Nanmen Weekend Flower Market
Nanmen Weekend Flower Market (Nánmén Jiàrì Huāshì 南門假日花市) There are many places to buy plants and flowers in Tainan, but the place to go for a bit of vibe with your flowers is the Tainan Flower Market. Located on Nanmen Road between the Confucius Temple and the Great South Gate, it is a convenient stop … Continue reading
Tainan Night Markets
Tainan Night Markets (Táinán Yèshì 台南夜市) Anyone will tell you that the essential Taiwanese cultural experience is a visit to any of the island’s numerous night markets. Pubs and night clubs are mere subcultures compared to the mass-assembly of nightlife in Taiwan’s night markets, and many Taiwanese never tire of braving the crowds. Tainan is … Continue reading
Singda Harbor Fish Market
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 … Continue reading
Everything Store – Xiao Bei Baihuo
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 … Continue reading
Shinkong Mitsukoshi Department Store – New Life Square
Shinkong Mitsukoshi Department Store – New Life Square (Xīn Guāng Sān Yuè 新光三越) Shinkong Mitsukoshi is the largest of the upmarket department store chains in Taiwan. The company is a collaboration of the Japanese department store chain Mitsukoshi Ltd. and the Taiwan-based Shinkong Group. The goal of this chain is to provide Taiwan with top … Continue reading
Central Shopping District
Central Shopping District Just outside of Tainan Railway Station is the heart of Tainan’s commercial district. The bulk of shops and eateries run between Beimen Road (北門路) and Zhongshan Road (Jhongshan 中山路), fanning south in a triangular shape and ending at Qingnian Road (Cingnian 青年路). Minzu Road (民族路) bisects this area, putting it at the … Continue reading
Zhongzheng-Guohua Shopping District
Zhongzheng – Guohua Shopping District (中正路跟國華街) When I ask most young Tainan residents where they buy clothes, they almost always say Zhongzheng Road. Perhaps this street doesn’t look any more shop-infested than other streets in the city, but the stores here do seem a lot busier – especially at night. Perhaps history drives people to this street. Zhongzheng … Continue reading
Fuzhong Street
Fuzhong Street (Fǔzhōng Jiē 府中街) Just across Nanmen Road from the Confucian Temple, you will see a large stone arch. It is the Pan Gao Stone Arch ( 泮宮石坊), which was built in 1749 and once served as an entrance to the temple. It is now the entrance to Fuzhong Street, a European-style pedestrian street that makes for a nice … Continue reading
Old West Gate Market
Old West Gate Market (Xīmén Shíchǎng 西門市場) I passed by this old crumbling relic several times before I took the initiative to go in and check it out. The visible facade is on a little lane called Zhengxing Street that runs between Ximen and Haian near Minsheng Road. The building particularly stands out because it is a veritable ruin stuck in … Continue reading
Home Decoration – Big Box Stores
Hola Home Furnishings Home Decoration – Big Box Stores I’ve never been a fan of how big box stores affect small business and local culture, but I’ve also never been a fan of not finding what I want. While Tainan doesn’t have an IKEA, you can do some pretty easy one-stop shopping at a collection of big box stores … Continue reading
Tainan City Guide 