Tainan Airport
Tainan Airport (Táinán Jīchǎng 台南機場) Does Tainan even have an airport? Well, for those of us who are woken up daily by the screech of F-16s, it should come as no surprise that Tainan does indeed have an airport. At this time, however, there are no international flights and even domestic flights have become quite … Continue reading
National Cheng Kung University
National Cheng Kung University (Guólì Chénggōng Dàxué 國立成功大學) Many foreigners arrive in Tainan as either a student, guest lecturer, or visiting faculty at National Cheng Kung University; however, the school also holds interest for those outside of the academic world. Like many universities, the campuses of NCKU are full of culture, history, and nice places … Continue reading
Tainan High Speed Rail Station
Tainan High Speed Rail Station Traveling along Taiwan’s west coast is a quick and easy affair due to the high speed rail. The Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation started service for their high speed trains in January of 2007, and the Tainan HSR Station has been part of that route since the beginning. Traveling at … Continue reading
Tainan Police Headquarters
Tainan Police Headquarters While the spic n’ span condition of this building might make you think it is relatively new, the headquarters of the Tainan Police Bureau on Nanmen Road is actually an old heritage building dating from 1931. Located just across the road from the Confucian Temple and the Prefecture Hall, this functioning police … Continue reading
Tainan City Bus Service
Tainan City Bus Service The streets of Tainan aren’t exactly stuffed with buses. This is excellent news if you’re traveling by your own mode of transportation, but not so great news if you’re dependent on buses to get around. Those who live in Tainan quickly learn that having your own mode of transport is quite … Continue reading
Old Nippon Kangyo Bank (Land Bank)
Old Nippon Kangyo Bank The old Tainan branch of the Nippon Kangyo Bank is proof that when the Japanese tried to implement modernization in Taiwan, they looked heavily to the Western World. Using Neoclassical architecture for banks was typical in the 19th and early 20th century in the US and throughout Europe. The rows of … Continue reading
Tainan City Public Parking Management
Tainan City Public Parking Management Unless you drive a car you may never need to enter this place. You can seemingly park a scooter anywhere in the city and don’t have to pay fees unless you manage to get yourself towed. While cars seem able to get away with staying double-parked for hours, there is some enforcement … Continue reading
Fire Brigade (Old Tainan Joint Government Offices)
Fire Brigade (Old Tainan Joint Government Offices) I’ve always liked the old fire station across from Minsheng Green Park. In fact, it is second only to the Tainan Railway Station as my favorite city services building in Tainan. Perhaps I like them both so much because they are so similar. They were both built during the same decade of … Continue reading
Tainan Motor Vehicles Station
Tainan Motor Vehicles Station The Tainan Motor Vehicles Station is the place to go for vehicle inspections, license plates, registrations, and of course getting your driver’s license. I am probably one of the few foreigners in Tainan who actually has his scooter license. Arguably, you can get away with not having one if you have a little luck, … Continue reading
Tainan City Immigration Office
Tainan City Immigration Office Tainan has one of the quirkiest little government buildings I’ve ever come across. This posting of the Taiwan Immigration Agency is inside what looks like a Euro-themed love hotel. Decorated with classical statues and rococo ornamentation, this is a building that begs to be either loved for its eccentric charm or scoffed at for its laughable ostentatiousness. … Continue reading
Tainan City Guide 