Cafes, art galleries, fashion boutiques and B&Bs have flowered in the hub of Tainan's former Five Canals area, taking full advantage of the long, narrow, loft-like spaces in the former canalside shophouses. Wedged among them are small shop-sized temples, traditional workshops and crumbling homes. The 90m Shennong St is book-ended by the King of Medicine Temple to the west and the Water Fairy Temple inside a market to the east.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
26.94 MILES
This narrow island that acts as a buffer to the harbour and extends down the city coastline makes for a lovely day trip from the mainland. The main…
0.3 MILES
This lively temple once served as the palace of Ning Jin, the last king of the Ming dynasty. If you wish to confirm visually that a king's status is lower…
26.61 MILES
An attractive sprawl of old warehouses by the port is separated by tree-lined boulevards, and hosts shops, galleries and cafes. It's a wonderful place to…
16.91 MILES
Tianliao Stone Temple is a fantastical, Gaudi-esque interpretation of a Taoist temple by Southeast Asian migrant workers. The 500 men had been hired to…
26.84 MILES
One of Kaohsiung's few temples that made the national protected relics list is also its oldest Mazu temple. Cijin Tianhou Temple was constructed in 1673…
26.02 MILES
A remarkable museum in a unique location. From the '50s to the '70s this white building was a hostel for young men departing for compulsory military…
0.91 MILES
When you enter the temple, look up for the two large abacuses used to calculate whether you have done more good than bad in life; check out the most…
25.54 MILES
A true hidden gem, this private museum has a small but exceptional collection of sculpture and antiques by mid-19th- to 20th-century Japanese artists who…
Nearby Tainan attractions
0.05 MILES
Nature-worship temples are hard to come by, which makes this one dedicated to the God of Wind unique. The small structure was originally part of an…
0.09 MILES
A foreboding temple dedicated to the King of Medicine (sometimes erroneously translated as 'Drug Lord'), the first of its kind in Taiwan. It faces the…
0.13 MILES
Hidden inside a market named after itself, Shuixian Temple (literally 'Water Fairy Temple') is a far cry from the days when it was not only a place of…
0.24 MILES
This gate (1835) was part of Tainan's outer city walls in the Qing dynasty. You can see the coral stones in the base and the red bricks making up the low…
0.3 MILES
This lively temple once served as the palace of Ning Jin, the last king of the Ming dynasty. If you wish to confirm visually that a king's status is lower…
0.33 MILES
A fabulous gallery inside an attractive 50-year-old building. The three-and-a-half floors of space hosts well-curated exhibitions of works – paintings,…
0.36 MILES
This old second-run theatre (1950) is worth a look for the movie posters created by Master Yan Jhen-fa, the last such painter in Taiwan. You can see…
0.4 MILES
This is the oldest and most impressive temple in Taiwan dedicated to Guandi (Guan Gong), a Han-dynasty general deified as the God of War. He is the patron…