Tainan is where Taiwan's written history starts: the Dutch built Fort Zeelandia at Anping in 1624, and the island's first Confucius temple went up here in 1665. Most visitors to Taiwan stop at Taipei and a crowded old-street day trip; Tainan gives you the old lanes, temples and snack food without the tour-bus crush. Fly into Taoyuan and take the high-speed train south, or fly into Kaohsiung and take a 40-minute local train. Old-town sights are walkable or a short bus or bike ride apart; Anping is a separate district by the sea. Give it three days.
When to go
November to March is dry (about 16-31 mm of rain a month) and warm (highs 23-28°C). June to August are the wettest months (350-480 mm) and typhoon season peaks July to September. Lunar New Year week, usually late January or February, brings domestic crowds and some closures.
Tainan right now and the next 7 days
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Tainan on the map
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The area
Getting there
Places to see
Day trips
Tainan · Open in Google Maps ↗
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Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
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On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Tainan in 3 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Anping Old Fort (Fort Zeelandia)1 h · ₹190 each · NT$70. Open 8:30-17:30 daily. The 1624 Dutch fort that started it all.
- 12:30Lunch break
- 13:30Anping Tree House & Tait & Co. merchant house1 h · ₹190 each · NT$70. Open 8:30-17:30. An old warehouse swallowed by banyan roots, five minutes from the fort.
- 15:00Chihkan Tower at dusk1 h · ₹190 each · NT$70. Open to 21:30, the latest of any Tainan monument. Built on the site of the Dutch Fort Provintia.
- 08:00Confucius Temple1 h · ₹110 each · Grounds are free. The main hall has a small fee, reported as NT$40; check at the gate.
- 09:30Sicao Green Tunnel raft30 m · ₹540 each · Bamboo raft through a mangrove tunnel in Taijiang National Park. Reported at NT$200 adult; weekday departures are few, weekends run every few minutes.
- 10:30Chimei MuseumHalf day · ₹540 each · NT$200 for the permanent collection (art, violins, arms, natural history). Open 9:30-17:30, closed Wednesdays. The park outside is free.
- Lunch on the way
- A slow morning before the journey home.
How to get to Tainan
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Airport MRT + high-speed rail
₹3,400Airport MRT commuter train to A18 (about NT$35), then HSR standard reserved NT$1,190 (non-reserved NT$1,150). Early-bird HSR seats can be cheaper. Price includes the Shalun train into town.
Flight + MRT + local train Cheapest
₹370Closer airport if you can get a flight into it. MRT to Kaohsiung Main Station (about NT$35), then a TRA local train to Tainan station, NT$102.
Shalun train Last leg
₹100TRA shuttle, NT$37. Lands you in the city centre, walking distance to the old town.
HSR shuttle bus H31 Last leg
Free for passengers holding an HSR ticket, per Tainan City's bus office. Passes the Chimei Museum.
Getting around once you're there
City bus
₹50NT$18 a segment. With an EasyCard, tap on and off: trunk lines are free for the basic distance and transfers from TRA trains are free within 2 hours (2026 city scheme).
YouBike 2.0
₹30Public bikes with docks across the city. Last confirmed rate was NT$10 per 30 minutes (2023); check the current Tainan rate in the YouBike app.
Taxi
₹230Metered: NT$85 for the first 1.25 km, then NT$5 every 200 m. Old town to Anping is a short ride.
On foot
FreeChihkan Tower, the Confucius Temple, Shennong Street and the Hayashi area are all walkable from each other.
Where to stay in Tainan
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Dorm
₹1,100/nightThe cheapest well-rated dorms start around here. Most hostels sit near the old town.
Budget room
₹1,900/nightThe cheapest rooms listed start around US$20-22 a night. Weekends and holidays cost more.
3-star
₹5,300/nightAverage 3-star rate is about US$62 a night. Stay near Chihkan Tower or the Hayashi area to walk everywhere.
4-star
₹8,600/nightAverage 4-star rate is about US$100 a night.
What to eat, and what it costs
Rice or milkfish congee breakfast
₹150Tainan's breakfast. Simple shops charge about NT$40-60; famous ones charge far more.
Danzai noodles, small bowl
₹160The city's signature snack. Bowls are small by design: order two dishes, not one big one.
Fresh beef soup
₹350Raw beef sliced into boiling broth, usually eaten early in the morning. Many shops were at NT$120 a bowl by 2023 and prices have risen since.
Things to do in Tainan
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Anping Old Fort (Fort Zeelandia)
₹190NT$70. Open 8:30-17:30 daily. The 1624 Dutch fort that started it all.
Anping Tree House & Tait & Co. merchant house
₹190NT$70. Open 8:30-17:30. An old warehouse swallowed by banyan roots, five minutes from the fort.
Chihkan Tower at dusk
₹190NT$70. Open to 21:30, the latest of any Tainan monument. Built on the site of the Dutch Fort Provintia.
Confucius Temple
₹110Grounds are free. The main hall has a small fee, reported as NT$40; check at the gate.
Sicao Green Tunnel raft
₹540Bamboo raft through a mangrove tunnel in Taijiang National Park. Reported at NT$200 adult; weekday departures are few, weekends run every few minutes.
Chimei Museum
₹540NT$200 for the permanent collection (art, violins, arms, natural history). Open 9:30-17:30, closed Wednesdays. The park outside is free.
Day trips and next stops
Kaohsiung
₹280TRA local train
Chiayi
₹350TRA local train
Alishan forest
₹1,000Train to Chiayi, then the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus
Taipei
₹3,600High-speed rail
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- June to September is the wet and typhoon season (FCDO: typhoons most active July to September). Watch Central Weather Administration warnings; sites and boats close in storms.
- Fixed hours: most monuments close at 17:30, and the Chimei Museum is shut every Wednesday plus some extra Wednesdays in 2026. Plan the big sights for mornings.
- The UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan, so FCDO says consular help is limited. Carry proper travel insurance.
Ways to spend less
- Arriving by high-speed train? Show your HSR ticket and the H31 bus into the city is free.
- Tap an EasyCard on city buses: transfers from TRA trains within 2 hours are free, and trunk-line buses are free for the basic distance in 2026.
- Do Anping in the morning (fort, tree house, Tait & Co.) and save Chihkan Tower for after dark, when it stays open till 21:30 and the day crowds have gone.
Before-you-go checklist
Tainan in pictures
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Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Tainan?
Jan–Mar, Nov–Dec is the best time. November to March is dry (about 16-31 mm of rain a month) and warm (highs 23-28°C). June to August are the wettest months (350-480 mm) and typhoon season peaks July to September. Lunar New Year week, usually late January or February, brings domestic crowds and some closures.
How do I reach Tainan?
Airport MRT + high-speed rail: Taoyuan (TPE) → Taoyuan HSR → Tainan HSR, 20 m + under 2 h, about ₹3,400 one way. Flight + MRT + local train: Kaohsiung (KHH) → Kaohsiung Main Station → Tainan, 20 m + 40-60 m, about ₹370 one way.
How much does a 3-day trip to Tainan cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹6,000 on a shoestring, ₹7,800 mid-range or ₹22,500 in comfort over 3 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is flight + mrt + local train (Kaohsiung (KHH) → Kaohsiung Main Station → Tainan) at about ₹370 each way.
How many days do you need in Tainan?
3 days is right for most people. That covers Anping Old Fort (Fort Zeelandia), Anping Tree House & Tait & Co. merchant house, Chihkan Tower at dusk, Confucius Temple without rushing.
Is Tainan good for families or solo travellers?
Tainan works best for solo, couples, groups, families. Solo travellers find it easy and cheap.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Tainan?
Easier than most of Asia: Taiwan has a strong Buddhist vegetarian tradition, and shops marked 素 (su) are fully vegetarian, often vegan. The famous Tainan snacks (danzai noodles, beef soup, milkfish) are not, so plan meals around the vegetarian buffets.
Will my phone and cards work in Tainan?
Buy a tourist SIM at the Taoyuan or Kaohsiung airport arrivals hall. Get an EasyCard too: it pays buses, trains, YouBike and convenience stores. Hotels, convenience stores and the HSR take cards. Old snack shops usually do not. Street-food stalls and small snack shops mostly want cash. Carry NT$100 notes and coins.
Sources and last check
Checked 11 October 2026. Fees, hours and rules change, so confirm on the official site before you pay.
- gov.uk OfficialFCDO: no areas advised against; limited consular support; typhoons from June, most active Jul-Sep. Updated 28 Aug 2026, current 11 Oct 2026
- historic.tainan.gov.tw OfficialAnping Old Fort NT$70 full / NT$35 half, 8:30-17:30 daily
- historic.tainan.gov.tw OfficialChihkan Tower NT$70 / NT$35, 8:30-21:30 daily
- historic.tainan.gov.tw OfficialAnping Tree House & Tait & Co. NT$70 / NT$35, 8:30-17:30
- historic.tainan.gov.tw OfficialEternal Golden Fort NT$70, 8:30-17:30
- chimeimuseum.org OfficialChimei Museum NT$200 general / NT$150 concession, 9:30-17:30, closed Wednesdays and listed 2026 dates; park free
- 2384.tainan.gov.tw OfficialTainan city bus: NT$18 a segment; 2026 free basic distance on trunk lines and 2-hour TRA transfer with e-ticket; HSR passengers ride H31 free
- en.thsrc.com.twHSR Taoyuan-Tainan standard NT$1,190, non-reserved NT$1,150; Taipei-Tainan standard NT$1,350
- taiwanhelper.comTRA Kaohsiung-Tainan local train NT$102 at post-June-2025 fares
- taiwanhelper.comTRA Tainan-Shalun NT$37
- taiwanhelper.comTRA Tainan-Chiayi local NT$131
- phys.ncts.ntu.edu.twAirport MRT T1 to A18 Taoyuan HSR NT$35 (2025 university guide)
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Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we sell nothing, take no commission, and every booking link goes straight to the provider. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 11 October 2026 · Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Andrzej Otrębski · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Mk2010 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Mk2010 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
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