
Although Keelung is a port city, it’s also mostly hilly, with about 95% of its land being hills. Because of this, many tourists only explore the small 5% of flat land, so they miss most of what Keelung really has. The remaining 95% is full of natural beauty: forests, flowers, birdsong, and insects. To experience it, you really have to go up into the hills.
The closest mountain to the city center is Hongdan Mountain. You can hike up from Badu Train Station, and then descend on the other side to Sankeng Train Station—so transportation is convenient. What makes this place special is that if you reach the top, you can see the full view of Keelung City and even Keelung Islet in the sea. The scenery is stunning. This is a spot that many people don’t know about, but I highly recommend visiting.
If a friend visited Keelung for just one day, what would you recommend they do?
If a friend asked me where the most fun place in Keelung is, I’d recommend Chaojing Park. Why? Because from there, you can see the vast, beautiful ocean. You can even see Jiufen and Jinguashi. During the day the scenery is stunning, and at night view too.
The park also has lots of modern art installations—you’ll find things like flying brooms and other creative pieces to admire. Nearby, there’s a Taiwan Power Company dormitory with a green tunnel formed by trees that are several hundred years old. The tunnel creates a beautiful, natural canopy that’s perfect for exploring.
All in all, Chaojing Park is a highly recommended spot worth visiting.
If you were to leave Keelung, what food would you miss the most?
Whenever I left Keelung, the food I missed the most was dry noodles. Keelung’s dry noodles are different from anywhere else. Keelung’s braised pork rice is also delicious, but you can find good braised pork rice in Taipei too. Dry noodles, though—you can’t get them like this in Taipei.
Why? Because the noodles are made by a local noodle factory in Keelung and aren’t heavily processed. The dry noodles are simply seasoned with a little soy sauce and some fried shallots. They’re also topped with two slices of stir-fried lean pork, which gives them a unique flavor. You won’t find dry noodles this good anywhere else in Taiwan. That’s why I highly recommend Keelung’s dry noodles.
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