From Wikitravel

Tainan (台南; Táinán) [1] is a city in south west Taiwan.

[edit] Understand

Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan and was the capital during imperial times. It is famous for its temples, historic buildings and snack food. The city is currently the fourth largest city on the island with a population over 760,000.

Like other Taiwanese cities, most people in Tainan, including taxi drivers, cannot speak English well (except for high school and college students), though some of the older generation can converse in Japanese. However, to help visitors get around, there are free tri-lingual (Chinese, English and Japanese) map-guides available at the railway station.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By 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.

There is a domestic airport in Tainan, and the flights from Taipei take about 45 minutes.

[edit] By bus

Tainan has good inter-city bus connections with other cities in Taiwan.

[edit] By train

Tainan is a major stop on the Taipei - Kaohsiung express line. High Speed Rail has its stop a bit outside town[2] (NT$400 by taxi ~US$15). Travel time from Taipei is 1 hour and 45 minutes and generally considered more convienent (city center to city center) and less strenuous to ride than domestic air travel.

For more detailed information, see "Getting Around" on the Taiwan page.

[edit] Get around

The best way to travel around the city is by car or motorcycle. There are taxis and buses (公車 gōngchē), but they are not so convenient for non-Chinese speakers.

If you do take a taxi just make sure you have a map you can point at or the business card of the location your headed. The taxi drivers are very helpful, but be aware that sometimes even Chinese speakers get taken the long way round to earn them a few extra NT$

[edit][add listing] See

[edit] Landmarks and Historical sites

• Eternal Golden Fortress (億載金城 Yì Zài Jīnchéng), 16 Nanwen, Anping District - a 19th century coastal fortress. Hours: 9AM-5PM.
• The ruins of Anping Fort (安平古堡 Ānpíng Gǔbǎo), originally called Fort Zeelandia, was built in 1620 by the Dutch. Its commanding views of the ocean make it a popular place to watch the sunset. Hours: 8:30AM-5:30PM.
• Chikan Towers (赤崁樓 Chìkàn Lóu), originally called Fort Provintia, was built in 1653 by the Dutch. There are tablets, stone horses/camels and a row of nine turtle-borne steles with inscriptions. Hours: 8:30AM-9PM.
• National Museum of Taiwanese Literature 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
• Confucius Temple A serene destination surrounded by a small park. Explore the temple, then go to the incredibly popular shaved-ice store opposite

[edit] Night markets

There are over two dozen night markets of various sizes in and around the city. Regardless of size, night markets all possess an abundance of stalls selling clothing, shoes, jewelry, toys, food and drink. Some even have live entertainment.

Most night markets are only held on certain days of the week. Check before going.

One of the night market hua yuan (花園夜市 huāyuán yèshì, literally translated as "Flower Garden") is open on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday.

[edit][add listing] Do

Mangrove reserves. Tainan is located near a significant mangrove reserve, which serves as a migrating ground for the rare black-faced spoonbill. Trips to these reserves can be arranged through a local expat group called 'Barking Deer Adventures' [3]

[edit][add listing] Buy

Preserved Plums(酸梅 suānméi)

[edit][add listing] Eat

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.

Tainan specialities are:

• Coffin toast (棺材板 guāncaibǎn) - fried bread stuffed with various ingredients, such as chicken, beans, seafood, vegetables and milk-based sauces

• Oyster omelette (蚵仔煎 kèzǎijiān / o-a chen)

• Oysters and thin noodles (蚵仔麵線 kèzǎi miànxiàn / o-a mi soa~)

• Rice cake (碗稞 wǎnkē)

• Dan Dan Noodle(擔仔麵 dānzǎi miàn)

• Elite Cake (狀元糕 zhuàngyuan gāo)

Don't forget to try the shrimp rolls (zhou-shi) down along the canal! Incredible!

• Andi's Party Corner sells traditional Austrian food and beers, an oddity in Tainan!

[edit][add listing] Drink

Pearl milk tea (珍珠奶茶, zhēnzhū nǎichá) is a must drink in Tainan. Look out for shops, where it is made directly to order!

• Dirty Rogers is an excellent small bar. Used to be very hip, still very good! Every Music imaginable. It's close to the Railway station at Dongmen Rd.

• The Armory on Gongyuan Road is good for beers and sport

• Willies Second Base for beers, sport, food and pool upstairs

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

• Guang Hwa Hotel, 155 Beimen Road Sec. 1. Tel:+886 6 226-3171-4. Located near the train station. Offers free internet connection and breakfast. Small singles starting from NT$720.
• Cheng Kuang Hotel, 294 Beimen Road Sec. 1. Tel:+886 6 222-1188. Near the train station. The hotel is a little old, but the rooms are OK for the price.
• Tainan City Labour Recreation Centre, 261 Nanmen Road. Tel:+886 6 215-0174. Dormitory (NT$300)/Large single room including private bathroom NT$470/Double room. Opens at 6 in the morning, closes at midnight, checkout at 11AM, hot water only from 6PM to midnight. [4]

[edit] Mid range

• SENDALE Yong Fu - Tainan City 新大福軒館(behinds Landis Hotel,), (3 minutes by walking to New Life Square-Mitsukoshi Department Shopping Mall) 115 Yong Fu Road, Section 1, Tainan, Taiwan Tel:+886 6 214-2988. Fax:+886 6 214-2799 [5]
• Dynasty Hotel, 46 Chengkung Road. Tel:+886 6 225-8121. Fax:+886 6 221-6711
• Cambridge Hotel, 269 Sec 2 Mintzu Road

[edit] Resort Hotel

• SENDALE Siraya Resort Hotel - Wushantou Dam 新大西拉雅渡假飯店 - 烏山頭水庫, Wushantou Resevoir Scenic Area, 92 Jianan Village, Kuantien Township, Tainan County 720, Taiwan Tel:+886 6 698-3121. Fax:+886 6 698-3123 [6]

[edit] Splurge

• Landis Hotel, 660 Sec 1 Shimen Road [7].
• SENDALE Tainan Science Park Hotel 新大南科大飯店 , 406 Jhong Jheng Road, Sinshih Township, Tainan County 744, Taiwan Tel:+886 6 589-9111. Fax:+886 6 599-1688 [8]

[edit] Get out

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