Bustling food markets, riverside parks, baseball and a glimpse into Taiwanese college life await in this district of Taoyuan County.

Include a visit to Jungli (aka Zhongli District) when visiting the towns and cities of Taiwan’s northwestern Taoyuan County. Spend your days feasting on typical Taiwanese street food, exploring university campuses, wandering night markets and shopping at outlet stores. Just a short train ride from Taipei and Taoyuan District, Jungli is a great destination for both daytrips and overnight stays.

Set between two rivers, downtown Jungli is a lively network of streets lined with pubs, restaurants, massage parlors and office blocks. Sample local delicacies, such as stinky tofu, browse clothing stalls and play amusement games at Jungli Night Market. Travelling exhibitions, talks and concerts take place at Zhongli Arts Hall. Stroll along the river to relax at Laojiexihe’an Park and Xinshi Park and go roller blading at Guangming Park.

Shoppers will enjoy browsing over 250 stores for discounted items at Gloria Outlets, the recreation of an American-style outdoor mall. Find major brands, including H&M and Zara, at Metro Walk Shopping Centre. Take a seat among 20,000 spectators for professional baseball matches at Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium. Witness the daily activities of a monk at the pretty and elaborately decorated Yuan Kuang Ch’an Monastery.

Several major universities have campuses located in Jungli. Chung Yuan University sits in an area that springs to life in the evenings, when students frequent varied bars, cafés, cinemas and international restaurants. Nearby is Chung Yuan Night Market, home to dozens of street food vendors. Walk the leafy hilltop campus of the National Central University.

Reach Jungli by flying to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and then take the train from there. Trains connect to central Taipei in under an hour. Get around the compact downtown neighbourhood on foot and register to use the YouBike bike sharing system to cover short distances.