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.
Related Entries:
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.
