Tainan
Taiwan · 10 m
Description
Tainan (臺南) is the oldest city in Taiwan and was its capital for more than two centuries, first under the Dutch East India Company and then under Qing rule. That history is still legible in stone. Chihkan Tower stands on the foundations of the Dutch Fort Provintia, Anping Old Fort was their Fort Zeelandia, and the Eternal Golden Castle was thrown up in the 1870s to European design against a feared Japanese attack. Tainan has more registered temples than any other Taiwanese city, and the Grand Mazu Temple and the Confucius Temple anchor a dense old quarter of lanes such as Shennong Street. It is also widely accepted as the country's best place to eat, with danzai noodles, milkfish soup, coffin bread and shrimp rolls all claimed as local inventions. The dry, bright months from November to April are the ones to pick.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: February – March or November – December
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Chihkan Tower (Fort Provintia)
- Anping Old Fort (Fort Zeelandia)
- Garden Night Market
- Anping Tree House
- Shennong Street
- Guohua Street Food
- Grand Mazu Temple
- Tainan Confucius Temple
- Anping Old Street
- Hayashi Department Store
- Tainan Art Museum
- Blueprint Culture and Creative Park
- Koxinga Shrine
- Eternal Golden Castle
- Official God of War Temple
- Chimei Museum
- Sicao Green Tunnel
- Taijiang National Park
- Ten Drum Cultural Village
- Qigu Salt Mountain(Day trip)
- Yongle Market and Shuixian Gong Market
- Qigu Lagoon(Day trip)
- Wusheng Night Market
- Lady Linshui's Temple
- Beimen Crystal Church(Day trip)
- Temple of the Five Concubines
- Luermen Mazu Temple
- Taiwan Salt Museum(Day trip)
- Snail Alley
- Black-faced Spoonbills at Qigu (October - March)(Day trip)
- Anping Oyster Kiln Cultural Park
- Jingzijiao Tile-paved Salt Fields(Day trip)
- Guanziling Mud Hot Springs(Day trip)
- Deyang Warship Museum
- Lin Mo-niang Park
Getting there
- Airports:
- TNN
- Train stations:
- Tainan