Yangmei Old Street 楊梅老街

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Yangmei is a relatively developed and affluent town within Taoyuan. Hidden in the town is the not well known Yangmei Old Street, with a few historical buildings scattered here and there. If you didn't know it, you might mistake it for just an ordinary Taiwan street. 

Historical Background:
Since prehistoric times, the area around Yangmei was home to indigenous Taiwanese plains aborigines. There was no large-scale Dutch or Chinese settlement in the area during the Dutch rule of Taiwan.
During the Qing Dynasty, Chinese settlers began to settle the area and begin farming. 
The township of Yangmei is named after the Chinese Bayberry. During the Qing Dynasty, Han Chinese immigrants found wild Bayberry (Yangmei 楊梅) trees covering the mountains and thus so named the area.
During the Japanese era of Taiwan, Yangmei became a transportation hub in northern Taiwan, with convenient railway and highway transportation. 
Yangmei District was originally an agricultural town. However, with the completion of the National Freeway 1 in 1978 and the establishment of two interchanges, rapid industrial development occurred in the 1980s. There are now multiple industrial zones within Yangmei.
The population of Yangmei is about 180,000 and is increasing every year. 

Price:
Free

Hours:
24/7

Where to stay:
Looking for a hotel in Taoyuan? We recommend the Novotel Taipei Taoyuan International Airport which has great service and is conveniently located right next to Taoyuan Airport, the MRT, and HSR station (you can book on Agoda here or Booking.com here).  
We also recommend the Fullon Hotel Taoyuan which also has great service and is located in downtown Taoyuan City (you can book on Agoda here or Booking.com 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.

Activities in Taoyuan:
Ice Skating, Rock Climbing, Mountain Climbing, Cycling, High Ropes, Ziplining, Archery, Vietnamese BBQ, Batting Cages, Glamping, Van Camping, Photo Shoot, Turkish Mosaic DIY, Thai Massage, Painting, Baking, Go Karting, Imax Theater, Japanese Style Buffet, Tourist Factory Experience, peach and fruit picking, Ring-making DIY, handmade popsicle DIY, and more on on Tripadvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here. 

How to get there:
By Car: From Taoyuan, take National Freeway 1 southwest to the Yangmei Exit. The old street starts is right in the middle of town on Dahua Street and Dacheng Street. There is free parking on the side of the road. 
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search  Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. 
By Scooter: From Taoyuan, take Provincial Highway 1 southwest to Yangmei and turn right on Dahua Street and Dacheng Street. The old street starts is right in the middle of town. There is free parking on the side of the road. 
Looking for scooter rental in Taoyuan? Search Klook here or KKday here to look for options.
By TRA: You can take the local train to Yangmei TRA Station. You can book tickets to travel to Taoyuan via inter-city bus on Klook here. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA)  on Klook 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 cycling tour on TripAdvisor here. 
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 
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Map:
See below:

Our Journey:

We have been to Yangmei Old Street once. It is clear to see that Yangmei is a vibrant and bustling town. However, it does not have much of an old street. It is not really worth visiting just for its old street.

I thought about not even publishing this blog because Yangmei Old Street was such a let down. Basically what I have been doing lately is visiting every old street I can find listed in Wikipedia. However, many of these old streets are just duds. 

The main old street area lies on Dahua Street near the morning vegetable market. There are a number of older buildings here. In the past the train station was closer to the old street, but was later moved north. 

Steamed bun shop.

More old buildings along Dahua Street.

Closeup on Dahua Street.

Another view down Dahua Street.

The main street, Dacheng Street in Yangmei. 

More views of the main street.

Most of the buildings here look new or have been remodeled. 

One old brick building.

Fugang Old Street 富岡老街

If you have time you should also check out the nearby Fugang Old Street pictured above, which has many more historical buildings, or the check out the Yangmei Story Area ​楊梅故事園區.
​Fugang Old Street in Yangmei District of Taoyuan was once a vibrant market in front of the newly built Fugang Train Station. Here you can enjoy well preserved historical residences and shops in the area, that have remained virtually unchanged for 100 years. It is definitely worth checking out if you are interested in the history of the area...(read more)

​There are many other activities available in Taoyuan such as Ice Skating, Rock Climbing, Mountain Climbing, High Ropes, Ziplining, Archery, Batting Cages, Glamping, Go Karting, peach and fruit picking, and more on Klook here, or KKday here. 

Check out our full guide to Taoyuan here.

You can also check out our full guide to Taiwan here. ​

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