Daxi Old Street 大溪老街

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Daxi Old Street is one of the largest and busiest old streets in Taiwan, known for its dried tofu delicacies, and old Taiwan feel. Here one can enjoy delicious food, beautiful scenery, and buy nostalgic Taiwan related souvenirs. This may be the biggest and best old street in Taiwan, so you should definitely stop by here on your next trip to northern Taiwan. 

Background:
The area around Daxi Old Street was originally inhabited by Ayatal Ingenious people. It's original name was Daguxian, which means great water. In about 1818, Han Chinese settlers came to cultivate the area, and used the Dahan River as a means of transporting goods. The Dahan River did not have a problem with silting, which means it remained a major water transportation hub long after other river ports in northern Taiwan. 
During the Japanese Era, the streets were planned out along the old street, with most commercial activity happening on Heping Road 和平路, Zhongshan Road 中山路, Xinnan Street 新南路, and surrounding alleys. During this time, the old street was a major transportation hub for camphor, dried tofu, rice, and tea. 
Currently the old street is one of the largest and best preserved in Taiwan, and is a popular weekend destination due to its proximity to greater Taipei. 

Delicacies:
Local delicacies at Daxi Old Street include peanut brittle and dried tofu. Wood carving shops are also well known here, 
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Hours:
Every Day from about 9 AM to 6 PM, with more shops opening later in the day.

Price:
Free

When to go:
If you go during weekends or holidays, it can get really crowded but that is also the time when most all of the shops and stalls are open. If you want to avoid the crowds you can try going early in the morning when it is not as busy, 

How to get there:
By Scooter: Take local highway 116 east to Daxi from Taoyuan by scooter, or National Freeway 3 by car. Then taken provincial highway 3 to the old street. You can park across the river and walk to the old street via the suspension bridge, or try to find limited parking near the old street on the other side of the river. 
By Bus: From Taoyuan TRA station, you can take bus 5096 to the old street. 
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Map:
​Please see below:​

Our Journey:

I have been to Daxi Old Street twice, and I think it may be the best old street in Taiwan. It has very well preserved Japanese Era buildings and the area is huge. Also there are tons of shops and things to eat here, and you could spend the entire day wandering the streets here. It is definitely an old street made for tourists. 

Check out our drone video above for an overview of the area.

Or check out the 360 degree spherical panorama above

Right at the front of Heping Road, the main road that makes up Daxi Old Street, there is an overpass bridge that I think is perhaps one of the most beautiful pedestrian overpass bridges in Taiwan.
Even though there is more parking on the other side of the river near the Daxi Suspension Bridge, I still parked in town both times lucking out on finding a parking spot. 

You can see more photos of the bridge above. 

Heping Road is one of the most beatiful streets in Taiwan. Basically every building is in its poriginal state or has been renovated to look as it did in the past. More photos can be seen above. 

Just off of Heping Road is a small alley called Zhongyang Road. Here it can get super crowded and there are a ton of vendors. 

Red Bean Cakes 紅豆餅 sold on the side of the road, one of the most popular stands here. We had to wait in line for a few mintues. 

Elementary school in the middle of the old street. 

Further out on Zhongzheng Road there are less people but still tons of historcial buildings. 

Above you can see more historical buildings along Zhongzheng Road and Zhongshan Road, also known as Xinnan Old Street.

There are also tons of dried tofu shops around, which is the main delicacy here. 

People lining up at Laoabo Dried Tofu 老啊伯豆乾, perhaps the most popular shop on the old street. 

Dried tofu selections here. 

The dried tofu here was delicious, and tasted just like sausage. 

There are also a lot of ice places around. This one had along line running out of it.

So we went to the one across the street which has not one in it, for the same thing. 

A delicious bowl of jellied tofu or Douhua 豆花. 

Also on Zhongzheng Road there are a few traditional Japnese wodden houses, some have been restored and some are sitting in ruin. 

Above are some views of the river side park, 

Also from the riverside park you can get some great views of Daxi Suspension Bridge, and the sunset. 

From the suspension bridge, you can turn left on to Puji Road, which may have the most food stalls of any street in the old street district. 

Amazing fried stinky tofu 臭豆腐.

Soft serve 雪淇淋.

Furen Temple 福仁宮 is the main temple on the old street. It was built in1813 and is dedicated to the Tan Gaon-kong general. 

Pie shop. 

  View of a napoleon pie  拿破侖派 sold here. 

Gluttonous rice pudding (wanguo 腕果, eaten with braised pork).

Above you can see the many old residences and shops on Heping Road. 

Above, more shops on heping road. 

View of the busiest part of Heping Road. 

Soft peanut candy 花生軟糖 in the making. 

Above is a video of the peanut candy making process, which captivated everyone on the old street. 

Above you can see more shops on Heping Road at dusk.

Above are last views of the old street as we were leaving. 

​Thanks for reading and be sure to check out more of out blogs on Taiwan's old streets to come. 

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