Tainan City Guide

The Orient Pub (Táinán Dōngfāng 台南東方) An ever deceptive name, The Orient Pub is a night club and not a pub at all. Most people refer to it simply as The Orient, and often state those words with a modicum of guilt or derision. The nickname, The Dirty Orient, has also been muttered on more … Read more

Japanese-Era Shop-Houses Tainan has beautiful historic temples and attractive modern sky-rises, but through most of the city, the clutter of signs, shop-houses, and apartments are pretty unappealing to the eye. Lets face it. Much of what was built in Tainan from the fifties through the eighties is nothing short of ugly. Most apartments and shop-houses … Read more

Zhu Sanduo Temple (Zhù Sānduō Miào 祝三多廟) There is more beneath the Dongmen Road Bridge than a couple of bars, some train tracks, and the toxic tunnel. There’s also a little piece of the east side’s cultural history being overshadowed by the unsightly overpass. Easily over-looked, this little temple actually dates back to 1717, and … Read more

Beiji Temple (Bēijí Diàn 北極殿) Commonly translated as the “North Pole Palace” or “Arctic Palace,” Beiji Temple is Tainan’s premier place of worship for honoring the Emperor of Mysterious Heaven, known as Xuán Wǔ (玄武) or Xuán Tiān Shàng Dì (玄天上帝). The temple is one of Tainan’s oldest, dating back to the arrival Zhèng Chénggōng … Read more

Singda Harbor Fish Market (Xīngdágǎng Guānguāng Yúshì 興達港觀光漁市) If you’re looking for a good deal on fish, or just an excuse for an excursion down the coast, you should head to the Singda Harbor Fish Market. On top of being a great place to shop for seafood, the market is a lot of fun and … Read more

Xiao Bei Baihuo (Xiǎo Běi Bǎihuò 小北百貨) If you’ve lived in southern Taiwan for a while, you are probably more than familiar with Taiwan’s twenty-four hour everything chain store. If you’ve just arrived it would be good to assess where the nearest Xiao Bei is to your apartment, or choose your apartment by its proximity … Read more

Red Wolf Tavern The location of this bar within walking distance of the Armory has definitely helped its success. Many people hit both places on a Friday or Saturday night. While the Armory remains the mainstay of the expat community, the Red Wolf compliments it as a music venue and sports bar combined. The Red … Read more

Old Union Hall and Wu’s Garden (Yuán Táinán Gōnghuìtáng 原台南公會堂) Tucked into the middle of the city is the former garden of a wealthy 19th century businessman named Wu, and upon its grounds is the old Union Hall where town meetings were held during the Japanese period. The garden and hall were built for separate … Read more