Taiwan Travel Guide – Tainan

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. It may be under-appreciated compared to Taipei, but is well worth a stop on a round-island trip for a quintessentially Taiwanese experience.

Tainan has had a complicated past, first starting as a Dutch colony before passing through Chinese warlords, Japanese occupiers and then into Kuomintang hands. This rich history and heady mix of traditional folk culture gives Tainan far more character than the bigger Taiwanese cities, and is a good contrast to the international Taipei.

The city is the fifth largest city on the island after New Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Taipei with a population of 1.85 million. For a city of its size by population, Tainan’s size by land area is exceptional. Very few buildings are more than 5 to 6 stories in height and most are between two and three stories. Instead, wandering the older winding back alleys holds a lot of charm. Tainan is also extraordinary for its number of temples and shrines, Buddhist and Taoist, large and small, and you’ll likely find one hidden around every other corner.

Modern Tainan is centered on the local TRA train station and Zhongshan Road, which runs through West Central District, though Anping District is the historical heart of Tainan. Anping is home to the Anping Old Fort (安平古堡 Ānpíng gu bǎo), the Anping Tree House (安平樹屋 Ānpíng shù wū) (a warehouse with massive banyan trees growing out of it), and numerous restaurants and food stalls. Qigu District in the northeast is noted for its history of salt production and the district’s salt fields are also a popular attraction. Yanshui District is famous for its notoriously fiery fireworks festival. Beyond the city center, the surrounding region is one of the major agricultural centers in Taiwan, and the amount of fresh produce may have inspired much of Tainan’s snack food culture.

Getting There: Transportation Options

Train

Tainan is a major stop on the Taipei – Kaohsiung High Speed Rail line (about NT$1500 one way from Taipei). Travel time is 1 hr 45 min from Taipei. The Tainan HSR station is a bit outside of town (NT$400 by taxi), and you might think it’s the wrong stop altogether since the station is surrounded by parking lots and open rice paddies. There are two free shuttle bus routes running from the city to the HSR train terminal: one to the Tainan City Hall, and another to the Chi Mei Medical Center.

You can also take the TRA (slow train) into Tainan TRA station in the city from Shalun TRA station (linked to the THSR station and NT$25 each way). Besides the THSR, standard TRA rail from Taipei can take 3½-6 hours depending on the type of the train. For example, a class 1 (4 hours) ticket from Taipei will cost NT$758. On the Southern line, trains run very frequently to Kaohsiung (1 hour and NT$70-100), to Taitung (3 hours and about NT$500) and, less frequently, to Hualien.

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 the train station.

Plane

The closest international airport is in Kaohsiung. From there you can take a train, bus, taxi, or rental car for a 45-minute to one-hour journey to Tainan. Flying into Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is also another choice, and you don’t have to go into Taipei proper and can just take the HSR train (1½ hours and NT$1350) from Taoyuan.

Tainan Airport (TNN) has largely diminished in traffic after the high-speed rail was built, but Uni Air has daily flights to the outlying islands of Kinmen (50 min) and Penghu (30 min). International flights from Hong Kong (90 min) are run six times a week by China Airlines. It is a cheap taxi ride from the city center, and also reachable by the local bus number 5. The airfield is shared with the Republic of China Air Force, so the airport terminal is far enough from the runways to require shuttle buses in between. Flight schedules may vary depending on military exercises.

Getting Around Tainan

Tainan is a city which is problematic for pedestrians. Unlike Taipei, most of the sidewalk is essentially privatized, being an extension of the shops and restaurants behind it. The sidewalks are thus frequently blocked by various materials belonging to buildings behind, requiring pedestrians to walk on the roads and take their chances with the cars and motorcycles. Pedestrian crossings are unreliable and often blocked by traffic. If you’re disabled, don’t try and walk.

The best way to travel around the city is by car or motorcycle. 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 users and a general relaxed attitude to traffic rules and regulations amongst all concerned.

There are taxis and buses (公車 gōngchē), but they are not easy to use for non-Chinese speakers. There is a scooter rental shop next to the Tainan City TRA (slow train) station. Rentals cost around NT$600 per 24 hours. Whether a rental shop will check for a license varies from shop to shop.

All inner city bus routes pass through Tainan Station (train). There is a tourist information booth at the station with friendly staff (English speaking) who can show you how to use the bus system. On Sundays there are two free sightseeing bus routes (88 and 99) which can take you to and back from all the major historical sites. Be careful when getting on buses at the train station, because they stop at two different places depending on which direction they’re going. The direction is not obvious unless you read the sign or ask the driver, so make sure not to get on going the wrong way!

The transit cards (Easycard) from Taipei and Kaohsiung can be used on the buses. Many bus stops have electronic displays to tell you when the next bus is coming. Google Maps have (delayed) live update on bus location and are extremely useful. Bus+ is a local app that updates bus location faster.

If you do take a taxi just make sure you have a map you can point at or the business card of your destination. The taxi drivers are very helpful, but sometimes even Chinese speakers take roundabout ways. Uber is widely used by taxi drivers and private cars alike. There are other local apps like Line Taxi and 55688 but they require a local phone number.

Things to See and Do in Tainan

• Chihkan Tower (Fort Provintia / 赤崁樓 / Chìkàn Lóu), 212 Sec. 2, Min-Tsu Rd., Central District. Daily 08:30-21:30. 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. NT$70.
• Anping Tree House (安平樹屋 Ānpíng shù wū), 108 Fort St., Anping District (entrance through the back door of Old Tait & Co. Merchant House)). Daily 08:30-17:00. 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. NT$70.
• Eternal Golden Fortress (億載金城 Yì Zài Jīnchéng, aka Erkunshen Artillery Fort), 16 Nanwen, Anping District. Daily 08:30-17:00. 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. NT$70.
• Anping Fort (Fort Zeelandia / 安平古堡 Ānpíng Gǔbǎo). Daily 08:30–17:30. 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. NT$70.
• Anping Old Street. Join the Japanese and Korean tourists on 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.
• Sacrificial Rites Martial Temple (祀典武廟) (opposite Chihkan Tower). 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. Free.
• National Museum of Taiwan History, 250, Changhe Rd Sec 1, Annan District (take bus 18 from Tainan Railway Station or bus 20 from Yongkang Railway Station), Tu-Su 09:00-17:00. 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. NT$80.
• Tainan Park (台南公園), GongYuan North Rd. 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.

Note: There is a Tainan Historical Attraction Pass that might be worth buying. It’s NT$210 and gets you access to Chihkan Tower, Anping Old Fort, Anping Tree House, and Erkunshen Artillery Fort (Eternal Golden Fortress). Essentially it’s a buy 3, get 1 free deal plus you can get discounts at other museums and attractions.

Miscellaneous

Tainan is often known as “the City of Snacks” (小吃城). In addition to the wide variety of food available at night markets, the city also has an abundance of street vendors specializing in tasty and cheap dishes. Oysters in particular, are favored in Tainan, from the long association with Anping port. Try the oyster omelette (蚵仔煎 kèzǎijiān / o-a chen), and oysters and thin noodles (蚵仔麵線 kèzǎi miànxiàn / o-a mi soa~) which are cooked differently from those up north. Danzai noodles (擔仔麵 dānzǎi miàn) should not be missed either. Coffin toast (棺材板 guāncaibǎn), fried bread stuffed with various ingredients, such as chicken, beans, seafood, vegetables and milk-based sauces, was also invented here.

The area around Tainan is also known for producing high quality beef, so be sure to try some beef soup while you are here.

Final Thoughts

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