Tainan

Taiwan’s food capital

About Tainan

To locals, Tainan is known as the food capital of Taiwan and after trying some of the local specialties, we think you will agree!  One of the original trade locations with the Dutch and a major sugarcane producer several hundred years ago, many people say food in Tainan is a little bit sweeter than the rest of Taiwan.   In addition to its culinary prowess, Tainan also has its own unique vibe that is quite different from some of the other big cities.  The Taiwanese Minnan language is very prominent and you’ll hear it almost as much as Mandarin, but don’t let it stop you from trying to strike up a conversation with locals.  They’re very friendly and always happy to talk!

Access

Take the high speed rail from Taipei or Kaohsiung to Tainan HSR station.  From there it’s just a short bus or taxi ride into the city.  If you aren’t comfortable with navigating the bus system, we found that the taxis aren’t too expensive, but just make sure to ask for an estimate of the price in advance before getting in the cab.

Alternatively there is an airport that you can fly into, but honestly nothing beats getting a lunchbox (“bian-dang”) and enjoying some scenery on the HSR.

Where To Work

Tainan is a pretty large city so there are a variety of coworking spaces, but here is one that we found particularly convenient:

• Hour Jungle
  The website written almost entirely in Chinese is a bit foreboding, but the staff are friendly and from our experience they generally allow drop-ins.  There are several locations around the city.
  

Accommodations 

Tainan has a very large selection of Airbnbs and short term stay options.  You should have no problem finding an accommodation.

Things To Do

• Night Markets (like every city in Taiwan!)
• Chimei Museum
• Anping Old Street and the Anping Fort

What To Eat

• Sticky Rice with Pork (“Mi-gao”)
• Eel Noodles (“Shan-yu Yi-mian”) – If you are feeling adventurous 😀
• Beef Soup (“Niu-rou-tang”)

Difficulty Level:  Medium

Although access to the city is fairly simple, the bus system can be a bit more difficult to navigate than the metros available in other big cities like Taipei and Kaohsiung.  There is also less English available, but on the other hand, that makes for the best kind of environment to learn Chinese!