【臺南】Tainan City Guide
Visiting Tainan was one of the trips I'd been looking forward to the most during our recent visit.
A friend of mine in NYC is from Tainan, and even though we never talked about it much, the more I learned about Taiwan's history, the more I understood why Tainan is probably the most iconic and lowkey city in Taiwan: Tainan was the island's first developed city. That kind of history runs deep, and you can feel it the second you arrive.
By the time we made it here on our week-long trip through Taiwan, we were a bit overwhelmed by how much there was to take in. So, here's my full Tainan City Guide to help you navigate this city before you go.
Get to Know Tainan
Long before Tainan was even a city, it was land to the Siraya people. The indigenous Siraya people lived along this part of the coast for thousands of years before anyone from China or Europe ever set foot here — evidence of human presence in the area dates back 20,000 to 30,000 years!
Everything shifted in 1624, when the Dutch East India Company landed in what's now called Anping and built Fort Zeelandia as a trading base. A second fort, Fort Provintia, went up nearby — you'll recognize the name if you've read my Provintia Hotel review, since the hotel takes its name from the very same fort still standing a short walk away as Chihkan Tower. For a while, this stretch of coastline was Dutch Taiwan.
That ended in 1662, when Ming loyalist Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) laid siege to Fort Zeelandia for nine months and forced the Dutch to surrender, closing out 38 years of Dutch rule.
Tainan became the capital of Koxinga's short-lived Kingdom of Tungning, and then, starting in 1683, the capital of Taiwan under the Qing Dynasty — a role it held for over 200 years, earning it the nickname "the Capital City" that locals still use today. Qing-era Tainan is also where a huge share of the city's temples and shrines come from, which is part of why the city feels so different from anywhere else in Taiwan.
The capital eventually moved to Taipei, and Tainan was under Japanese colonial rule (1895–1945) before Taiwan came under the Republic of China's control after WWII. Through all of it, Tainan kept its identity instead of losing it — which is probably why it's earned the nickname "the Phoenix City."
Today, Tainan is known as two things at once: Taiwan's oldest city, and its food capital.
Locals will tell you both in the same breath, and frankly, they're not wrong — this is the city where Taiwanese cuisine as we know it really took shape, and where old-city character and genuinely great food live side by side on every block.
Map of Tainan
Best Time to Visit
Getting Around
🚂 TRA
You can take the TRA to get in or out of the city. This is different from the HSR, which only runs on the West Coast. TRA runs all around Taiwan
🚄 HSR
Tainan's TRA station sits in the city center; the HSR station is further out of Tainan, so you’ll need to get a car ride over. Which is what we did to get from Tainan to Taichung
🚶♀️ WALKING
This city is pretty walkable and honestly the best way to see everything. Make sure to watch your steps cause the sidewalks are uneven.
🚕 TAXI/UBER
Easy backup for longer distances or late nights
Where to Dine
Experiences You'll Love
What's Nearby
Where to Stay
Taiwan Vlog
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thingstodointainan: Best Time to Visit Tainan
Wikipedia: Tainan
