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Special municipality and oldest city in Taiwan
Photo: 王崎, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Tainan (臺南; Tâi-lâm in Taiwanese, Táinán in Mandarin), in Southern Taiwan, is the oldest city in Taiwan. Tainan is famous for its temples, historic buildings and snack food, and is well worth a visit for a quintessentially Taiwanese experience for both stomach and soul.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
安平樹屋 (Ānpíng shù wū)
Anping Tree House was built as the warehouse of Tait & Co. During the Japanese occupation it was the office and warehouse of the Japan Salt Company. After World War II, the salt industry in Anping declined, and this area was abandoned. Over time, the aerial roots and branches of banyan trees wrapped around the building. Combined with the soil, red brick and partial concrete wall, this creates an unusual sight and is a popular tourist attraction. There is also a sky bridge behind with a view of Yanshui estuary.
Fort Provintia / 赤崁樓 / Chìkàn Lóu
Chihkan Tower is the landmark of Tainan and its most famous historic site. In 1653 the Dutch built Fort Providenti in the area, and the Chinese named it Tower of Savages or Tower of Red-haired Barbarians. Even though Chihkan Tower has survived different historical periods, with part of it turned into a temple to the sea god, it retains its rich and graceful architectural aspects. Crammed with various kinds of steles, statues and ponds with colorful fish and nine stone tortoises carrying royal stele carved in Chinese and Manchurian, the courtyard looks like an outdoor museum. Chihkan Tower is particularly attractive at night.
億載金城 (Yì Zài Jīnchéng)
A 19th-century coastal fortress, it was built during the Qing dynasty and armed with cannons to defend against the threat of Japanese invasion. Bricks from the remains of Fort Zeelandia were used during the fort's construction. The squarish fort feels like a very big park inside of its thick walls and gate tunnel and a visit will take not much more than 5 minutes. Paddle boats are available for rent in the moat surrounding the fort. There are sometimes musical events and performances in the evening.
Fort Zeelandia / 安平古堡 (Ānpíng Gǔbǎo)
In the early 17th century, European seafarers came to Asia to trade and develop colonial outposts. In 1624, the Dutch occupied today's Anping and took ten years to build a fort named "Fort Zeelandia." After 1662, because Koxinga and his son lived here, it was named "King Castle," "Anping Castle" as well as "Taiwan Castle." The Japanese rebuilt it and named it "Anping Old Fort." Today, the only Dutch remains are the ruins of a semicircular bulwark and a section of the outer fort's brick wall; the root of an old banyan tree on the wall remains a witness to the fort's long history. Its commanding views of the ocean make it a popular place to watch the sunset. Nevertheless, the fort itself is not that impressive, and neither is the view from the tower during the day. Also, there is not much space in the tower, so it is questionable that many people will be able to enjoy the sunset. Hence, you could skip it for Anping Tree House instead.
國立成功大學
大南門
One of Tainan’s most well preserved city gates.
永成戲院
It was built as a rice mill, and was repurposed as a theatre after the Japanese occupation of Taiwan ended. The theatre was closed in the 2000s and acquired by the Tainan city government who redeveloped and reopened it.
祀典武廟
A large temple complex with a mix of Taoism and Buddhism. Among the numerous statues in the temple are the 18 arhats (look for the one with the long eyebrows). There's a steady flow of worshippers moving through the temple, some lighting incense or casting divination blocks. Behind it is a temple to the sea goddess Matsu.
A serene destination surrounded by a small park. The temple was built in 1665 as a place to perform rituals and cultivate intellectuals, and is regarded as the first academy of Taiwan. Explore the temple, then go to the incredibly popular shaved-ice store right on the opposite side.
A small shrine dedicated to Koxinga, with plaques and information about his life. Locally known as Zheng Chenggong, Koxinga is an intriguing iconic hero of Taiwan, symbolic in different ways to different people and his image bent to fit whoever is in charge. He was a pirate to the Dutch, a brave and loyal general to the Chinese, a brutal conqueror to the Aboriginal tribes and a favored son to the Japanese through his mother. He was even a beacon of hope to the KMT in their aims to reclaim the mainland, though perhaps not the best example for them. The garden is quiet and serene, and a statue of Zheng Chenggong on horseback guards the entrance.
Mazu Temple / 天后宮
Erected soon after Koxinga's successful invasion of Dutch Taiwan, it is thought to be the oldest extant Mazu temple in Taiwan. Mazu is the Goddess of Sea and Patron Deity of fishermen, sailors and any occupations related to the sea.
國立臺灣歷史博物館
The museum covers a broad overview of Taiwan's history from prehistoric beginnings to the present, illustrating various eras with large-scale interactive displays and dioramas. Temporary exhibits focus more of the museum's historical artifacts. Most of the exhibitions have clear English explanations. Besides the museum, the building sits in a large park and is architecturally interesting, focusing on harmonious integration with the environment and housing a huge wall of solar panels that generates enough electricity to power the exhibition hall.
國立臺灣文學館
Located in a restored colonial-era Japanese building, even with the limited English on display this museum is fascinating. The coffee shop is good too.
奇美博物館
Started by a private collector who has a vast collection of violins, many of them antique in nature and made by masters like Antonio Stradivari and Nicolo Amati. There's also various exhibits about Western art, weaponry and natural history. The building and surrounding park are astonishing in their incongruence and could have been transported entirely from classical Europe.
方圓美術館
A small art museum housed in an old clinic building.
原台南測候所
A former meteorological station that was built in 1897 which is now used as a museum.
山上花園水道博物館
A large complex which used to be the water supply and treatment station for the city. The grounds of the museum span 20 hectares.
國立臺灣史前文化博物館南科館
The museum is a branch of the National Museum of Prehistory and covers the prehistory฿ and heritage of the area. The museum features a number of artifacts which were unearthed during construction of the Southern Taiwan Science Park.
原臺南地方法院
The former district courthouse is now used as a museum of legal matters and history for Southern Taiwan. The museum traces the history of Taiwan's legal system since the period of Japanese colonisation. Few of the displays are in English, but the museum and the building are worth a stroll around regardless.
臺南市美術館
The museum is divided into two buildings. Building 1 focuses on modern art and is housed in the former Tainan police headquarters. The building features 16 exhibits on a range of arts. Building 2 houses a number of arts facilities such as a theatre, a children's arts centre, and an arts research centre.
臺灣鹽博物館
A small museum focusing on the production of salt in Taiwan, housed on the site of what used to be the largest salt production facility in the country.
葉石濤文學紀念館
A museum constructed by the city government to commemorate the life and works of the Taiwanese literary figure Yeh Shih-tao.
臺南左鎮化石園區
A museum complex showcasing paleontological exhibits.
十鼓仁糖文創園區
A former sugar factory that has been taken over by a troupe that puts on new age performances using traditional Chinese drums.
七股鹽山
井仔腳瓦盤鹽田
草山月世界
An interesting region of mud hills and badlands surrounded by thick bamboo forest and some tropical fruit farms.
台南公園
Beautiful park in a central part of the city. Great for a relaxing walk or a stay of a few hours. It has many beautiful trees, flowers and a pond.
Baseball games in Taiwan are lively and light-hearted with a lot of chanting and cheering in unison. Beer and barbecues are even allowed in the bleachers. Stadiums are divided into home and away crowd, infield or outfield. Wear green and orange to blend in with the home crowd. The team does travel between stadiums for games, so check the CPBL schedule. The season runs from March to June and July to September.
Sicao Green Tunnel; 四草綠色隧道
Found in Taijiang National Park, there are two boat rides to observe the marine life and migrant birds of a mangrove swamp reserve. The rare black-faced spoonbill can be seen here. The shorter route takes about 30 minutes, while the longer one is about 70 minutes. Queues are roughly the same time as the boat rides, and weekday boat schedules only run a few times per day.
Meant to chase off evil spirits, fireworks are piled into a structure resembling a beehive and set off at street level, which makes it a racuous celebration that requires full-face helmets and fire-retardant jackets for participation.
花園夜市 huāyuán yèshì
The biggest and most famous open-air night market, there are tons of food stalls and game booths set up in a gigantic parking lot. This market can get very busy (i.e. mosh pit busy) on some days.
大東夜市 dà dōng yèshì
Very popular among the local university students, especially on Friday nights.
武聖夜市 wǔ shèng yèshì
While also popular for its food, this night market stands out for its carnival-style games.
度小月
A famous purveyor of dan zai mian (擔仔麵), also known as peddlers' noodles because it was made to be sold by fishermen on the roadside. It's a small dish of noodles in pork-shrimp broth, decorated with a single shrimp and delicately balanced with a dash of garlic on top. This is the original branch, and they have opened more stores elsewhere in the country, including one on Yongkang St in Taipei and another in Taoyuan International Airport.
阿霞飯店
A restaurant famous for its crab sticky rice (紅蟳米糕), often patronized by government officials and foreign dignitaries whenever they visit Tainan.
松村煙燻滷味
Famous purveyor of traditional Taiwanese braised meats. What makes them stand out from other braised meat shops in Taiwan is that they smoke their meats before stewing, giving it a unique smoky flavor. They have three other branches in Tainan and one branch in Taichung but this is the main branch, just a simple stall inside a wet market, where you can buy their meats still warm. Takeaways only
狀元糕 zhuàngyuan gāo
A bar hidden in a little side alley, but probably one of the busiest in Tainan. They don't have any menus, with drinks made on request, though the standard cocktails are happily made strong.
赤崁中藥行
This newest creation of renowned bar entrepreneur Shorty Wu is on the east side alley way of Chikan street lane 45. Reservations are almost mandatory as it is very popular. English-speaking staff. The 'Sampler' is a beautiful array of several of their famous cocktails. Why come here with so many cocktail bars around? The atmosphere is done perfectly. Good food also served.
海登CBC酒吧
What are the chances to have two of the best bars next to each other? This bar starts with a different but equally exceptional atmosphere that combines a lounge feel with a long bar that's great for meeting people, having an upscale London and izakaya Japan feel. Anyone traveling in a group of 3 or fewer that want to meet others would do well to come here, and for larger groups it is a great place to hang out in the cushy lounge area towards the back. The owner Ben is frequently there. Excellent cocktails.
永福邸
It's not Western because it is an almost near-replica on a famous bar in Shanghai, but that original place was in the French Concession and is styled as such. Unique and outstanding atmosphere that takes you back to 1920s expat life in the Pearl of the Orient. The other endeavor of Shorty Wu in Tainan, this bar captures both a cozy darkness and a light energy. Outstanding cocktails and English-speaking staff.
Excellent small bar. Used to be very hip, still very good. Every music imaginable.
Good for beers and sport.
For beers, sport, food and pool upstairs.
Nice bar to relax, play pool and watch sports. They also have good burgers and steak, free public computer and WiFi.
Great partly outdoor pub and bar near Tainan. Wonderful friendly owners and delicious food ranging from pizza to falafel.
Tainan Guest House
This is a guest house of a nice and relaxed Taiwanese-Japanese couple. The toilet is a little weird next to the kitchen and only separated by a curtain, if this bothers you. But the rest is authentic and friendly. FB.
光華商務飯店
Free internet and breakfast.
賽倫青旅
In the city center. Most must-see sites and popular eateries can be reached on foot within 5-15 min.
The hotel is a little old, but the rooms are OK for the price.
臺南市南門勞工育樂中心
Large single room including private bathroom NT$550/Double room. Open 06:00-00:00, hot water only from 18:00-00:00. They no longer offer dorm rooms.
福憩背包客棧
WiFi, free internet, kitchen, living room and laundry plus very helpful and friendly staff.
Clean and comfortable. 10-beds dorm, bedlight, 3 power plugs, bedsheet/blanket, towel, curtain, large locker with key (ok 80L), wifi, aircon. Kitchen with fridge, toaster, microwave, one electric stove/fire. Living with tv, xbox, books (mostly in Chinese). Shower x2, soap, shampoo, hot water, hair dryer. Western toilets x2, toilet gun, toilet paper. Mosquito nets on windows. 5F, stairs only. Rooftop 6F with few chairs and one small table, also laundry space. "Free" walking tours with https://www.likeitformosa.com/tainan-downtown (but tip expected).
新朝代飯店
劍橋飯店 台南館
台南遠東香格里拉
Five-star property near Tainan Train Station (not HSR). Free internet (wired and non-wired).
台糖長榮酒店
4-5 star property about 10 min south of Tainan Train Station (not HSR). Free internet.
安平老街
A street lined with stands selling snacks, drinks, souvenirs, and even medicinal herbs. Preserved plums (酸梅 suānméi) are a popular item. Other specialties include shrimp cakes and dried fruit.
神農街
遠東百貨 台南公園店
The department store focuses more on midrange consumers. Downstairs food-court offers good selection of restaurants and Hong Kong-based supermarket Wellcome.
林百貨
Taiwan's oldest department store. On its opening in 1932, the building boasted a then state-of-the-art elevator, which still works. It was bombed during World War II and still has bullet marks to show on the rooftop, next to its Shinto shrine. Located on what was once the richest shopping street in Tainan, the site fell into disuse following the defeat of Japan and the end of World War II until restoration of its elegant interior was completed in 2014. It is now a boutique department store selling Japanese and Taiwanese food and handicrafts.
新光三越
The department store focuses on both high end products and mainstream fashion. Luxurious brands such as Chanel, Hermes, Ferragamo can be found in the department store. Men's fashion includes Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Polo Ralph Lauren, Nautica, Esprit and more. There's also a movie theater inside. Two food courts offer various Asian, western cuisine and fast food chains. There is also a newer, more modern Shinkong Mitsukoshi at 658 Ximen Rd Section 1.
By train
Tainan HSR Station is a major stop on the Taipei - Kaohsiung High Speed Rail. Travel time is about 1 hr 45 min from Taipei, and about NT$1500 one way.
By bus
Tainan has good inter-city bus connections with other cities in Taiwan. Most of the bus companies have offices on Beimen Rd, north of Tainan Train Station.
By bus
All inner city bus routes pass through Tainan TR Station. There is a tourist information booth at the station with friendly staff (English speaking) who can show you how to use the bus system.
By taxi or rideshare
If you do take a taxi just make sure you have a map you can point at or the business card of your destination.
By motorcycle
There is a scooter rental shop next to Tainan TR station. Rentals cost around NT$600 per 24 hours. Whether a rental shop will check for a license varies from shop to shop.
By bicycle
Bicycle travel is possible but dangerous for a tourist who has to deal with the various obstacles emerging in the road spaces, which include frequent parked cars blocking the road, aggressive moped…
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