Sanxia Old Street is one of the best-preserved Old Streets in Taiwan, with two rows of buildings that have recently been renovated in their original Japanese-era baroque-style architecture. Here you can also enjoy local delicacies Ox Horn Bread and other Taiwanese staples such as sausages, ice cream, stinky tofu, and more.
Background: The name Sanxia (三峽, literally meaning "three valleys") comes because the area is surrounded on three sides by mountains. In the mid-1700s, the first Chinese families began to settle in what is now Sanxia. In 1769 Zushi Temple (祖師廟) was established, which is the main temple on the old street. In 1785, the Earth God Temple / Sanxia Fu An Temple (土地公 /三峽福安宮) was established. During the Qing Dynasty, the town of Shenkeng was an important trading area for camphor, tea, and cloth, Transportation was made easy thanks to the Sanxia River. During the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1895, local residents retaliated against the Japanese army, inflicting heavy casualties. In return, the Japanese burned Sanxia Old Street. Under Japanese rule, the area underwent improvements, and houses were built in baroque-style architecture. With the establishment of the round island railway, Sanxia Old Street lost its importance as a trade and transportation hub. In 2004, the Taipei County Government allocated 3 Billion NTD to repair and restore the baroque-style architecture on Sanxia Old Street, and the renovations were completed in 2007. In 2009, further renovations were conducted to make the old street as it appears today. At 260 meters long, it is said to be Taiwan's longest preserved old street (I am not sure if this is true). Now the area is a popular tourist attraction and is very busy on weekends and holidays. Delicacies: Ox Horn Bread and other Taiwanese staples such as sausages, ice cream, stinky tofu, and more. Hours: Every Day from about 10 AM to 7:30 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 afternoon when it is not as busy, Tours: You can book a day tour to Sanxia on TripAdvisor here or KKday here. You can also book a river tracing experience in Sanxia on Klook here. There are also free tours in Chinese offered by the local municipal office on Saturdays and Sundays. Hotels in Taipei: We have stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here, Agoda here, or Kayak here). We have stayed at and also recommend Fu Chang Hotel in Ximending, which is within walking distance of Ximending shopping district (book on Booking.com here, Agoda here, or Kayak here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. How to get there: By Scooter: From central Taipei. provincial highway 3 southwest from Tucheng to Sanxia. The old street is right in the middle of town. You can park for free on the side of the road nearby. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. By Car: You can take National Highway 3 and get off at the Sanxia exit. There is paid parking under the Sanxia Public Market. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bus: There are a number of buses that pass by the old street coming from Taipei, such as bus 910. You can also book tickets to travel to Sanxia via inter-city bus on Klook here. You can also book a Taipei Sightseeing: Hop On, Hop Off Open Top Bus on TripAdvisor here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. Map: Please see below: Our Journey: I have been to Sanxia Old Street three times. It is a little far from where I live in East Taipei, but it is worth the trip because it is one of the best old streets in Taiwan. You can book a day tour to Sanxia on TripAdvisor here or KKday here. You can also book a river tracing experience in Sanxia on Klook here.
For an overview of the area, check out our 360 degree panorama above from Yuanshan which sits above the old street. For our full blog on Yuanshan, click here.
Above is a photo from the first time we visited the old street in 2017. It hasn't changed much in the past 100 years or so.
Just outside of the old street, the area is also very vibrant and busy. If you come by car, there is usually parking under the Sanxia Public Market.
Shoe store in front of the old street.
Octopus balls. Right away you will notice there are food stalls everywhere. The lines between night market and old street seem to blur here.
Onion pancakes.
One of many "Ox horn bread" stores on the old street, which is the main delicacy here.
Another ox horn bread store.
Fruit stand.
Clothing store.
Earth God Temple / Sanxia Fu An Temple (土地公 /三峽福安宮) 
The Earth God Temple / Sanxia Fu An Temple (土地公 /三峽福安宮) was established in 1785. It is an important temple especially for local farmers who want a good crop, but also local business owners in general.
As you can see the Earth God Temple has undergone some renovations since the 1700's.
Some stone artwork across from the Earth God Temple.
This is the main square on Sanxia Old Street.
Stinky Tofu and other treats along the old street.
Traditional Taiwanese snacks and dried foods along the old street.
Another Ox Bread Store. This time we stopped to try some.
The ox bread menu. They come in many different flavors.
Original butter flavor.
Pineapple bread flavor.
Tea shop.
Zushi (Changfu) Temple (祖師廟/長福巖) 
In 1769 Zushi Temple (祖師廟), aka Chanfu Temple, was established, the first temple to be established on the old street. It is not the religious center of the area.
It was created by immigrants from Anxi County, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China. It has undergone three renovations, the latest of which painstakingly used the same methods used in historical times, to make it one of the most pristine and well-preserved historical temples in Taiwan. Much of the temple was completed renowned by local artist Li Meishu. 
The main deity worshipped at this temple is Master Qingshui, aka Zushigong, which is why the temple is locally known as Zushi Temple. Master Qingshui was a Chan Buddhist Monk born in 1047 A.D. during the Northern Song Dynasty. He is thought to have supernatural powers, and to have saved the town of Anxi, Quanzhou, Fujian Province from drought. He is an especially popular deity among Hokkien speaking peoples.
View of the main part of the old street. At the very front of the old street to the right, you can see a baroque-style police station.
Some people taking a selfie.
View of the main old street.
Golden Ox Horn Ice Cream.
An old well.
Another old water pump which I guess works?
View of the police station in front of the old street.
View up the alley leading west.
This street also has brick archways running along its entire length.
Another temple activity area.
Dragon murals.
More murals.
Dragon statue.
The buildings on this old street take elements from Chinese, Japanese, and European style architecture.
More snack shops along the old street.
Traditional Taiwanese toy and candy shop.
There is also a Giant store on the old street.
Another building with intricate façade.
Another view of the buildings here.
Statue shop.
View looking up the old street.
A narrow alley leading to the river.
A man rides his bicycle down the old street.
Another view down the bricked archways.
Trinket shop.
This street is quite photogenic.
Another view from the brick archways.
Another view down the old street.
More views of the old street.
We decided to eat dinner at Yiwei Wu, which has traditional Taiwanese noodles and rice.
View of the menu.
Braised pork rice, a Taiwanese staple (滷肉飯).
Chopped water spinach (空心菜).
Wanton Soup (餛飩湯).
Fried Noodles (炒麵)
Sweet and Sour Soup (酸辣湯)
For some reason, the photo above of a paperclip on the table went viral.
Later at night, you will see more scooter traffic on the road.
Another view down the old street.
View from the restaurant.
View at the end of the old street.
Helicopter mural.
Wide view from the end of the old street.
If you keep going up this road, you can make it to the Yuanshan Mountain hike. For our full blog on Yuanshan, click here.
Sanxia Presbyterian Church 台灣基督長老教會三峽教會 
Just at the end of the old street, you can also find Sanxia Presbyterian Church, which was founded in 1876 by George Mackay, the best well known missionary and one of the most influential Westerners to live in Taiwan.
Image of George Mackay in front of the church.
The Sanxia River behind the old street, which was once the main means of transporting goods here, and why this area was once so prosperous.
Another view of the old street before the garbage truck came.
Last view of the old street.
Yuanshan in Sanxia District is a popular hike in greater Taipei. It features a short easy hike has some amazing views of southern Taipei. It can also get very crowded on weekends despite the lack of public transportation. If you are looking for amazing views that are easy to get to, this is the place. For our full blog on Yuanshan, click here.
Wuliao Jian 五寮尖 
Wuliaojian in Sanxia District is one of the most popular hikes in greater Taipei. It features rope climbs, rock scrambling, and rock climbing, and has some amazing views of southern Taipei. Wuliaojian is everything but wuliao.
Full Moon - Manyueyuan - Waterfall 滿月圓瀑布 
Full Moon Waterfall (Manyue Waterfall) lies in Sanxia's Manyueyuan National Forest Recreation Area in New Taipei. It's a beautiful waterfall and an easy family hike...(read more)
Price: 80 NT You can book a ticket to Manyueyuan National Forest Recreation Area on KKday here. Check out our full blog to Full Moon Waterfall here. Yingge Old Street 鶯歌老街 
Also just across the valley you can visit Yingge Cermaics Old Street, which is Taiwan's ceramics and pottery capital. Stay tuned for our full blog on this old street soon.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to like, follow and share so that you can see more of our adventures in Taiwan. You can book a day tour to Sanxia on TripAdvisor here or KKday here. You can also book a river tracing experience in Sanxia on Klook here. You can also look for more activities in Taipei such as Rock Climbing, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, Diving, Snorkeling, Cooking Class, Glamping, Motorcycling, and more on Klook here or KKday here. Check out our guide to Taipei’s Old Streets here. Check out our Taipei hiking and trails guide here. Also be sure to check out our guide to Taipei here. You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.
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Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
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