Tainan

A periodic night market in downtown Tainan, Flowers Night Market do not enjoy a history longer than Taipei's Shilin Night Market, Taichung's Fengjia Night Market, or Kaohsiung's Liuhe Tourist Night Market. In addition, the night market only opens on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and is closed on rainy days. Yet, in just 15 years or so, Flowers Night Market has quickly developed into the biggest night market in southern Taiwan. Now boasting nearly four hundred stalls, the night market provides delicious snacks, fashionable clothes, exquisite commodities, as well as entertainment. Tourists can find things to eat, drink, and play here. To attract the passing tourists' attention, vendors hang out flags high above their stalls. The flying flags thereby become one of the most prominent features of the night market.

The snacks in Tainan are generally great, so you need not to worry about having something terrible in the night market. Just pick what suits your appetites. In Flowers Night Market, you can find fried chicken breast (ji pai, 雞排), oyster omelets (ke za ijian, 蚵仔煎), beef rolls (牛肉卷), scallion pancakes (cong you bing, 蔥油餅), takoyaki (zhang yu shao, 章魚燒), eel noodles (shan yu yi mian, 鱔魚意麵), bubble milk tea, and so on. Some stalls only provide takeout food, so you have to sample the food while walking. Others have seats to eat in. Clothes here may not cater for young people's taste, but some small objects—dolls, mobile phone cases, and lighters—are sold in the night market. Other stalls provide entertaining facilities that can commonly seen in periodic night markets, such as arcade basketball machines, ring toss games, and balloon shooting. In the early days when the Internet and cable TV did not exist, these were the recreational activities many people were looking forward to after dinner.

Fort Zeelandia (安平古堡) is the oldest fortress in Taiwan, and the street that surrounds the fort, also known as Yanping Old Street (延平老街), is believed to be the very first one ever developed by the Dutch colonizers.

Anping Old Street is lined with traditional rammed earth houses (土角樓), low brick houses as well as Western mansions. Built using earth and stalks, these rammed earth houses are cool in summer while warm in winter, which were very common in the time when a large proportion of the population was engaged in agriculture. The rammed earth houses are strong enough to survive earthquakes but are not waterproof, so the outer walls must be covered with cement or straws to keep the rain away. Above the doors of these houses, you may notice some hand-painted images of lions with swords in their mouths. These are what we call “sword lions” who serve as the guardians to protect the occupants. During the Qing dynasty, the patriotic hero Zheng Cheng-gong (鄭成功), better known by his Hokkien honorific Koxinga (延平郡王), and his army were stationed in Anping. After the daily routines, soldiers returned home, hung the lion-emblazoned shields in front of their doors and placed their swords near the lion's mouth. A (smart enough) thief would know that this should be the last place to steal. It worked so well that local residents started to do the same. The sword lion therefore became a symbol of protection in Anping.

Tainan is the city of small eats and everything comes in miniature portions with a very affordable price tag, and you will find myriads of them on Anping Old Street, including, to name a few, fried wontons (扁食), shrimp rolls (蝦捲), milkfish soup (虱目魚湯) and deep-fried sandwich (棺材板). Many of you might be ambitious to try everything in one single day, but let’s face the music: it is almost impossible, simply because there are too many of them. Don’t forget to save your stomach for the yummy dessert. The soft, slippery black tofu pudding will surely delight everyone who has a sweet tooth. Besides yummilicious goodies, you will also be treated to traditional folk games, snacks and desserts on this street of gastronomical fun. Be sure to bring your kids along!

Judging from the name of the street, you can tell there is a temple worshiping the acclaimed the Great Emperor of Medicine, also known as Shennong (神農), on the street. To better understand the Chinese medicine, he tasted hundreds of herbs by himself and taught people knowledge about them. However, he died because of the poisonous plants he tasted and was worshiped as a deity after death. Yet the historical figure Shennong was not the reason why the street became famous. Shennong Street had been developed early, but because of complicated property right issues, many old houses were left disused after several generations. In fact, it is the vintage atmosphere and intact houses that draw some of the young art creators and ambitious entrepreneurs to run business here. Personal studios, cafes, and small bars are now standing on the street. Although the street is only a hundred meters long, the atmosphere it created has attracted quite a few photographers and bloggers to visit here, and the street gradually rises to fame in Tainan. Later, because crowds of people continue to flood in, there is even a stir fry eatery opened at the entrance of the street. More commercialized stores also pop up here. Yet these do not decrease people's fondness for the old street.

The street not too long features a few stores worth mentioning. For example, TAIKOO (太古百貨) is a small bar converted from a two-storey old house. In the narrow space, you can see vintage sofas with a touch of distinctive design. You can sit at the bar area playing with the old dolls on the table or have a small talk with the bartender. Or, carefully step on the wooden stairs to reach the second floor. You can lean on the balcony looking at tourists coming and going while having a hearty drink of beer. Another feature on the street is Shennong Bar (神農酒館), which has a more modern setting and an owner with strong personality. Even the owner himself has no idea when the store will be open. So it takes good luck if you want to have a drink at his bar. Anyway, the street does not have much special during the daytime. It is at the night that the stores open and the street gets lively. After finishing your dinner at Haian Road (海安路), you may take a stroll here to soak up the most trendy old street in Taiwan.

During the Dutch rule, the colonizers exchanged cloth for land owned by the plains aborigines. They set up commercial markets in Tainan, making the old city a business hub. However, in response to long-term oppression by the colonial Dutch forces, the local farmers rose up against the colonizers during the Guo Huaiyi Rebellion (郭懷一事件) in 1652. To prevent such uprisings from happening again, in 1653, the Dutch built up the Fort Provintia as the strategic military base and political center.

In 1661, the Dutch were defeated and expelled by the patriotic hero Zheng Cheng-gong (鄭成功), better known by his Hokkien honorific Koxinga (延平郡王), and the Fort Provintia became the island's highest administrative institution. Six months later, Koxinga passed away. His son ruled in his place, and the once-proud Fort Provintia was degraded into an ammunition depot. What’s worse, the fort didn’t survive the civil wars and natural disasters during the Qing dynasty – it was literally in ruins. Later in the late 19th century, several buildings were constructed on its original site. After several major renovations, finally in 1974, the Fort Provintia became what you see today, where the remnants of the castle, Wenchang Pavilion (文昌閣) and Haishen Temple (海神廟) can still be appreciated.

Besides the architecture, nine imposing “Bixi (贔屭) steles” built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong are also worth your attention. Bixi is depicted as a turtle with teeth, able to carry heavy stone tablets on its shell, lying on the ground with its head held high. At the end of 1786, the very first of Taiwan's largest rebellion broke out, and the Qing general Fu Kang-an (福康安) was sent to suppress the armed insurrection with a force of 20,000 soldiers. After his mission was accomplished, Qianlong Emperor (乾隆皇帝) wrote several poems and had them carved on these steles. With a long history of hundreds years, Fort Provintia has gone through many different periods of colonial rule. It is almost like a microcosm of modern Taiwanese history and very worth a visit if you happen to be a history buff.

Originally known as Fort Zeelandia, the 300-year-old Anping Old Fort is the very first fortress in Taiwan. In 1624, the Dutch colonizers built up this stronghold as the anchor point of early settlements in Tainan.

During the 38-year Dutch rule over the western part of the island, Fort Zeelandia served as an important outpost for Dutch trade with its colonial outposts in China, Japan and Southeast Asia. In 1661, the Dutch were defeated and expelled by the patriotic hero Zheng Cheng-gong (鄭成功), better known by his Hokkien honorific Koxinga (延平郡王), and Fort Zeelandia therefore became his residence as defence against the Qing. Until 1683, Taiwan surrendered to the Qing forces. The strategic military base was shifted to Fort Provintia (赤崁樓), and the defensive value of Fort Zeelandia accordingly diminished.

Fort Zeelandia may look derelict, but its remains of bygone days continue to whisper the history of prosperity and decline. For example, the 70-meter long stretches of the outer walls of the original Fort Zeelandia built from brick blocks mixed with glutinous rice, sugar and oyster shells can still be appreciated today. Remember, despite all the tempting good eats around the area, a visit to Anping is never complete without spending some time exploring the historic Anping Old Fort.

The Sicao Green Tunnel (四草綠色隧道), known as the ""Amazon River of Taiwan,"" is a must-visit attraction in Tainan. The highlight of this place is taking a bamboo raft to cruise through the green tunnel, which takes about 30 minutes. Each boat can accommodate around 50 people and travels to the deepest part of the tunnel, where the mangrove forest on both sides becomes even denser, creating a tropical rainforest-like experience.

During the boat ride, there are tour guides who provide explanations about the mangrove ecology along the way. The guides are very professional and use lively language to deepen our understanding of the mangroves. In the summer, there's no need to worry about getting sunburned, as sun hats are provided on-site. Next to the starting point of the boat ride is the Sicao Temple, and nearby, there is a small Bryde's Whale Museum where visitors can enter for free with their ticket stubs to see the specimens of stranded Bryde's whales and their calves.

It is recommended to purchase tickets online and then scan the QR code at the right side entrance of the temple on the day of the visit for convenient self-ticket retrieval.

Blueprint Culture & Creative Park may have been inspired by something as common as wall graffiti, but has now become one of the must-visit places for photography in Tainan. The story of this place is fascinating. After the graffiti on Haian Road was reported, much of it was removed, disappointing many who had appreciated its beauty. To allow visitors to once again enjoy Blueprint, Tainan City Government in collaboration with artists, has changed old Japanese government dormitories into a cultural park, with the hope of reproducing the original "beautiful accident." Following its opening in December 2015, Blueprint Culture & Creative Park already has a strong brand and business presence, allowing visitors to see many wooden artworks, postcards depicting Taiwan’s various streets and temples, and those that feature recorded sound, as well as cell phone cases and handbags printed with Tainan historic landmarks and tile designs. There is even a theater company in charge of organizing a talk show here!

The most eye-catching of all though is Blueprint (藍晒圖), located opposite Shin Kong Mitsukoshi’s Ximen store. Using tricks in perspective and blue and white patterned lines, the original piece painted flat against the architecture is made to become a three-dimensional work of art. Even though it has been reproduced in a different location from its original, the Blueprint still remains the best place for taking selfies. Although the park is small in size, every corner and every shopfront has its own characteristics that make it full of surprises, and the massive graffiti wall and diverse buildings somehow succeed at giving this park a celebratory atmosphere. Even if you do not buy things while you are here, but prefer to simply admire the ingenuity of the designers present, it still makes for an interesting afternoon. If you have been to Taipei’s Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Taichung’s Zhongxing First Lane and Kaohsiung’s Pier-2 Art Center, you might enjoy comparing Tainan’s very own creative offering!

Once a warehouse belonging to Tait & Co. Merchant House over a century ago, the Anping Tree House (安平樹屋) is now a popular landmark in the old city of Tainan, where giant banyan trees have taken over the abandoned building after years of neglect.

In 1845, after China’s defeat in the Second Opium War, the Qing government opened the Anping Harbor to foreigners, and the Scottish trader James Tait was one of the first to set up a merchant house in Anping. The Tait & Co. Merchant House was the biggest merchant house of its time, mainly engaged in the export of granulated sugar and camphor from Taiwan. Before these goods were loaded onto ships, they were stored in the warehouse, which is now known as the Anping Tree House (安平樹屋).

During the Japanese Colonial Era, the trade of camphor and opium was made a government business, which left these foreign merchants with no choice but to leave Taiwan – the Tait & Co. Merchant House was no exception. In 1911, the Tait & Co. Merchant House building was turned into an office and warehouse for the Japan Salt Company. After World War II, it became the offices for the Tainan Salt Works. In 1981, a major renovation was undertaken to bring this historic building up to date, while the renovation of the neighboring tree house was suspended for safety reasons. By 2004, the local government invited designers to gentrify the old warehouse for touristic consumption. They have built wood and metal staircases and viewing platforms, allowing visitors to wind through the trees and view the warehouse from up within the branches.

Having been overgrown with tree roots for the past century, this old warehouse was once thought of as a creepy place, but not anymore. Today, the Anping Tree House (安平樹屋) not only retains the feeling of an ancient ruin but also offers an adventure into a giant brick flower pot. It will surely be a delight for urban explorers and photographers alike.

Hayashi Department Store first opened in 1932 during the Japanese Colonial Era. It not only was the first department store with elevator in southern Taiwan, it was also the most popular spot throughout the entire Tainan City. Until today, the five-story steel structure still is eye-catching, but with the evolution of the society and times, the department store had to snuff out the last light. The good news is through collaboration between the government and local efforts, the renovation of this department store began its construction in 2006 and re-opened in 2014. Because the building design was that of an earlier time, the capacity of the entire building is under 500 people. That is why upon the re-open of the Hayashi Department Store, there has always been a long line in front of the entrance on weekends and holidays, with people who have been curious about this building that is close to a hundred years old, and elders who come to reminisce the past.

The reconstruction of the building kept most of the original interior designs, from the elevator, the floor materials, the stairways to the rooftop, and even the ceilings. Every single table, chair, and beams and columns in the department store is filled with the romance of history. This cultural based shopping mall has not only Taiwanese designer clothing, household items and traditional desserts, but also brings more fine cuisine and restaurants to the renewed version. Japanese izakaya, retro cafe, tea shop and desserts and be found in the building. On the rooftop, you can not only see the beautiful view of Tainan streets, but there is also a Shinto shrine built during the Japanese Colonial Era right on the top floor.

One of the must-visit alleys in Tainan, which becomes more beautiful at night, is ""Shennong Street"" and ""Haian Road (海安路)"". The ""Hai'an Road Art Street"" on Haian Road (海安路) exudes a strong artistic atmosphere, with many interesting installation artworks on the street. Many shops are located here, especially open-air cafes that have sprung up like mushrooms after the rain. Every evening, there are crowds of people coming in to chat and have coffee with friends, becoming a new trend in Tainan's culture, and also becoming a popular nighttime attraction for tourists.

This street has everything for late-night snacks, strolls, and drinks. Must-try street food includes: Hisakawa, Gansing Braised Delicacies, Jiaotangfeng, Chicken House, Shanghe Brown Sugar Pearl, and other delicacies. What's even more enticing here is visiting the bars and experiencing the tipsy atmosphere of the quiet night.