Tainan

Tainan is Taiwan's oldest city — its capital for over 200 years — and today its street-food capital. It suits history lovers and eaters, and pairs naturally with Kaohsiung, 15 minutes away by high-speed rail. November to March is the mild season in the south.

• Anping Old Fort, built by the Dutch in 1624, and the banyan-swallowed Tree House nearby
• Chihkan Tower and the Confucius Temple in the old city
• Eat down Guohua Street: danzai noodles, coffin bread, shrimp rolls — most bowls cost NT$50-100 ($1.50-$3)
• Shennong Street's lantern-lit historic lane at dusk

The high-speed rail from Taipei reaches Tainan in about 1 hour 45 minutes for around NT$1,350 ($42); from Kaohsiung's Zuoying station it is under 15 minutes. Tainan's HSR station sits outside town — a local shuttle train connects to the old city in about 25 minutes.

Most travellers visit Tainan as a full day from Kaohsiung or as the history stop on a west-coast route. In town, sights split between Anping by the coast and the old city centre — a taxi or the sightseeing bus loop links the two. Come hungry and come early: the famous dishes are breakfast-and-lunch food, and popular stalls sell out by mid-afternoon. See the full Taiwan guide for route ideas.