Budai Seafood Market

When updating my guidebook, I had to drop a few locations to make space for new attractions such as the Buddha Memorial Centre, and also so I could expand my coverage of, among other places, the East Rift Valley. One place I cut out is Budai Seafood Market (布袋漁市) in Chiayi County, pictured here.

It's still worth going to if you enjoy eating super-fresh seafood, as within the market there are around 40 restaurants, none of which are very expensive. Late morning to early afternoon is the best time to go; don't expect English to be spoken or English-language menus, but this isn't a problem as most eateries have picture menus and/or tanks from which you can select the creature(s) you want to enjoy.

Photographers take note: Even if you don't much like seafood, you may find the market worth visiting for visual reasons. The market is very easy to find, being on Zhongshan Road, the main road through the town to its port. Buses from Chiayi City and Xinying in Tainan stop within 20m.