2026年10月8日 星期四

Taitung in the News 台東的新聞 (South 南) 5


An Open Letter to Local Investigative Journalists: please, please, PLEASE continue to investigate the financial dealings of those running for (or presently occupying) public offices in Taitung County.  There's a lot of tourism and investment money flowing into this county, and many are using public offices for personal gain.


1. Beinan Township 卑南鄉

1a. No recent news out of Beinan, but I can tell you that the Zhiben Hot Spring Marathon will take place on November 1st.  I only know about this event because teachers and students in my school can join the 6K run for free. 跑吧 !  孩子  知本溫泉公益馬拉松



2a. A candidate for "village chief" (里長) was accused of bribing voters with rice and noodles.  The candidate in question was later arrested and released without bail.  The incident is still under investigation. 台東1里長參選人涉送白米賄選遭聲押  法院裁定無保請回

2b. There will be a large fireworks display in Taitung City during Double Ten Day.  Be prepared for traffic. 2026國慶煙火在台東 !  火煙施放時間 , 9大最大觀賞點 , 交通管制 , 市區景點順遊一次看

2c. The KMT candidate for Taitung County Magistrate Wu Xiou-hua recently inaugurated her campaign headquarters on Ssewei Road.  Ke Wen-je attended the event.  During hir speech Wu Xiou-hua complained of "judicial persecution" and "smear campaigns." 台東縣長參選人吳秀華成立競選總部  柯文哲朱立倫站台力挺 (1)



3a. A 58 year old man was run over by a cement mixer.  He was lying on a temporary road when the driver of the cement mixer, unaware of his presence, drove straight over him.  Both the deceased and the driver of the cement mixer were working on a river restoration project.  台東太麻里工地驚傳死亡事故  58歲板模工遭預拌車輾斃

3b. During the 4-day Moon Festival holiday the driver of another cement mixer lost control of his vehicle and plunged off the cliff next to Highway 9.  He was pronounced dead at the scene. 中秋連假又傳車禍死亡悲劇 !  台東太麻里鄉砂石車翻落邊坡70歲翁當場喪命

3c. The Shrfang ("10 Directions") Charity Association held an event in Taimali.  The article says they distributed "supplies" to local residents, but does not state what these supplies were. 十方慈善會偏鄉送暖 !  第四度深入太麻里  270戶家庭受惠



4a. No recent news out of Jinfeng.



5a. Someone in Dawu won $253 million in the lottery.  The owner of the winning ticket has not revealed his/her identity as yet, and I think that's the right thing to do. 全村尋找幸運兒 !  台東大武開出2.53頭獎  得主領獎了



6a. No recent news out of Daren.



7a. No recent news out of Green Island.



8a. No recent news out of Orchid Island.

This Entry's Words of Wisdom: A lot of people will be driving drunk this weekend.  Be careful on the roads.  Maybe YOU are OK to drive, but that doesn't mean other drivers are!

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1. There's a lot of money behind this candidate, and Ke Wen-je's presence at her event is telling.

2026年10月2日 星期五

Other Stuff to Do in South Tainan


So you've been to Fort Zeelandia (Anping Fort), and you've been to the Chikan Tower, and you've been to the more famous night markets and old streets; what else is there to do in south Tainan?


1. Museums

There are several great museums in south Tainan.  There might even be more good museums in south Tainan than in any other part of Taiwan.  Both the city and national governments have spent a lot of money on the museums of Tainan, and some of these museums are still quite new.

The most accessible of the museums discussed here is definitely the Chimei Museum, in Rende District, which can be reached on foot from the Bao'an Train Station.  The other museums will require a scooter or a car.

Some people hate the Chimei Museum.  In a way I get it.  It's housed in an extremely pretentious building, it's in a less convenient part of Tainan and the entrance fee is pricey.  Just the same I think it's worth visiting.  Kids (especially boys) love the weapons exhibit, and if the items on display reflect the founder's eclectic tastes that's all part of the fun.

The Zuozhen (Zuojhen) Fossil Park is much further outside the downtown area, in a rather scenic district close to the mountains.  It showcases a lot of that area's natural history while at the same time spotlighting the Siraya Tribe's presence in east Tainan.

The Museum of Archaeology, slightly closer to downtown, is probably one of the most overlooked museums in Taiwan.  It's not far from the TSMC facility in the Southern Taiwan Science Park, and it's one of the most impressive buildings you're likely to see in Tainan.  The same organization also runs the Prehistory Museum in Taitung, and there's a lot of overlap between the two museums.

Lastly there's the Garden and Old Waterworks Museum in Shanshang, a tiny district that doesn't have much else to offer tourists.  You can take a shuttle bus from the entrance and learn how the old water utility operated, and there's also a nice park surrounding the old waterworks.  It won't blow your mind or anything, but it's a nice place to spend an afternoon.


2. Nature / Local Geography

"Jaw-droppingly scenic?"  Most of the places below won't fit that description, though there are areas east of the Nanhua Reservoir that are very beautiful.

The most accessible of the places below is definitely Yuguang Island in Anping, which many tourists have visit without knowing its name beforehand.  It's the coastal part of Anping, and it's only a bike ride away from Fort Zeelandia.

For most of the other places here you'd need a scooter or (even better) a car.  Some of these places, like Tsaoshan (Caoshan) Moon World, are at the end of very windy, one lane roads, so drivers should exercise caution.

The Huxing Mountain Park and Nioupu Mudstone Soil and Water Conservation Park are both in Longqi, an underrated district if there ever was one.  The trails through both areas are very scenic, offering excellent views of local plants, rivers and lakes.

The Xinhua Forest Area and the Siraya Green Valley are both in Xinhua.  Both are much easier to get to, being east of Central Xinhua and accessible from a well maintained road.  I highly recommend a hike around the Siraya Green Valley if you get the chance.  It's like stepping backward into a former time.

Tsaoshan Moon World, at the southern end of Zuozhen, is one of the most scenic places discussed here.  It might remind you of Kaohsiung's Moon World, which isn't far away.  Avoid this area on foggy days; if it's overcast you won't be able to see much.

As said above, the area around the Nanhua Reservoir is extremely picturesque.  This aside it's FAR and not easy to get to.  A lot of this area is ecologically protected, so don't expect to be able to drive down all of the roads.

If you're in Nanxi the Yongxing Suspension Bridge offers a great view of the Dzengwen (Zengwen) River as it passes from Jiayi (Chiayi) County into Tainan.  The Meiling Scenic Area, also in Nanxi, has views of the same terrain.  The Meiling Scenic Area isn't the most accessible scenic area I've ever been to, and a lot of the services/businesses present there didn't survive COVID, but the views from the higher points are worth seeking out.

Yuguang Island in Anping won't change your life, but hey, the shells along the beach are fun and it's a nice place to put a foot or two into the water.  Most of Tainan's coastline has seen better days, but Yuguang still offers some convenient beaches within reach of downtown.

The section of Taijiang National Park in Annan is more of a mixed bag.  The better parts of this scenic area are definitely to the north, in Qigu, but there are still some nice wetlands to be found in the Annan part.  If you want to avoid tourists the Annan wetlands are better.  They might not come equipped with boat rides and grilled oysters, but they are quiet.


3. Cultural Excursions / Local History

There are some cultural/historic spots that are overlooked.  If you dislike museums - and plenty of people do - these might be a better option.

The easiest two places to get to are the historic sites in Chenggong (Cheng Kung) University and the Magistrate Residence Living Center, both in East District.  They're both an easy walk from the Tainan Train Station.

Further afield there's Datanpi in Guanmiao, a rather historic lake located next to a monastery.  The Japanese authorities "disappeared" a fair number of people living in and around this area during the Japanese occupation, and there are relics of this time period in Datanpi.

Not far from Datanpi is the Xinhua Old Street, a surprisingly lively old street in a part of Tainan that many tourists overlook.  In times gone by Xinhua was a center of trade where farmers and tradespeople converged.  It isn't exactly thriving now, but it's still a charming little town where local history lives on.

Much further east is theYiguandao Temple in Nanhua.  It's an amazing building that's still under construction, and likely to be so for years to come.  The views from its upper floors are stunning.

I'd recommend Xuankong Temple in Nanxi for many of the same reasons, though Nanxi's more conservative/traditional take on religion lacks the views that make the Yiguandao temple so impressive.  This said, there are some cool statues in Xuankong Temple, and it's located near the Yongxing Suspension Bridge.

Firmly within the confines of downtown Tainan are the historic sites/ruins in the Chenggong University campus and the Magistrate Residence Living Center to the south.  The Chenggong University ruins, which include a city gate dating back to the Qing (Ching) Dynasty, are easy to get to, and the Magistrate Residence Living Center - its resemblance to a giant gift shop aside - offers another glimpse of life in Taiwan during the Japanese occupation.


4. Food?

I won't recommend any specific restaurants because I can't think of any beyond downtown Tainan that would justify a trip just to eat there.  Downtown Tainan is awash in good food, and most of the food outside of the downtown area is just an inferior version of what you'll find downtown.  There are a couple notable exceptions that I can think of, but I don't think they'd be worth fighting traffic over.

It's not a meal, but the "Gua Gua Garden" (Kua Kua Yuan) Sweet Potato Eco Museum in Xinhua is worth visiting.  Part of this place is also a museum discussing the history of sweet potato farming in the area, and many of the snacks on sale are pretty good.  DON'T buy the sweet potato tea, but anything else for sale there is probably good.

If you like the Sweet Potato Tourist Factory you might also enjoy the Taiwan Golden Buckwheat Exploration Hall in Yujing.  Yujing is better known for its mangoes, but the golden buckwheat hall has a restaurant offering good food and a gift shop selling everything from buckwheat noodles to buckwheat beer.


5. None of the Above?

The Hutoupi Reservoir in Xinhua doesn't have any good food that I know of, it doesn't have much cultural relevance, and a lot of the nature to be found within it isn't all that natural.  Even so this recreation area/campground can be fun during the cooler months.  It's also conveniently located for those set on exploring surrounding districts.


6. Conclusion

I hope this entry encourages others to look beyond downtown Tainan.  Sure, there's a lot of cool stuff to do downtown, but Anping and West Central District aren't the end of Tainan's story.  Trips further out can be rewarding, and any trip away from the freeway is likely to involve less traffic and smaller crowds.

Let me know if there are any places not discussed here that you think merit inclusion.  South Tainan definitely has a lot to offer, and I don't think this blog entry is the last word on that subject.

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NOTE 1: "South Tainan" is here loosely defined as the districts south of the Dzengwen (Zengwen) River, and more specifically defined as Annan, West Central, Anping, South, North, Anding, East, Shanhua, Xinshr, Yongkang, Rende, Gueiren, Guanmiao, Xinhua, Loongqi, Zuozhen, Shanshang, Yujing, Nanxi and Nanhua districts.  Don't bother bringing up the salt thing in Qigu!  It's outside my jurisdiction!

NOTE 2: I've been to all of the places mentioned above in the last 4+ years.  Some of them I visited as recently as last weekend.

NOTE 3: What you'll find above is a far from exhaustive list.  There are places I left off because I think they're LAME, there are other places I left off because they aren't worth the effort, and there are still other places I left off because they seemed too weird for most people.

2026年9月24日 星期四

Kaohsiung in the News 高雄的新聞 (West 西) 10


As per my "rule of 10," this will by my last news entry for this area until I work my way through another city/county.


1. In Alian, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...an unresponsive man rescued from a burning house, a fire prevention activity, a director-general found guilty of graft, a truck driver who crashed into a breakfast stall and a water stoppage. 


2. In Yanchao, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...an old SUV that broke down in an intersection, a mysterious fall from a suspension bridge, the opening of a community service center, a meeting to discuss how tourism might be developed, a blood drive, roadwork on Anzhao Road, new insurance offered to banana farmers and a power outage.


3. In Hunei, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a man who drowned in a fish pond, the construction of a new apartment complex, a fearless elderly woman filmed stealing, the installation of steel guardrails along a canal, a community awarded for its environmental protection efforts and a ceremony to inaugurate a new athletic field.


4. In Qieding, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a visit from the mayor, ongoing drainage projects, a migrant worker who drowned in a river, a paintball activity at a junior high, vandalism of a casino operating under the table, the opening of an elderly care center, the arrival of black-faced spoonbills, the restoration of a wetland and a beach cleanup activity.


5. In Luzhu, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...the relocation of a cemetery, a fraudulent interior designer arrested, a local man fond of stealing gas from gas stations, an accident at a construction site, improved water service, a fire in a factory, plans to extend an MRT line, a man who staged a robbery and fled from the scene and a thunderstorm.


6. In Yongan, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...younger fish farmers looking to break into international markets, an effort to help local students understand the value of local fisheries, the implementation of a new land use plan, a truck driver who struck a utility pole, roadwork on Baoxing Road, locally raised grouper sold to Mos Burger and "leisure tours" of natural and historic sites.


7. In Gangshan, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a fire on the second floor of a house, an award given for the donation of fire alarms, a new iced dessert restaurant, a worker who got his arm stuck in a conveyor belt, an election declared invalid, a "basket activity," a case of child abuse and neglect and a fire at a steel foundry.


8. In Ciaotou, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a seminar on how to avoid conflicts of interest, the completion of a new skateboard park, a "mini Japanese cultural festival," a driver who crashed into a house, a survey conducted on the cost of rental properties, a worker buried alive by discarded clothes and ground broken on a subsidized housing development.


9. In Mituo, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a blood drive, a water shortage, a demonstration of photosynthetic bacteria, the opening of several drug control/treatment offices and a mobile Chinese medicine clinic.


10. In Dzeguan, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...anger over the perceived misuse of a port facility, a fire in a screw factory, visitors attracted by a cannonball tree, a DPP candidate's visit to a local temple festival and the painting of a mural.


11. In Dashe, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...road improvements, a prize awarded for the best Indian jujubes, trees knocked down by a typhoon, the setting up of a voter support association, a man arrested for brandishing a fire hydrant sign, the implementation of a "bus-style taxi" program, homeowners angered over the nonconsensual installation of solar panels and a fire in a house.


12. In Daliao, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...construction of an exercise park, an argument over the amount of a landfill-adjacent subsidy, protests over the construction of a solar power storage facility, a fire in a warehouse, a woman who fell from a building, work begun on a "social housing project," a scooter rider killed by a car and a landowner who built an illegal wall.


13. In Nandze, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a power outage, a "bomb" of uncertain provenance, a power outage, renovation work done on a park, a man filmed beating a dog with a stick, a forum on how to make the area safer for pedestrians, a lottery winner who failed to collect, a fire in an apartment building, a man who stole over 20 popsicles and a car that drove into a tree.


14. In Renwu, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...the resurfacing of a local road, a new route chosen for a new High Speed Rail line, a visit by a roast duck-bearing mayor, improvements made to Yida Second Road, a fire in a house, an auctioning off of properties, a driver who struck a row of scooters, a fire in a factory and free craft classes for residents.


15. In Dashu, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...an activity promoting locally grown pineapples and lychee, inspection of a water purification plant alongside a discussion of recent droughts, awards for "model mothers," two men who vandalized a motorcycle, the opening of a childcare center, hives stolen from a beekeeper, a fire, the export of lychee to Japan and Hong Kong and protests over a proposed road between Kaohsiung and Pingtung.


16. In Zuoying, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...work to improve traffic safety, a business owner who ran away from great debts and a sense of shame, a man who fell from a building, a fire in a refrigeration and air conditioning company, ground broken on a lower income housing project, a disgruntled scooter rider who damaged cars with a hammer and an online push for more strictly enforced traffic rules.


17. In Niaosong, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a scooter rider hit by a bus, a "bilingual carnival," a truck set ablaze and guided tours and nature walks.


18. In Sanmin, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a closing of superstores, a fire in a house, a woman who fell from a building, candidates canvassing the area, a water stoppage, roadwork on Dingyong Street, rezoning for future development and teams inspecting the safety of buses.


19. In Gushan, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a surge in real estate prices, increased borrowing to cover increased housing costs, a spring calligraphy activity, higher than average rainfall, an argument over the number of students at various schools, a murder following a case of arson, people ill over barbecue, construction of a new aquarium and a boy who fell from an apartment building.


20. In Qijin, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...residents without water, the distribution of red envelopes, an influx of paddleboarders, a traffic accident in front of a park, record setting temperatures, a large subsidy provided to improve flood control measures, a music festival, the opening of a new road and a beach cleanup activity.


21. In Lingya, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a power outage, a fire in a building, a truck that leaked oil all over the road, a fire in a vacant house, several students filmed bullying a classmate, a man who fell from a building, a search for investors, the opening of a Japanese donut franchise and the installation of more surveillance cameras along roads.


22. In Yancheng, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...the foreclosure of a hotel, a visit from a candidate and a food and music festival.


23. In Qianjin, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a power outage, two female police officers who helped push a car off the road, a dragon boat race, people stuck in an elevator, a fire at a seafood restaurant, a suicide, a rise in real estate prices, an exploding substation, and a "neighborhood leader" promoting a Thai-style hot pot restaurant.


24. In Xinxing, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...a murder/suicide, a restaurant owner who attacked two patrons, cash stolen from a cash register, a restaurant vandalized and a 94 year old man driving dangerously.


25. In Qianzhen, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...work done on a bridge, a councilmember who hosted a dinner for disadvantaged residents, a fire in a house, complaints over a turn zone for scooters, a motorcycle that struck a car at high speed, a large truck which deliberately crashed into three other vehicles, two fires in two different houses, a fire at a Carrefour and a truck that flipped over on a bridge.


26. In Fengshan, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...the most COVID cases, a fire in an apartment building, a possible slump in the local housing market, a fire in a house, a teacher who assaulted a coworker with a trophy, a worker crushed by a falling construction crane, a fire among parked scooters, a campaign rally and an elementary school student who threatened her classmates with a craft knife.


27. In Xiaogang, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...new surveillance equipment installed at intersections, a traffic accident involving five vehicles, a tree knocked over by heavy rains, construction of a new housing project, steel coils which obstructed an important road, a fire on a boat, scrutiny over scooter accidents on Yanhai Road, a fight at a temple festival, several scooter crashes and a Mother's Day activity hosted by a steel corporation.


28. In Linyuan, in the last 4+ years, there was/were...

...the widening of the road to Qingshuiyuan, a protest over a perceived expropriation of farmland, a man blinded by a liquor bottle in the midst of a fight, an ecosystem which rebounded, a candidate working towards a new MRT line, a company fined over a faulty compressor, complaints over truck traffic and idols placed aboard boats.

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NOTE: So many fires and people falling from buildings.  Buy fire insurance if you can.  Many of the people falling or leaping to their deaths happened during COVID.  Yeah, many of us weren't in the best frame of mind at the time.