Introduction
When it comes to Yilan night markets, many people's first impression is Luodong Night Market—this city, dubbed the "Luodong Night Market," is indeed Yilan County's busiest evening commercial district. But if you think Yilan only has Luodong Night Market, you're missing out.
Yilan's night market culture has its unique geographical context: the Lanyang Plain is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces the sea, with abundant agricultural and fishery products. The ingredients at night market stalls can often be traced directly to nearby farmlands or fishing ports. This "from farm to stall" proximity advantage gives Yilan night market food its distinctive regional character—you can eat same-day fresh seafood from Nanfang'ao, scallions freshly harvested from Sanxing fields, and local温泉 fruits and vegetables sourced from Yuanshan.
Unlike the chain-store operation model of Taipei's night markets, Yilan's small stalls are often passed down through generations, preserving rich family craftsmanship. The existence of these stalls not only satisfies appetites but also serves as an important link in Yilan's local industrial chain—from farmers planting, fishermen catching, to vendors cooking, every环节 is closely connected to the local economy.
Special Highlights
What makes Yilan night markets most special is the seasonal presentation of ingredients. Because the Lanyang Plain has ample rainfall in winter and abundant sunshine in summer, visiting at different times of the year yields completely different dishes.
Spring (approximately March-May) is the golden harvest period for Sanxing scallions; the scallion whites are especially plump and tender, making the scallion pancakes and scallion meat skewers at the night market particularly sweet and fragrant. Summer (June-August) marks the end of the Nanfang'ao flying fish season, with flying fish roe dishes at their peak. Autumn (September-November) is the most comfortable season in Yilan, with various field delicacies beginning to appear at the stalls. Winter (December-February) is the domain of hot spring vegetables and citrus fruits—after soaking in the hot springs, strolling through the night market to eat hot food is the most authentic Yilan experience.
In addition, stall rents at Yilan night markets are considerably lower than those in Taipei, allowing old shops to maintain reasonable prices. You can find traditional snacks priced at NT$30-50 while still using genuine ingredients—something that's become increasingly hard to find at Taipei's night markets.
Recommended Locations
Luodong Night Market (Luodong Township)
Yilan County's largest night market, with stalls concentrated around Zhongshan Road and Gongyuan Road. What makes it most special is the subtle balance between "locals" and "tourism"—local residents come here to find food after work, tourists also flock here, yet the stalls haven't completely pivoted toward tourists. We recommend "A Zhuobo Angelica Lamb Soup" (No. 176, Section 3, Zhongshan Road, Luodong Township)—this old shop's angelica lamb broth is clear, the lamb slices thin and fresh and sweet, priced at around NT$120 per bowl. The locals' recommended way to eat it is to add oil noodles. Don't miss the adjacent "Xiao Chun Gaozha" either—this Yilan specialty is crispy on the outside and tender inside, priced at around NT$50 per serving—it's a taste you won't find anywhere else.
Jiaoxi Night Market (Jiaoxi Township)
Smaller in scale, but closely integrated with the hot spring area. After visiting the hot spring houses, walking here marks the perfect start to evening nightlife. Here, "Keh's Scallion Pancake" (No. 130, Section 5, Jiaoxi Road, Jiaoxi Township) represents Yilan's scallion pancakes—made with Sanxing scallions, the pancake skin is pan-fried until crispy, with rich scallion fragrance inside, priced at around NT$35 per serving. Nearby, "Brother Fu's Hot Stone Pot" is a unique grilled-and-hot-pot experience exclusive to Jiaoxi, using local ingredients, with broth simmered from bones, affordable pricing, around NT$400-500 for two people.
**Su'ao Cold Spring Night Market (Su'ao Township)
Su'ao is famous for its cold springs. Although the night market is small in scale, it has an irreplaceable quality. The "handmade fish ball soup" here uses same-day fresh fish from Nanfang'ao fishing grounds, hand-beaten to make it, with fish meat fibers still detectable in the fish paste, priced at around NT$50 per bowl. "Nanfang'ao Seafood Stall" offers same-day fresh squid and cuttlefish, prepared through blanching to preserve the seafood's sweetness, priced by market rate, typically NT$150-250 per serving.
Toucheng Night Market (Toucheng Township)
Only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays—a rare "roving night market" in Yilan. Although small in scale, it has a strong rural atmosphere. The "old-fashioned rice cake" here uses local rice, steamed and topped with special sweet chili sauce, priced at around NT$30 per serving. "Grass rice cake" (Caozaiguo) is handcrafted by grandmothers and mothers, with fillings of shredded radish or red bean, priced at around NT$15-20 each.
Yilan Dongmen Night Market (Yilan City)
Located in front of Yilan Station, smaller in scale but easily accessible. The "Pengji Scallion Bun" here is a Yilan-exclusive flavor, filled primarily with Sanxing scallions and pork, the skin pan-fried until slightly crispy, priced at around NT$20 each. "Sixteenth Lane Gourd Chicken Noodles" is an old local Yilan establishment, with chicken soup that's sweet and clear, and noodles that are chewy, priced at around NT$80 per bowl.
Practical Information
How to Get There
To reach Luodong Night Market from Taipei, you can take a Taiwan Railways local train or express train (approximately 80-100 minutes), then walk about 5 minutes from Luodong Station's back exit. If driving from Taipei via National Highway No. 5, exit at Luodong Interchange after about 15 minutes—there are paid parking lots nearby. For Jiaoxi Night Market, take the Taiwan Railways to Jiaoxi Station and walk about 10 minutes. For Su'ao Cold Spring Night Market, take a local train to Su'ao Station.
Operating Hours
Luodong Night Market is open year-round with no holidays; stalls begin setting up around 4 PM and it gets busiest around 10 PM. Jiaoxi Night Market operates mainly from evening until late night. Su'ao Cold Spring Night Market is open from approximately 5 PM to 10 PM. Toucheng Night Market is only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 3 PM to 9 PM. Yilan Dongmen Night Market operates from approximately 5 PM to midnight.
Price Range
Night market spending in Yilan is about 20-30% lower than in Taipei. A main dish costs approximately NT$60-150, snacks cost about NT$20-50, and seafood is priced by market rate but usually NT$150-400 is enough to eat your fill.
Travel Tips
Avoid the Saturday evening crowd at Luodong Night Market—this is the time when Yilan locals love to shop, and waiting in long lines at stalls is the norm. To experience the local way of browsing, you can visit the Luodong Forestry Cultural Park in the late afternoon on a weekday, then head to the night market around 5 PM—when stalls have just been set up but the crowd hasn't yet arrived.
Another tip is to "go against the flow": most tourists concentrate on Zhongshan Road's main thoroughfare, but actually, the alleys around Gongyuan Road and Minsheng Road hide more old shops with even better prices.
If time allows, it's recommended to plan a two-day, one-night trip: arrive in Luodong in the afternoon, visit the Forestry Cultural Park first, then eat at the night market. The next morning, head to Jiaoxi for hot spring soaking, have lunch with hot spring vegetable hot pot, then browse Jiaoxi Night Market in the afternoon. This itinerary fully experiences the complementary nature of Yilan night markets and other attractions—night markets are not just night markets, but also a window to understanding Yilan's agricultural and marine culture.
