Tainan, on the southwest coast between Chiayi and Kaohsiung, is Taiwan’s oldest city and, for many Taiwanese, its soul. The Dutch built Fort Zeelandia here in the 1620s, Koxinga’s forces drove them out in 1662, and for two centuries afterward Tainan was the island’s capital; the result is a compact old center packed with forts, more than a hundred historic temples, lanes of low shophouses and family businesses that have made the same dish for generations. Tainan is Taiwan’s food capital, famous for its breakfasts of beef soup and milkfish, its small bowls of dan zai noodles and its night markets, and its slower pace, sunshine and creative cafés make it a favorite second stop after Taipei. Beyond the city are the canals and mangroves of Taijiang National Park, the salt fields of Qigu and the hot springs of Guanziling. The best time to visit is October to April, the dry, sunny season; summers are hot and wet.
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Top tours in Tainan
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Tainan at a glance
- Best for: street food, temples, history, old streets and a relaxed pace.
- How long: 2–3 days for the city; 4 with Anping, Taijiang and the coast.
- Best time: October to April; summer is hot, with heavy rain and typhoons.
- Getting there: the high-speed rail to Tainan station, then the Shalun line shuttle train into town, or conventional trains to central Tainan station.
- Getting around: walking, YouBike, buses and taxis; there is no metro.
- Good to know: many famous food stalls open only in the morning or sell out early, and close one day a week.
- Before you go: visa-free entry, the online arrival card, money and general safety are in our Taiwan travel guide.
Tainan’s areas and where to stay
Tainan City covers a large area since its merger with Tainan County in 2010, but visitors spend most of their time in the old West Central and Anping districts.
West Central District
The historic heart, between Tainan station and the old harbor: Chihkan Tower, the Grand Mazu Temple, Shennong Street, the Hayashi Department Store, Zhengxing Street’s cafés and the Guohua and Minzu Road food streets. The best base, with boutique hotels, guesthouses in restored houses and hostels.
The Confucius Temple area
South of the center, around the Confucius Temple and Fuzhong Street, a quieter quarter of shady lanes, small museums and craft shops, near the Tainan Art Museum.
Tainan station and East District
Around the railway station and National Cheng Kung University, with business hotels, student cafés, the Dongning Road shops and the Dadong Night Market further east. Convenient for trains.
Anping
The former harbor area, 4 km (2.5 miles) west of the center, with Fort Zeelandia, the Anping Tree House, the old street of snack shops and a canal-side promenade. Quieter at night, with resort-style hotels by the harbor.
Top things to see in Tainan
Anping Old Fort (Fort Zeelandia)
The Dutch East India Company built Fort Zeelandia from 1624 as its base in Taiwan, and parts of its red-brick walls survive below a later lookout tower and a small museum on the fort’s history. Around it, the Anping Old Street has snack shops selling shrimp cakes and candied fruit, and the lanes behind are lined with sword lion plaques once placed over doorways for protection.
The Anping Tree House
A former warehouse of a British trading company that banyan trees have swallowed completely, their roots and branches forming walls and a roof; walkways lead through and above it. Next door, the Tait & Co. Merchant House has a small exhibition.
Chihkan Tower (Fort Provintia)
On the site of the Dutch Fort Provintia, built in 1653, stand two traditional Chinese pavilions from the 19th century, surrounded by gardens and stone tablets carried on the backs of turtles. It is one of the city’s symbols and lovely in the evening, when it is lit up.
The Confucius Temple
Founded in 1665, Tainan’s Confucius Temple was the first in Taiwan and the island’s first school, known as the “First Academy of Taiwan.” Its red walls, courtyards and banyan trees are peaceful, and the street opposite, Fuzhong Street, has small shops and snacks.
Temples of the old city
Tainan is said to have more temples per street than anywhere in Taiwan. Don’t miss the Grand Mazu Temple, in a former royal residence; the Official God of War Temple (Sacrificial Rites Martial Temple), with its long red wall; the Tainan City God Temple, with its “You’re here at last” plaque; and the Fahua Temple and Kaiyuan Temple, two Buddhist temples with quiet gardens. Behave quietly, and ask before photographing ceremonies.
Shennong Street and the old lanes
A short, narrow street of wooden shophouses that are now bars, studios and cafés, hung with lanterns at night; nearby, the Hayashi Department Store, opened in 1932, has been restored with its original elevator and a rooftop shrine, and sells Tainan-made goods.
More classic sights
- Chimei Museum: a grand private museum of Western art, musical instruments, arms and natural history in a park south of the city, near the high-speed rail station.
- National Museum of Taiwan History: the story of Taiwan’s peoples, in the north of the city.
- National Museum of Taiwan Literature: in a Japanese-era government building near the Tang Te-chang Memorial Park.
- Tainan Art Museum: two buildings, one in a former police headquarters and one a striking modern structure of white pentagons.
- Blueprint Culture and Creative Park: street art and small shops in old dormitories.
- Eternal Golden Castle: a 19th-century fortress near Anping, with cannons and a moat.
Other things to do in Tainan
Tracing Tainan’s long history
Before Europeans arrived, the coast around Tainan was home to the Siraya, one of Taiwan’s lowland Indigenous peoples. The Dutch built their trading base at Anping on what was then a sandbar called Tayouan, a name that may be the origin of the word Taiwan. After Koxinga’s forces expelled them in 1662, his family ruled from here, and under the Qing dynasty Tainan remained the island’s administrative capital until the late 19th century, when the capital moved north to Taipei. The Japanese era (1895–1945) added the grand public buildings around Tang Te-chang Memorial Park. Walking tours, often free or run by volunteers, and the city’s history museums help connect these layers; a good start is the circuit from Chihkan Tower to the Confucius Temple, which passes buildings from every period.
Food and drink
Tainan’s food is the main reason many Taiwanese visit. Start early with beef soup, made with raw slices of fresh local beef cooked by the hot broth, or milkfish belly congee. Through the day, try dan zai noodles (small bowls of noodles with minced pork and a shrimp), coffin bread (a hollowed-out toast box filled with creamy chowder), shrimp rolls, oyster omelets, rice cakes (wa gui), eel noodles and fried shrimp. Tainan dishes tend to be sweeter than elsewhere in Taiwan. For dessert, there is shaved ice, almond tofu and the famous fresh fruit shops. In the evening, go to the night markets: the big Garden Night Market (usually Thursday, Saturday and Sunday), the Dadong Night Market and the Wusheng Night Market, which rotate through the week.
Cafés, bars and crafts
Old houses in West Central have been turned into coffee shops, cocktail bars and craft shops, especially around Zhengxing Street, Shennong Street and Xinmei Street. Traditional crafts, from temple carving and embroidery to wooden clogs, survive in small workshops.
Festivals
The Yanshui Beehive Fireworks, in Yanshui district during the Lantern Festival, are a wild, noisy tradition in which rockets are fired into the crowd (protective gear is essential). Spring and autumn bring temple festivals with processions, firecrackers and puppet shows. Tainan also hosts concerts and art events in its cultural parks.
Day trips from Tainan
- Taijiang National Park: the Sicao Green Tunnel, a mangrove-lined canal you cross by boat, plus wetlands with black-faced spoonbills in winter and the Luermen and Lugang areas of early Chinese settlement.
- Qigu Salt Mountain: a white hill of salt and a salt museum on the coastal plain, with nearby lagoons and oyster farms.
- Guanziling hot springs: rare mud hot springs in the hills to the northeast, with the “water and fire” vent where natural gas burns above a spring.
- Kaohsiung: 15 minutes by high-speed rail. See our Kaohsiung guide.
- Chiayi and Alishan: Chiayi is 15–20 minutes north by high-speed rail, the start of the Alishan Forest Railway. See our Alishan guide.
- Yuejin Port and Beimen: small fishing harbors and the Beimen crystal church on the coast.
Nearby destinations
- Kaohsiung43 km
- Alishan86 km
- Sun Moon Lake123 km
- Kenting National Park129 km
- Taroko National Park176 km
- Taipei267 km
- Xiamen271 km
Getting there and getting around
By high-speed rail
Tainan’s high-speed rail station is at Guiren, about 15 km (9 miles) southeast of the center. According to Taiwan High Speed Rail, a standard reserved seat costs NT$1,350 from Taipei, and the fastest trains take about 1 hour 45 minutes; the trip from Zuoying in Kaohsiung costs NT$140 and takes about 15 minutes. From the high-speed station, the Shalun line of Taiwan Railway, from the adjoining Shalun station, runs to Tainan station in about 20–25 minutes, and buses and taxis go to the old city.
By conventional train and bus
Tainan station, in the center, is on Taiwan Railway’s western main line, with frequent trains to Kaohsiung (30–50 minutes) and Chiayi, and express trains to Taichung and Taipei. Long-distance buses are cheap but slower. Tainan Airport has a few domestic and regional flights; most visitors fly into Taoyuan or Kaohsiung.
Getting around the city
There is no metro, so walking, cycling and buses are the norm. The old center is compact and best explored on foot; YouBike bicycles are everywhere, and city buses, including routes to Anping, accept EasyCards. Taxis and Uber are inexpensive. Traffic is busy with scooters, and pavements are often blocked, so take care.
When to go and how long to stay
Tainan has a tropical climate with a long, dry, sunny season from October to April and a hot, wet season from May to September, when afternoon thunderstorms, the plum rains and typhoons bring nearly all the year’s rain. The table shows the Central Weather Administration’s 1991–2020 normals for its Tainan station; rain days count days with at least 0.1 mm of rain.
| Month | Average high / low | Rain (rain days) | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23 °C (73 °F) / 15 °C (58 °F) | 21 mm (0.8 in), 4 days | Dry, sunny and mild |
| February | 24 °C (75 °F) / 15 °C (60 °F) | 22 mm (0.9 in), 4 days | Lunar New Year; Yanshui fireworks at the Lantern Festival |
| March | 27 °C (80 °F) / 18 °C (64 °F) | 30 mm (1.2 in), 4 days | Warm and dry; temple festivals |
| April | 29 °C (85 °F) / 22 °C (71 °F) | 70 mm (2.7 in), 6 days | Getting hot |
| May | 31 °C (89 °F) / 25 °C (76 °F) | 166 mm (6.5 in), 9 days | Plum rains begin |
| June | 32 °C (90 °F) / 26 °C (79 °F) | 370 mm (14.6 in), 12 days | Hot and wet; mango season |
| July | 33 °C (91 °F) / 27 °C (80 °F) | 375 mm (14.7 in), 13 days | Hottest month; typhoons possible |
| August | 33 °C (91 °F) / 26 °C (79 °F) | 466 mm (18.4 in), 16 days | Wettest month |
| September | 32 °C (90 °F) / 26 °C (78 °F) | 170 mm (6.7 in), 8 days | Rain easing |
| October | 31 °C (87 °F) / 23 °C (74 °F) | 31 mm (1.2 in), 3 days | Dry season returns |
| November | 28 °C (83 °F) / 20 °C (68 °F) | 24 mm (0.9 in), 2 days | Ideal for walking the old city |
| December | 24 °C (76 °F) / 16 °C (62 °F) | 16 mm (0.6 in), 3 days | Sunny and mild; black-faced spoonbills in the wetlands |
The figures add up to about 1,760 mm (69 in) of rain a year, more than 85% of it from May to September.
2 days in Tainan
Day one, a beef soup breakfast, then Chihkan Tower, the Grand Mazu and Official God of War temples, Shennong Street and the Hayashi Department Store, ending at a night market. Day two, the Confucius Temple and Fuzhong Street in the morning, then Anping for Fort Zeelandia, the Tree House and the old street, and sunset by the harbor.
4 days with day trips
Add a morning on the Sicao Green Tunnel boats and the Taijiang wetlands, a visit to the Chimei Museum, and an afternoon at Qigu’s salt mountain and lagoons, or a hot-spring night in Guanziling.
Where to stay in Tainan
- West Central: boutique hotels and guesthouses in restored houses, steps from temples and food.
- Near Tainan station: business hotels and hostels, handy for trains.
- Anping: harbor hotels with a resort feel, quieter in the evening.
- Near the high-speed station: only convenient if you are passing through or visiting the Chimei Museum.
Book early for Lunar New Year and long weekends, when Tainan fills with domestic visitors.
What a trip to Tainan costs
Prices are approximate, for October 2026, converted at about NT$31.8 to the US dollar.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| High-speed rail, Taipei to Tainan, standard reserved seat | NT$1,350 (about US$42) |
| Shalun line train, high-speed station to Tainan station | about NT$25 (about US$0.80) |
| Bowl of beef soup or milkfish congee | NT$100–200 (about US$3.10–6.30) |
| Dan zai noodles, small bowl | NT$50–80 (about US$1.60–2.50) |
| Night market dinner | NT$200–400 (about US$6.30–13) |
| Chimei Museum, adult | about NT$200 (about US$6.30) |
| Anping Old Fort, adult | about NT$70 (about US$2.20) |
| YouBike, first 30 minutes | about NT$5–10 (about US$0.20–0.30) |
| Guesthouse double, per night | NT$1,800–3,500 (about US$57–110) |
| Boutique hotel double, per night | NT$3,000–6,000 (about US$94–190) |
Practical tips for Tainan
- Eat early: beef soup shops open before dawn and the best stalls sell out by late morning.
- Closing days: many family restaurants close one day a week; check before you go.
- Night markets rotate: each opens only on certain days.
- Cash: small food stalls and temples rarely take cards.
- Heat: plan indoor sights for the hot afternoons, and walk in the morning and evening.
Safety
Tainan is safe and friendly. Traffic: narrow streets, parked scooters and few sidewalks mean you often walk in the road; stay alert, especially at night. Heat and sun: from April to October, temperatures and humidity are high, so drink water and rest in the shade. Typhoons and floods: heavy summer rain can flood low-lying streets, and typhoons are possible from July to September; follow the Central Weather Administration’s warnings. Dengue fever: Tainan has had dengue outbreaks in summer and fall; use repellent and cover up at dusk. Fireworks festivals: at the Yanshui Beehive Fireworks, wear a full helmet, fire-resistant clothes and gloves, or watch from a safe distance. Earthquakes: southern Taiwan is seismically active; drop, cover and hold on in a strong tremor. In an emergency, call 110 for the police or 119 for fire and ambulance.
What to pack for Tainan
Light cotton clothes, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, a light jacket for winter evenings, an umbrella or rain jacket from May to September, comfortable shoes for walking the old lanes, insect repellent and a reusable water bottle. Taiwan uses 110 V and flat two-pin plugs.
Tainan travel FAQ
How many days do I need in Tainan?
Two days covers the old city and Anping; allow three or four to add Taijiang National Park, the Chimei Museum or the coast.
How do I get from the high-speed rail station to central Tainan?
Take the Shalun line train from Shalun station, next to the high-speed station, to Tainan station in about 20–25 minutes, or a bus or taxi.
How do I get from Taipei to Tainan?
By high-speed rail in about 1 hour 45 minutes on the fastest trains, at NT$1,350 for a standard reserved seat, or by conventional express train in about 3.5–4.5 hours.
What food is Tainan famous for?
Beef soup, milkfish congee, dan zai noodles, coffin bread, shrimp rolls, oyster omelets and eel noodles, plus shaved ice and fresh fruit desserts.
When is the best time to visit Tainan?
October to April, the dry, sunny season. Summer is hot, with heavy rain and the chance of typhoons.
Which night market should I visit in Tainan?
The Garden Night Market is the biggest, open on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; the Dadong and Wusheng markets open on other days, so there is a market most nights.
Is Tainan worth visiting?
Yes, especially for food, history and temples. It feels more traditional and relaxed than Taipei and Kaohsiung.
What is Fort Zeelandia?
A fort built by the Dutch East India Company from 1624 in Anping, now the Anping Old Fort, with surviving walls and a museum.
Can I visit Tainan as a day trip from Kaohsiung?
Yes. Tainan is 15 minutes by high-speed rail or 30–50 minutes by conventional train from Kaohsiung, but it deserves at least one night.
Do I need a car in Tainan?
No. The old center is walkable, and buses, YouBikes and taxis cover the rest; a car or tour helps for Qigu and Guanziling.
Plan your trip
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🇨🇳 Useful Mandarin Chinese phrases for Tainan
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Sources · last reviewed 4 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. Climate normals (1991–2020): the Central Weather Administration; high-speed rail fares: Taiwan High Speed Rail; visa-free entry and the arrival card: the Bureau of Consular Affairs and the National Immigration Agency; exchange rate: the Central Bank. Historical dates, temple and museum details, night market days, train times, admission prices and typical prices are general references or estimates, flagged for checking. Prices and schedules change, so check the official sites before you go. For entry rules, money and general safety, see our Taiwan travel guide.
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Sea temperature: NOAA CoastWatch · Rates: ECB · Wikidata (CC0)