Recommended Day Trip from Taipei – Locals Share Ideas

Wanli crab has been popular for the past few years. Each August, people are looking forward to it. The stories behind each crab is never simple. The Wanli crab the name for three species, the flower crab, the three-spot crab, and the Charybdis natator, which are all wild sea-crab that cannot be raised. Because of the geographic advantage and history, there are most fishing boat in Taiwan there. The boats spread till the northwest of the sea. They have to stay for 3 or 5 days, dropping the crabbing cage. They have to wait slowly to catch the crab.

There is story for catching crabs, besides special crabbing cage dropping and collecting skills. The Crabbing cage is very important too, it has to allow the crab to go inside but can’t go outside. It is told at first the Fishermen at Wanli doesn’t know how to make the cage. They happened to catch the Korean workers across the border, and forced them to tell the secret of the round crabbing cage. And then released them. At first, the amount of crab caught is not stable. If the supply is large, the price is low. If the supply is small, even if the price is high, they cannot make a lot of money. Lucky, recent years, Wanli has made its own brand to sell at high price. And it is relatively easier to sell at the sea. So the lives of the fishermen are getting better.

When you travel in Wanli, you have to wait for the boat of the crab. Once the time arrive, the port will be filled with the returned captain, and workers. Two or three tables will be setup near the boat. Bags of crabs will pour on the table. The flower crabs will be sold first for the high price, then the three-spot crab, finally is the Charybdis natator. All the crabs are wrapped with the green strings, but they are still struggling. The collectors are very careful, counting one by one. Throwing out the dead crab on the floor. The price of the alive crabs is measured by size. Then pack them in the plastic box, 20 kg for one box. Once it is enough, you start to fill another box. Once the crabs are weighted, they are all put into the containers that filled with sea water in the truck. You have to keep the crabs alive, otherwise they will become stinky.

The crabs at the port don’t sell individually. The tourists should save some trouble. If you want to eat crab, you have go to the Guihou Fishing Harbor. The crabs are separated by size and price. After you brought the crab, the nearby restaurants can cook for you. One dish for 100 yuan, the most common one is the steamed crab. However, it would be a waste if you only eat steamed crab in Wanli. The Wanli way of cooking has exceeded the traditional cooking in the past few years. There is spicy and sour crab, bitter melon crab, and steamed red crab. Wanli Crab has improved the taste.

When you stay at the beach in Wanli in the night, remember to look at the sea. Small fishing boat will go out in the light, mainly for the fishing the fish that are likely to gather for the light. Therefore, each boat will put up a white light. From far away, it looks like the stars are floating on the sea. It is the view that cannot be seen in other beach. When you wake up in the morning, if the weather is warm enough, don’t miss the sea in the Wanli. Rent a big umbrella and two foldable chairs. If it’s getting too hot, you can jump into the sea. If you are tired of swimming, you can come back and lay on the chair. After the half day, when you packed everything, you can go eat crabs at Guihou, watching sea the Venus Coast, visiting the Queen at the Yeliu Geographic Park.

Where to eat

Sanming Food

Address: 5 of No. 64, Yuao Road, Wanli District, New Taipei

Tel: 02-2492-4932

Little fish village live seafood

Address: No. 63, Yuao Road, Wanli District, New Taipei

TEL：02-2492-6060

Chuan Jia Seafoo

Address: No. 153, Gangdong Road, Liuye District, New Taipei

TEL：02-2492-5885