Top 8 Exquisite Destinations Ideal for Backpacking in Tainan, Taiwan

Stepping out of the train station, the first thing you'll notice is the fantastic weather here, cool breeze and gentle sunlight. The streets are clean, the houses feature simple yet graceful architecture, with not too many skyscrapers but still retaining a modern vibe. After a ten-minute walk from the train station, you'll come across Tavern L Hostel tucked away in a corner of Tainan. As you step inside, the hostel feels more like a cozy café, not overly spacious but beautiful, compact, and eye-catching. You might encounter some communication difficulties if you're not fluent in the local language, as the staff here seems to have limited proficiency in English. However, don't worry because they are extremely enthusiastic and helpful, ready to assist you in any way possible.

The room rates at the hostel are quite affordable for backpackers, the rooms are lovely and equipped with all the necessary amenities for your stay. The airy rooms, along with the balcony where sunlight streams in every morning, will uplift your spirits and prepare you for the day ahead. Moreover, the small potted plants will provide you with a sense of peace, relaxation, and fresh air. This hostel isn't very large, with rectangular floor plans of around 50m2 per floor, but it's tall, spanning 6 stories. From the outside, it resembles more of a vintage-style café, with bottles of wine and beer displayed on the shelves below that are all used bottles. However, the staff here are very enthusiastic and have many fun, creative games. They even have evening parties, but I'm not sure about that because I went out in the evening and didn't stay here. These beer bottles they serve are self-made, so the simple string lights look very romantic.

When it comes to the night markets in Taiwan, there are plenty of delicious dishes that captivate the taste buds of tourists. However, it's advisable to inquire about the prices of the dishes here as they are not exactly budget-friendly compared to a typical street food tour elsewhere. The simplest way to experience the local culture during your trip to Taiwan is to visit the bustling night markets. Just stroll around the night markets in Taiwan, and you'll be 'mesmerized and forget the way back,' with enticing aromas wafting from various foods, from grilled dishes and seafood to 'exotic' dishes made from snakes. Not only that, for fashion enthusiasts, there are countless items waiting for you here.

The night markets in Taiwan are among the most famous destinations that you must experience when traveling to Taiwan. While strolling through the night markets, you can enjoy the most famous street foods in Taiwan. Although Taiwanese cuisine is heavily influenced by central and southern Chinese cuisine, the most famous dishes of this island still have their own unique flavors. The most famous dish in Taiwan is beef noodle soup, but the most beloved dishes also include seafood, pork, tofu, or chicken...

If Hanoi boasts its famous Old Quarter, then Tainan has Anping Old Street, which is a large complex near the sea with plenty to explore, including historical sites, ancient houses, and even night markets. Transportation in Tainan is somewhat limited as there is no MRT, mainly relying on buses. However, the bus system here is quite extensive, and the city is small, making it convenient to travel everywhere. Note that Tainan has two bus systems within the city: one is called the City Bus serving locals with 6 main lines (blue, green, brown, orange, yellow, red), and the other serves tourists visiting Tainan, including the Anping Line-88 and Taijiang Line-99. Typically, you only need to pay attention to buses 88 and 99 as these two lines will take you to almost all the tourist attractions in Tainan.

The streets of Tainan have many intersections, so it may take you nearly an hour to reach Anping Old Street, stopping at Anping Old Fort. It's quite spacious and enclosed, with a small museum inside preserving artifacts, maps, and paintings of this landmark from hundreds of years ago. In Anping, you'll find numerous eateries lining the streets, and the food prices here seem higher than elsewhere. This is a quite famous old street in Taiwan. Not only does it offer many picturesque scenes for your photos, but it also boasts a variety of typical Taiwanese street foods worth trying or adding to your must-visit list when traveling to Taiwan.

Old books are treasures, preserving the essence of time and humanity's knowledge. Taiwan can be described as one of the cities with a high consumption of books. Besides numerous new bookstores, there are also quite a few old bookstores, as the demand for ancient books, whether for collection or for seeking necessary knowledge, is on the rise. If you're a book enthusiast, you might fall in love with old bookstores that exclusively sell books published long ago.

Reading books is not just a means of accessing information but also a cultural activity, known as reading culture. It's an attitude, a way we interact with knowledge, books. Books are the widest gateway to access information, culture, and knowledge. Reading books is one of the ways to relax, accumulate knowledge, and enhance thinking abilities. You'll discover intriguing things in these bookstores in Taiwan, so don't hesitate to visit them despite the language difference!

Beyond its stunning natural landscapes, Taiwan is also a land that preserves some of the most unique traditional cultural values. One of these values is its renowned pottery villages. Traditional craft villages are always where the most beautiful essence passed down from our ancestors is retained. Through carefully crafted products by skilled artisans, the beauty of the country is etched and engraved upon them. Whether it's cups, vases, or other items, they all carry the most beautiful and exquisite craftsmanship of the artisans who create them. You can visit to see how the locals here make them and jot down in a small notebook to gain more interesting insights into the kind-hearted, hospitable, and hardworking people of Tainan.

Oanh Ca Pottery Town stands as an epitome of the beautiful traditional craft industry of Taiwan. For Taiwanese people, this is not just an ordinary traditional craft village, but also an attractive tourist destination, where you can learn interesting things about pottery and about an ancient art profession, as well as understand how much effort and time it takes to create a ceramic masterpiece. Besides exploring and learning about the pottery-making process, visitors to Oanh Ca Pottery Town can also admire the remarkable art museum dedicated to ceramics. At the museum, visitors will be provided with complete information about the ceramic-making process, exhibitions ranging from snake and wood kilns used for firing, to the influences of Japanese, Chinese, and Dutch ceramics on Taiwanese ceramics. Special exhibitions then point the way to the current direction of Taiwan's ceramic industry.

Tainan is a centrally-governed city of Taiwan. It is the fifth largest city in Taiwan, after Taipei, New Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan and was the capital of the island during imperial times. It is famous for its temples, historic buildings, and snacks. When you stop by these cafes, you not only get to enjoy the delicious aroma of coffee, but also experience music, movies, and the art of beautiful landscapes and poetic flowers. If you're a fan of 'instagrammable' spots, you'll be thrilled to stroll through the colorful streets adorned with cute and lovely drawings, and to visit cafes with simple yet beautiful decorations, fantastic views, and convenient for working.

When visiting Tainan, most people explore the old streets as they are considered the cultural highlights of the city. Additionally, tourists can visit eco-tourism areas suitable for family outings on weekends. It's one of those places with old streets that exude a great charm for both domestic and international tourists. Here, tourists can encounter many old streets, hundred-year-old houses, and a city with a strong vintage vibe, nostalgic atmosphere, and peaceful surroundings. Don't forget to capture your memories in Tainan through some amazing photos!

After wandering around the downtown area, you can spend the remaining time exploring the outskirts, where you'll find the Sicao Green Tunnel and Qigu Salt Mountain. To get there, take bus 99, a tourist bus that goes directly through the Sicao Green Tunnel and ends at Qigu Mountain. This bus stops quite frequently, so it might take you over an hour to reach Qigu. Along the way, you'll enjoy many scenic views on both sides of the road in Tainan, especially in the peaceful and clean outskirts. If you're interested in boating on the Sicao Green Canal, get off at the Sicao Green Tunnel pier, where many families gather for weekend outings and rent boats.

Qigu Salt Mountain is a small white mountain, about 20 meters high, which appears like a peculiar grayish-white mountain covered with the purest layer of salt crystals on its peak. Qigu Salt Hill in Tainan is one of the largest and newest salt production areas among the seven salt production areas in Taiwan, covering an area of over 2,700 hectares and at its peak producing 110,000 tons of salt per year. Situated on an area of ​​over 2 hectares, Qi Gu Salt Mountain has a unique structure that perfectly matches its name, appearing captivatingly white and resembling snow-capped mountains from a distance. There are also designed steps for tourists to easily climb to the top of the mountain for the best views.

The Chimei Museum is located about 10km from the city center of Tainan. The easiest and most comfortable way to get there is by train. From Tainan Station, you can buy a ticket to Baoan Station – just one stop, and the fare is $15 NTD. On weekends, you may easily encounter Vietnamese migrant workers gathering in front of Tainan Station to raise funds for their fellow Vietnamese back home. They wear red-and-yellow flag shirts and converse in Vietnamese. Also, during weekends, there are many Vietnamese people out and about, so it's not uncommon to hear Vietnamese spoken at Tainan or Baoan Station.

The Chimei Museum boasts a distinctly European architectural style with an extensive collection of Western art, musical instruments, weaponry, and natural history. The museum is renowned for having one of the largest collections of violins in the world, as well as collections of ancient weapons and Western sculptures. Inside, it feels like a spacious park attracting a diverse crowd, from families to couples and groups of friends, along with many tourists. According to Bill's observation, people from other cities in Taiwan, such as Taipei or Kaohsiung, also enjoy visiting here on weekends. Taiwan's railway system is quite efficient, making travel between cities relatively easy.