Taiwan
Tainan
Taiwan's oldest city, full of temples, Dutch forts and the island's best snacks. Stay 2 days. We have mapped 4 sights, 2 places to eat and 1 bar or café here, each with a reason to go.
- Places
- 8
- Curated routes
- 1
- Best season
- Oct – Dec, Mar – May
- Warmest month
- July
- Coolest month
- January
- Wettest month
- August
4 See · 2 Eat · 1 Drink · 1 Shop
Taipei, Jiufen & Taroko
from our route notes
30°C / 85°F avg high
21°C / 70°F avg high
about 441 mm rain
Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.
Things to do in Tainan
8 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.
See
4 sights worth building a day around across West Central and Anping.
Photo: 赤崁樓 · GoogleSeeChihkan Tower (Fort Provintia)
Site of a 17th-century Dutch fort later rebuilt with Chinese pavilions.
Tip Evening lighting makes for good photos.
Photo: 張英斌 · GoogleSeeAnping Old Fort
Remains of Fort Zeelandia, the Dutch colonial base built in the 1620s.
Tip Walk to Anping Old Street for snacks afterward.
Photo: Venation · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: 臺南孔子廟 全臺首學 · GoogleSeeTainan Confucius Temple
Taiwan's first Confucian temple, built in 1665 with quiet courtyards.
Tip Fuzhong Street across the road is good for snacks.
Eat
Where we would book a table in Tainan in West Central.
Photo: 度小月擔仔麵 台南老店 · GoogleEatDu Hsiao Yueh
The 1895 original of danzai noodles, small bowls topped with shrimp and pork sauce.
Tip Order a bowl and move on; snack-sized portions are the point.
Photo: 六千泓佐牛肉湯 · GoogleEatTainan Beef Soup
Thin slices of raw local beef cooked by hot broth poured over, a Tainan breakfast staple.
Tip Go early; many shops sell out by late morning.
Drink
Our picks for a drink in Tainan in West Central.
Photo: Boris Lai · GoogleDrinkShennong Street
Lantern-lit lane of old shophouses with small bars, cafes and studios.
Tip Best after dark on weekends.
Shop
Markets and shops worth the detour in West Central.
Photo: Sin-siōng · CC BY-SA 4.0ShopHayashi Department Store
Restored 1932 department store selling local crafts, with a rooftop Shinto shrine.
Tip Ride the vintage elevator.
How to fit Tainan into a trip
Tainan is stop 4 of 4 on our Taipei, Jiufen & Taroko route. Follow it as-is or lift Tainan into your own plan.
Stop 4 of 4
Taipei, Jiufen & Taroko
Night markets, mountain towns and marble cliffs
- Trip length
- 9 days
- Best season
- Oct – Dec, Mar – May
- Pace
- moderate
- Before: Hualien and Taroko
Getting here and onward
- Hualien and Taroko to TainanHualien and Taroko is about 178 km / 111 mi away in a straight line
Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.
Tainan month by month
Average daily highs run from 21°C / 70°F in January to 30°C / 85°F in July. August is the wettest month, with about 441 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.
- Jan21° / 70°F average high
- Feb22° / 72°F average high
- Mar24° / 75°F average high, in our recommended season
- Apr26° / 79°F average high, in our recommended season
- May28° / 83°F average high, in our recommended season
- Jun29° / 84°F average high
- Jul30° / 85°F average high
- Aug29° / 85°F average high
- Sep29° / 84°F average high
- Oct27° / 81°F average high, in our recommended season
- Nov26° / 78°F average high, in our recommended season
- Dec23° / 73°F average high, in our recommended season
Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Tainan weather and the best time to visit →
Near Tainan
3 other destinations from our guides within about 300 km (186 mi), measured in a straight line.
Tainan questions, answered
How many days do you need in Tainan?
Our route notes suggest 2 days in Tainan. On our Taipei, Jiufen & Taroko route it is stop 4 of 4 in a 9-day trip. The listed visit times for our 8 places add up to roughly 7 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.
What is Tainan best known for?
Taiwan's oldest city, full of temples, Dutch forts and the island's best snacks. Stay 2 days. Standouts on our list: Chihkan Tower (Fort Provintia) (Site of a 17th-century Dutch fort later rebuilt with Chinese pavilions); Anping Old Fort (Remains of Fort Zeelandia, the Dutch colonial base built in the 1620s); Anping Tree House (Old merchant warehouse swallowed by banyan roots).
When is the best time to visit Tainan?
Our Taipei, Jiufen & Taroko route is best Oct – Dec, Mar – May. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in July (30°C / 85°F), the coolest in January (21°C / 70°F) and the most rain in August (about 441 mm).
What are the best things to do in Tainan?
Start with Chihkan Tower (Fort Provintia), Anping Old Fort, Anping Tree House and Tainan Confucius Temple. Our guide lists 8 places in all, from 4 sights, 2 places to eat, 1 bar or café and 1 shop.
Where should a group eat in Tainan?
Our picks: Du Hsiao Yueh (West Central); Tainan Beef Soup (West Central). Order a bowl and move on; snack-sized portions are the point (Du Hsiao Yueh).
What is near Tainan?
The closest destinations in our guides are Hualien and Taroko (about 178 km / 111 mi), Taipei (about 264 km / 164 mi) and Jiufen and Pingxi (about 286 km / 178 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.
Plan Tainan with your crew
Open the Taipei, Jiufen & Taroko route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 8 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.