Tainan City Profile

Once Taiwan’s provincial capital, Tainan is known for its over two hundred viewing temples and traditional Taiwanese culture. If you are a history buff, it’s the place for you. There are frequent parades and ceremonies and it has excellent art galleries. Tainan is also known for having the largest Christian population in Taiwan – about 10 percent of the city’s population. The tourism office has an informative website.

Population

1.85 million

Location

Tainan is located in southwest Taiwan, 30 miles north of Kaohsiung.

Weather

Summers are hot and humid with some afternoon thunderstorms. Winter is dry and sunny with cool temperatures.

Transportation

Tainan is easily reached from all major cities in Taiwan by buses and trains. Tainan is the starting point for the South Cross-Island Highway to Taidung, which has spectacular scenery and is much less traveled than the Central Highway. Trains to and from Taipei and Kaohsiung leave on regular schedules throughout the day. Although Tainan is not a major air hub, there is air service to Taipei.

There is evolving inner-city bus service available – search online for the latest details.

Places of Interest

Long considered a stronghold of Taiwanese culture, Tainan is a treasure for those interested in history and touring temples. With over 200 temples and a rich tradition of Buddhist parades and ceremonies, Tainan is a fascinating destination. Among the most interesting historical sites are the Confucius Temple, Great South Gate, and Anping Fort. For those more interested in the present, the New Phase Art Space and the New Life Art Gallery house collections of modern art, and we recommend the Golden Coast Highway for an evening visit when it is crowded with people, food stands, and fireworks displays.