Zacheng Cultural Park (Sugar Factory) Introduction
The Shantou Sugar Factory was established in 1906 and was the third largest sugar factory in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period. Due to flooding caused by Typhoon Nari in 2001, the factory sustained severe damage to its sugar processing equipment, leading to the cessation of sugar production and a gradual transformation into a leisure industry - a tourist sugar factory. The Shantou Sugar Factory integrates Taiwan Sugar Corporation's unique five-pointed train, developing into the "Sugarcane Cultural Park." The park's hundred-year-old sugar factory is its most prominent feature. Although the machinery has long ceased operation, the factory has planned a visitor route featuring displays of sugarcane boards and molasses, allowing tourists to clearly understand the sugar production process with explanations from guides. The Shantou Sugar Factory itself is a quaint wooden structure, where visitors can take a ride on the little five-pointed train for excursions. The train departs from the station heading towards Taibao and Nanjing, with guides providing commentary on the pastoral scenery along the way, including the gradually decreasing fields of white sugarcane. The park also features antique buildings for visitors to admire, allowing a deep sense of progress in life. By the end of 2004, a new ecological park was completed in the area, which also serves as an outdoor teaching venue. Within the factory, there are many unique and authentic ice treats worth trying, such as Shantou sugar red bean popsicles, sugarcane red bean shaved ice, barley and sour plum popsicles, and other special flavors that will leave you with a lasting impression!
