Must-see attractions in Tainan

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…

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…

This horticultural Eden is a home with a fantastical garden overrun with plants, and seeds, seeds, seeds – some 500 species, most endemic to southern…

This serious and excellent museum details the development of Taiwanese literature from the time of the pre-Han indigenous peoples to the modern era…

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,…

In focus here is Koji pottery that is used to embellish roof ridges and walls by sculptor Ye Wang (1826–87). The first such artist to be born in Taiwan …

Taiwan's eighth national park, Taijiang covers a patchwork of coastal lands north of Anping Harbour. The 50 sq km of land and 340 sq km of sea include…

Built in 1666 by the son of Ming loyalist Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga),Taiwan's first Confucian temple and official school is quiet, dignified and coloured…

This art deco department store from the 1930s has been so beautifully restored that it's worth going in just to ascend the sweeping staircase, peer…

The neoclassical-style Land Bank dates from 1928. Japanese architects were heavily influenced by western ideas at the time and neoclassical revival was a…

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…

Eight kilometres north of the city centre of Tainan, this three-storey museum is a good introduction to the ethnocultural history of Taiwan. The visually…

To the right of the Anping Fort entrance (with your back to the fort), you’ll find some of the oldest streets in Taiwan. As you wander about, look for…

Tainan's largest art village is this awesome 7.5-hectare Japanese-era sugar refinery run by award-winning native percussion group, Ten Drum (十鼓). You can…

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…

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…

The magnificent Ciji Temple in the town centre of Xuejia worships the God of Doctors (保生大帝; Bosheng Dadi), a deified medical practitioner from Fujian who…

The merchant house was built in 1867 and holds a permanent exhibit of household artefacts from the 17th century. Through a series of decorated rooms, the…

Created by Japanese architect and Pritzker Prize–winner Ban Shigeru, Building 2 of the Tainan Art Museum has a dozen galleries spread over five floors…

This sleek and poised Japanese building next to the Confucius Temple was a butokuden, a place where the Japanese taught and promoted martial arts such as…