Nanzhou Sugar Factory Introduction
Nanzhou Sugar Factory, originally named Donggang Sugar Factory, is the southernmost sugar factory in Taiwan. In the early days of the booming sugar industry, the factory area was filled with sugarcane fields and long rows of locomotives. As the sugar industry declined, Nanzhou Sugar Factory gradually found it increasingly difficult to continue operations. After deciding to cease production, it was transformed into a tourist factory in 2003 and has slowly become a well-known recreational site in southern Taiwan. Nanzhou Tourist Sugar Factory offers many leisure facilities, including a koi pond, water recreation area, flower garden, barbecue area, earthen kiln area, camping site, miniature train, and historical building area, each providing a distinct experience. The flower garden, for instance, is home to fields of sunflowers and cosmos flowers in vibrant shades of red, yellow, pink, and purple, creating a colorful spectacle. Walking through the sea of flowers under the golden sunshine and gentle breeze is both romantic and poetic. Visiting the buildings and production equipment in the factory is the best way to understand its historical trajectory. The yellowed rust on the surfaces of warehouses, railway tracks, and sugarcane unloading machines shows that these old tools have weathered many storms and their obsolescence highlights their historical value. Visitors need not worry about getting tired from walking through the expansive factory grounds, as a tree-lined avenue filled with the aroma of coffee and the sound of music is specially planned for resting. The earthen kiln is the most distinctive feature of Nanzhou Sugar Factory, perfect for urban dwellers who have never experienced traditional barbecue methods. Visitors are tested on their patience and dexterity from digging holes, collecting stones, building the kiln, burning wood, to covering it with soil. Nanzhou Sugar Factory is very considerate, providing pre-ordered barbecue ingredients to eliminate the hassle of bringing their own, and if the earthen kiln proves difficult to build, visitors can request guidance from kiln masters. Missing out on such a rare barbecue experience would indeed be a pity!
