Asia

[Visited: February 2024]

One of the good things about Taiwan is that the infrastructure is very well organized. While the capital Taipei is located at the north side of the country, high speed trains can take you to the south of the island in less than two hours. We decide to first visit Tainan (meaning Taiwan South). After all, that is the oldest city of the country. When we get off after a comfortable ride, we discover that the high speed train station is far out of the city. We end up taking a taxi, drop our stuff in a new hotel in downtown Tainan, and then get to Anping. It is a suburb of Tainan, and the main reason to visit is that this is the cradle of the oldest city of Taiwan. Even though it is February, we feel surprisingly warm rays of sunlight. We walk through a street market, with market stalls on both sides of the street. You can buy snacks, and all kinds of objects. I cannot resist the temptation to buy a handmade dragon to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. It turns out that the entrance of Fort Zeelandia, the old Dutch fort, is at the other side, so we walk around the grounds and get glimpses through the fence.
After buying our tickets, we start our exploration of the fortress. In 1624, the Dutch arrived in Taiwan, or Formosa as it was then called, in search of a trading post. This turned out to be a great success and brought the Dutch big trading profits. Eventually, the Dutch managed to control the entire island. But in 1661 the Dutch were toppled by Ming commander Koxinga. The fortress and the settlement went into decline. What we see now, is a reconstructed fortress giving an idea of what the original one looked like. At ground level, we see an old wall overgrown with roots, and a circular construction which used to be the well providing the fortress water. It is simply known as Anping Fort. In the small museum, we see drawings giving us an idea of what the settlement looked like some 400 years ago. Outside, we walk to the adjacent Kaitai Tianhou Temple. My companion writes wishes on a paper, and puts incense sticks in three different burners. A friendly lady explains us how the temple works, and what we have to do. We can feel a spirit of peace and tranquility here, contrasting with the outside bustle of the street market. We walk a little to the west to see the sun sink in the sea before we take a bus back to the city where we have a lovely hot pot dinner in one of the many fancy restaurants in the city.
The next morning, we start by just cruising the streets of downtown Tainan. We see back alleys, with small shops and bars, intersected by busy streets with traffic. We meander through the city to the various points of interest we want to see. The God of War temple, which turns out to be a large complex with red lanterns, and many people praying or tossing red moon blocks on the floor to see if the gods will listen to their wishes. Incense fumes curl up from big burners. In the nearby Grand Mazu temple we see similar scenes. Once the palace of Ming prince Zhu, it is now a famous temple for the Chinese goddess Mazu or Matsu, Goddess of the Sea. From here, it is a short hop across the street to Chikhan Tower, which is housed in the other Dutch fortress Provintia. It has a lovely garden and stele carried by turtles. We continue exploring the city, find some attractive and hip places where we have a drink and lunch. We head south now, to the Confucius Temple. Built at the beginnin of the Koxinga dynasty in 1665, it still serves as an important centre of Confucian teachings. Some old instruments still used in ceremonies are on display in this spot of tranquillity in a busy city. Nearby, we find the big South City Gate, the only remaining such gate of the old city of Tainan. It only shows how Tainan has plenty of proof of its rich history, holding the title of oldest city of Taiwan, while also having a vibrant modern side. We realize this once more on our way back to our hotel where we pick up or stuff, to move on to Kaohsiung further south.

Around the World in 80 Clicks

inspiring you to travel

Tainan (Taiwan)

Tainan > Taiwan > Asia

[Visited: February 2024]

Around the World in 80 Clicks

Book your hotel in Tainan