Chaozhou Cold-Hot Ice Old Street | Pingtung Attraction

Chaozhou's "cold-hot ice" is a distinctive Taiwanese culinary heritage — the practice of serving hot sweet soup and shaved ice together in the same bowl dates from the Japanese colonial era and endures as an everyday memory for locals. The streets around the old street preserve several Japanese-era shophouses, providing an appropriate historical backdrop for this unusual dessert.

What to see at Chaozhou Cold-Hot Ice Old Street

Chaozhou Township is located in the southern part of Pingtung Plain and was an important commercial hub in the Qing era. Road improvements during the Japanese colonial period established the current old-street layout. The area around Guangchun Road retains arcade-fronted shophouse facades; the red brick and washed-stone exterior walls have a strong Showa-era character. Cold-hot ice vendors are concentrated in this zone, and some of the older shops have been open for more than half a century.

The cold-hot ice method is straightforward: hot sweet soup — peanut soup, red bean soup, and similar bases — is ladled into the bowl first, then topped with finely shaved ice. The combination of hot and cold creates a layered texture. Toppings and sweetness levels vary between shops, and comparing a few is worthwhile. Beyond cold-hot ice, the old street also has local snacks such as meatball pudding (rouwan) and glutinous rice cake (migao).

How to make the most of your visit

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Order a bowl of cold-hot iceTaste the hot soup first, then stir in the ice to experience the unique interplay of temperatures. Peanut or red bean as the base are the classic choices.

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Observe the Japanese-era shophousesThe arcade facades along Guangchun Road vary in their state of preservation; look closely at column-head decorations and the cast-iron window grilles on the upper floors.

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Browse the traditional marketChaozhou market carries local Pingtung produce and Hakka ingredients — a good place to experience a non-tourist daily market atmosphere.

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Visit in the eveningPingtung's strong daytime sun makes evenings far more comfortable, and the old-street vendors are at their liveliest then too.

Practical information

Getting there and time needed

Chaozhou Taiwan Railways station is about a 10-minute walk from the old street; trains are frequent, making Chaozhou one of the main stops heading south from Pingtung.
By car, enter Chaozhou Township from Provincial Highway 1; street parking is available around Guangchun Road.
Cold-hot ice vendors typically open in the afternoon; some shops are closed on Mondays. Confirm hours in advance.

Nearby connections

Chaozhou is about 15 minutes from the Liudui Hakka Cultural Park (Neipu Township); a cultural theme half-day can be arranged.
About 20 minutes south is Linbian Township, where you can combine wax apple shopping or birdwatching at the estuary wetland.

Source: Pingtung County Government tourism information, context-provided facts. Photos pending replacement with Dio's own shots.

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