【Taiwan】 Rediscover ancient history! 3 of the best places to visit in Tainan

Hello everyone! I’m @olivertomolife and I’ve studied abroad in Kaohsiung!





Did you know that Tainan where located in the southern part of Taiwan, is home to many historical buildings?





The city is rich in culture, from the ruins created by the ancient Dutch to the oldest Confucius Temple in Taiwan.





I’m going to introduce you to three places that you must visit when touring Tainan!





If you’re looking for places that will give you a sense of Taiwan, be sure to read through to the end.

Experienced a working holiday in Kaohsiung for a year from February 2020. I am currently writing a blog based on that experience.





By reading this post, you’ll get an idea of the places I’d recommend in Tainan!

Three of my favorite places to visit in Tainan!

1 Anping Ancient Fort

Built in 1624, Anping Old Fort is the oldest fortification in Taiwan, and was used as the center of the Dutch rule and the Zheng administration.





It is also recognized as a first-class national tomb in Taiwan, and the red bricks are said to have been brought from Indonesia.





The red bricks are said to have been brought from Indonesia.





It is a wonderful tourist attraction where people can feel the ancient history of the area.

The site is far from the center of Tainan, so you will need to take a bus or a cab to get there.





If you take a bus, you can take the shuttle bus and get off at the Anping Old Fort bus stop.





However, buses in Tainan are infrequent and sometimes late, so a cab is more convenient.

2 Confucius Temple, Tainan

The Confucius Temple of Tainan was built in 1666 and is known as the oldest Confucius Temple in Taiwan.





There are Confucius temples in many parts of Taiwan, but surprisingly, it all started in Tainan.





The building itself has undergone numerous renovations due to natural disasters and warfare.

The current building was repaired in 1917 during the Japanese occupation, and it has a colorful and elegant appearance.





I’ve been to the Confucius Temple three times, all under clear skies!





I think Tainan’s fine weather makes it a great place for sightseeing.

3 Chikan Tower

Chikan Tower was built by the Dutch in 1653, and in ancient times it served as the highest administrative authority in all of Taiwan.





In the past, it suffered a lot of damage due to rebellions, but the first reconstruction took place in the late 19th century.

Today, it has been further repaired and a history museum has been added.





It is as important a historical site in Tainan as Anping Old Fort, so it is worth a visit.

You can take the shuttle bus to Chikanteru or take a cab to get there.





It’s a great way to experience the magnificent history of the city.

How to get around Tainan

The best way to get around Tainan is by bus or cab.





You can also rent bicycles, but Tainan is a big city and it takes a lot of energy.





As I mentioned earlier, there are not many buses, so taking a cab is the most convenient way to get around.





If you have friends in Tainan, I would also recommend sightseeing by bike.

How to get there from Taipei

From Taipei, you can travel to Tainan by bullet train, regular train, or bus.





The cheapest way is the express bus, but it takes a long time and is not recommended.





The next cheapest option is the regular train, which takes more than two hours from Taipei.





However, the Tainan train station is close to the city center, which has the advantage of making sightseeing easier.





The fastest way is the bullet train, which takes 90 minutes from Taipei to Tainan.





The high cost of transportation makes it possible to arrive quickly.





By the way, keep in mind that it takes 20 minutes to get from the Tainan bullet train station to the city from the adjacent Shalun train station!

How to get there from Kaohsiung

From Kaohsiung, you can reach the city in as little as 35 minutes from Kaohsiung Station on Taiwan Railway.





Keep in mind that it will take an hour if you take the train to each station.





Tainan and Kaohsiung are close enough together that it’s perfect for a few days of sightseeing!

Conclusion

I’ve introduced three recommended places to visit in Tainan!





I will continue to publish more information about Taiwan in the future, so please stay tuned.





Thank you for reading to the end!