Lukang
Lukang
4.5
About
Openspace13 is two buildings with 3 rooms and 3 sets of restroom, especially for backpacker to live in. the location is in the central of Lukang town, convenient for sightseeing by walking 10 mins, and easy to find the free parking lot along the sporting place nearby. you can find us after step off the final stop of bus from Taichung / Changhua. We wish to offer you the comfortable dorm at Lukang.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
144 reviews
Excellent
63
Very good
66
Average
10
Poor
4
Terrible
1
T-SGlobetrotters
Preston, UK4,236 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
In our 22 day trip, Lukang was the place that impressed us the most. It is small enough to walk around and the town has kept its authentic centre free from modern development. The best place to soak in history from its temples and shops many of which have remained unchanged for years. There are a good range of dining options and the town deserves to be on everyone's itinerary of Taiwan.
Written November 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,699 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
"Lukang" means "Deer Port." For many years, one of Taiwan's major exports were deer parts, which were exported through Lukang, hence the name. Lukang is an important and prosperous city. There are many temples, which often hold interesting festivals. These days, there are many things to see; it's worth exploring the back streets. By the way, the traditional Taiwanese cuisine, which is hailed as a culinary delight, is relished by visitors.
Written July 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lardylove
Taichung, Taiwan574 contributions
May 2012 • Friends
Why are there not more foreign tourists in Lukang??! I saw approximately 5 during a whole day here (fair to say there were much, much more on my next visit during the lantern festival in Feb). This place was a former major trading town for the Taiwanese and yet walking around it you wouldn't know that this was one of the most bustling towns in the island 100 years ago. Whilst Tainan has boomed into a modern city over around a million people, Lukang remains a fairly small nondescript town. Don't get me wrong, its not some sort of unknown living museum, many of the old buildings have gone, but the Taiwanese have learned that preservation increases income and many of the old buildings, narrow alleys and authentic feel have remained in Lukang while disappearing everywhere else.
To get here is fairly easy from Taichung or Changhua. From Taichung there is buses available directly opposite the main train station and buses. Changhua has regular buses to Lukang from the main bus terminal (also close to the train station). There is a tourist office at Taichung station that can sort out english brochures, maps and guidebooks for Lukang.
You could quite easily spend the entire day in Lukang, all the sights are easily reached by foot (there is a hop-on tourist bus that goes around). The beauty of place for me isn't the famous temples like Longshan and Matsu but the narrow alleys of Moju Lane and Nine Turns Lane, they really gave me the feel of distant days. Longshan is reputed to be one of the oldest temples in Taiwan and is well worth the visit (a local actually told me there is an older one thats close to Longshan that i went to check out but was in a state of disrepair)
As with most Taiwanese towns and cities, Lukang has its specialist food. Cow's tongue Cake (niu she bing) is worth a try, fengyan gao-which i think means dragons eye cookie-is also a snack that is best served in Lukang. I also had the finest You yu-calamari-when i was in Lukang (one of the market stalls directly outside the Matsu Temple)
If you are a tourist then i would most definitely suggest that you visit Lukang in the weekdays, at the weekends it seems that almost the whole of Taichung has come here and even more so during important holidays.
A lot of handicrafts and arts are available in Lukang as well, but be prepared to know what you are looking and some of it is very high-end.
For me, Lukang is one of the highlights of Western Taiwan. If you are on a 2 week itinerary that i would definitely try to fit a day in here inbetween Alishan and Sun Moon lake or whatever, its well worth it for the food, the sights, the history, the opportunities for great photos.
To get here is fairly easy from Taichung or Changhua. From Taichung there is buses available directly opposite the main train station and buses. Changhua has regular buses to Lukang from the main bus terminal (also close to the train station). There is a tourist office at Taichung station that can sort out english brochures, maps and guidebooks for Lukang.
You could quite easily spend the entire day in Lukang, all the sights are easily reached by foot (there is a hop-on tourist bus that goes around). The beauty of place for me isn't the famous temples like Longshan and Matsu but the narrow alleys of Moju Lane and Nine Turns Lane, they really gave me the feel of distant days. Longshan is reputed to be one of the oldest temples in Taiwan and is well worth the visit (a local actually told me there is an older one thats close to Longshan that i went to check out but was in a state of disrepair)
As with most Taiwanese towns and cities, Lukang has its specialist food. Cow's tongue Cake (niu she bing) is worth a try, fengyan gao-which i think means dragons eye cookie-is also a snack that is best served in Lukang. I also had the finest You yu-calamari-when i was in Lukang (one of the market stalls directly outside the Matsu Temple)
If you are a tourist then i would most definitely suggest that you visit Lukang in the weekdays, at the weekends it seems that almost the whole of Taichung has come here and even more so during important holidays.
A lot of handicrafts and arts are available in Lukang as well, but be prepared to know what you are looking and some of it is very high-end.
For me, Lukang is one of the highlights of Western Taiwan. If you are on a 2 week itinerary that i would definitely try to fit a day in here inbetween Alishan and Sun Moon lake or whatever, its well worth it for the food, the sights, the history, the opportunities for great photos.
Written July 9, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KimInDenver
Denver, Colorado36 contributions
Aug 2014 • Couples
This is one of the best historical Chinese towns we visited in Taiwan. I suspect not a lot of visitors get here because it's not right on the high speed rail line, but if you would like to step back in time and see a well preserved old Chinese town, give yourself at least a full day in Lukang and consider staying overnight. Just exploring all the food options requires more than a day!
Written September 11, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Damien Williams
Melbourne, Australia188 contributions
Oct 2013 • Solo
If you are in Taipei then sure, go check this place out. if you are thinking this is the site which tips your mind in favour of going to Taipei over somewhere else in SE Asia (like Vietnam for example) then think again.
Don't expect much. It is what it is........
Don't expect much. It is what it is........
Written August 26, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FritzKubrick
Norrkoping, Sweden343 contributions
Oct 2016 • Solo
I was totally underwhelmed and disappointed by this town. Dirty, broken, congested and nothing to see except for a few temples which you can find in any town. Do not go here unless you want frustration and boredom.
Written October 9, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dion romano
Jakarta, Indonesia23 contributions
Apr 2015 • Friends
City of Lukang was one of big city in Taiwan, it was second biggest after Tainan back in nearly 17's
The golden era still you can enjoy with houses and old temple of Lukang.
Budhism and Taoism is main religion in the neighborhood.
The golden era still you can enjoy with houses and old temple of Lukang.
Budhism and Taoism is main religion in the neighborhood.
Written April 26, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
libica
Pretoria, South Africa391 contributions
Mar 2014 • Solo
I was really looking forward to visit the old streets of Lukang but it was all rather disappointing. Caveat I did go during the week and I don't recommend that, only a few of the shops were open, the streets were empty and it was all rather desolate. Also when I read about Lukang, I pictured it as being this old quaint village out the countryside, this is not correct Changhua has expanded to such an extent, that the two towns are basically joined now and everywhere is built up, with high rises and lots of shops - this is not a criticism, merely people should be aware of this and not have the same dreamy notions I had. To get there from Taichung, take the train to Changhua and then get a local bus to Lukang
Written April 23, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RCL_TPE
Taipei, Taiwan391 contributions
Feb 2012 • Solo
This was my first trip to Lukong, as the 2012 Taiwan Lantern Festival was held in this old town. It takes about an hour to get from Taiwan High Speed Rail’s Taichung Station to the town via bus.
As you can imagine, the streets are packed with the sudden influx of tourists.
The Matsu Temple in Lukong is one of the oldest Matsu Temple in Taiwan, dating back well into the mid 1700s. The wooden beams and statue show the signs of age, being tainted a deep brown/black color from centuries of incense fumes. The same is true for the statues of deities you will find in this area.
Unlike the main building, the chambers in the back were much newer. There’s a fountain in the backyard court with a dragon statue. You can also climb the stairs to the second floor of the building in the back to enjoy a better view of the surroundings.
There are also many temples in the area with a long history, including the Longshan Temple, City God Temple, and the Wenwu Temple. The town is small enough that you can simply walk around and visit these temples on foot if you really want. The good thing about walking is you can also take time to drop by some of the more interesting shops you find along the way.
For those who enjoy good food, there are quite a lot of food places and restaurants with walking distance. One of the snacks I recommend is the freshly steamed meat buns – they are quite delicious.
As you can imagine, the streets are packed with the sudden influx of tourists.
The Matsu Temple in Lukong is one of the oldest Matsu Temple in Taiwan, dating back well into the mid 1700s. The wooden beams and statue show the signs of age, being tainted a deep brown/black color from centuries of incense fumes. The same is true for the statues of deities you will find in this area.
Unlike the main building, the chambers in the back were much newer. There’s a fountain in the backyard court with a dragon statue. You can also climb the stairs to the second floor of the building in the back to enjoy a better view of the surroundings.
There are also many temples in the area with a long history, including the Longshan Temple, City God Temple, and the Wenwu Temple. The town is small enough that you can simply walk around and visit these temples on foot if you really want. The good thing about walking is you can also take time to drop by some of the more interesting shops you find along the way.
For those who enjoy good food, there are quite a lot of food places and restaurants with walking distance. One of the snacks I recommend is the freshly steamed meat buns – they are quite delicious.
Written September 30, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sunny Traveller
Taipei, Taiwan89 contributions
Feb 2012 • Solo
If you plan a trip to Taiwan then Lukang is definitely a great town to add to your itinerary. This year the historic trading town was also host to the annual Taiwan Lantern Festival which usually kicks off 15 days following the Lunar New Year. It's estimated that well over 5 million people visited the festival which among other attractions features multitudes of lantern displays - colorful in the day and brightly lit at night. This also being the Year of the Dragon, I got to see an amazing variety of dragon-themed lanterns from small handheld ones to the behemoth 20 meter tall spirited Dragon! This tiny town is already well known for its quaint alleys, popular temples, bustling bazaars and great street food but the addition of this 10-day festival turned it into a virtual Disneyland of Lanterns! The easiest way to get here is to take the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Taipei or Kaoshiung and then shuttles from Taichung station. The nearby city of Changhua is also on the Taiwan Rail network and has buses running all day to Lukang.
Written February 21, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm planning to go to Kaoshiung sometime in March and wonder if Lugang is very far away. Ive heard about this place but have never been there.
Written January 3, 2019
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