By Roseline Gao. Cover image via wangsir’s blog.
KAOHSIUNG — Antiques, vintage clothing, old cameras and secondhand tools fill four weekend flea markets across the city, each with its own specialty.
Neiwei Flea Market (內惟跳蚤市場) in Gushan District (鼓山區) has more than 100 stalls offering goods ranging from CDs and cassettes to coins, cameras and ceramics. It runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Among its specialty sellers is History Survivors (歷史生存者古董店), which specializes in European and American antiques, including 20th-century U.S. industrial objects. The stall also has a workshop where some pieces are restored. Another stall, listed as Sound Reproduction (光音到留), offers vintage radios, gramophones, and collectibles featuring characters such as Ultraman and Godzilla. Movie billboard painter Tseng Ching-Tien (曾清田) also sells antiques at the market. His hand-painted works are displayed at the stall. He has painted movie billboards for about 65 years.
Guomao Community Flea Market (果貿社區跳蚤二手市集) is in Zuoying District (左營區). It runs on Sundays from 7 a.m. to noon in the central park between Buildings 8 and 9 of Guomao Community. The site was formerly Guomao Third Village, a naval military dependents’ village. The current housing complex was completed in 1985 for former military dependents and low-income households.
Most sellers are local residents. They offer secondhand goods such as film cameras, rotary phones, tea sets, and paintings. Military-related items such as naval caps and Swiss Army knives are also among the finds. Beyond the flea market, the surrounding community also has a traditional market and small eateries.
Vintage clothing is a main draw at Kaisyuan Flea Market (凱旋跳蚤市場) in Cianjhen District (前鎮區). Some stalls sell Taiwan-made shirts, dresses, and accessories. Others carry records, household goods, or secondhand appliances. Food stalls are also inside the market. The market opens on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Daliao 88 Flea Market (大寮88跳蚤市場) in Daliao District (大寮區) is more focused on hardware, tools, and used appliances such as televisions and refrigerators. The market was formerly the Shiquan Flea Market (十全跳蚤市場) before relocating to Daliao. Food stalls are also part of the market, which runs on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For visitors taking public transportation, Neiwei Flea Market is about a 12-minute walk from the light rail’s Neiwei Arts Center Station (內惟藝術中心站). Kaisyuan Flea Market is about a two-minute walk from Kaisyuan Rueitian Station (凱旋瑞田站). Guomao Community Flea Market is about an 11-minute walk from TRA Neiwei Station (內惟車站).
Daliao 88 Flea Market is also accessible by bus from nearby MRT stations. From Daliao Station (大寮站), bus Orange 20B takes about 11 minutes. From Fongshan Junior High School Station (鳳山國中站), bus Orange 11A takes about 13 minutes.
