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    South Taiwan
    Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Taiwan

    South Taiwan

    RegionCultureCulinaryBeach

    The south is warmer, more leisurely, and for many, the culinary heart of Taiwan. Tainan, the island's oldest city, the port city of Kaohsiung, and the beaches in Kenting National Park are only a few hours apart.

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    7. South Taiwan
    The south is warmer, more leisurely, and for many, the culinary heart of Taiwan. Tainan, the island's oldest city, the port city of Kaohsiung, and the beaches in Kenting National Park are only a few hours apart.In Tainan, the Dutch founded Fort Zeelandia in 1624; later, the city was long the island's capital. Kaohsiung is the terminus of the high-speed rail from Taipei and the starting point for buses to the southern tip. There lies the Kenting National Park, founded in 1984, Taiwan's oldest national park.
    To the south, three distinct destinations are close by: Tainan's Old Town (forts, temples, street food), the port city of Kaohsiung (metro, art district, ferry to Cijin), and Kenting National Park's beaches. The HSR stops in Tainan and ends at Kaohsiung's Zuoying station; express buses from there reach the south tip in ~3 hours.
    Tainan

    Place 1 of 4

    Tainan

    Tainan in the southwest is Taiwan's oldest city and was its political center for centuries. Those interested in history, temples, and traditional street food will find more here in a compact area than anywhere else on the island.

    Tainan is Taiwan's oldest city and, since 2010, a special municipality that includes its former county. There's no metro, but many historic sites in the old city are within walking distance, and city buses reach the outer districts.

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    Kenting National Park

    Place 2 of 4

    Kenting National Park

    Kenting National Park encompasses the southernmost tip of Taiwan on the Hengchun Peninsula, about 90 kilometers south of Kaohsiung. It marks the island's tropical end with beaches, coral limestone cliffs, and forests, perfect for a few days by the sea.

    The national park occupies the tip of the Hengchun Peninsula. The main town is the small city of Hengchun, with a bus station and scooter rentals.

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    Kaohsiung

    Place 3 of 4

    Kaohsiung

    Kaohsiung is a major port city in southern Taiwan and the terminus of the high-speed rail from Taipei.

    Kaohsiung is the largest city in southern Taiwan and a key port. Two metro lines and a ring tram (closed since 2024) link the airport, high-speed rail, and port, so you get around well without a car.

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    Penghu Islands
    Tslai / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Place 4 of 4

    Penghu Islands

    The Penghu Islands, situated in the Taiwan Strait, are Taiwan's archipelago: around 90 islets boasting basaltic coasts, white beaches, and heart-shaped stone fish traps.

    Penghu consists of around 90 islands, its main town and arrival point is Magong. The four main islands—Magong (Huxi), Zhongtun, Baisha, and Xiyu—are bridged together and can be explored in a day.

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    Eating and Drinking

    Tainan and Kaohsiung are top destinations for authentic Taiwanese cuisine, with many eateries recommended as Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide.

    Danzai Noodles

    Small noodle bowls, a Tainan classic, such as at Du Hsiao Yueh.

    Milkfish and Beef Meat Soup

    In Tainan, start your day at A Hsing or A Xing with milkfish or beef soup.

    Rice in bamboo tube

    The Bei Gang Tsai Rice Tube in Kaohsiung has served bamboo-tube rice since 1956.

    Cradle of Taiwanese History

    In Tainan, the island's recorded history began: In 1624, the Dutch built Fort Zeelandia; in 1665, the Confucius Temple was established. The city was long the island's capital, a legacy visible in its old town's temples and alleys.Kaohsiung, with its Pier-2 Art Center in old harbor warehouses, presents itself as a cultural city. At the southern tip, the fortified Eluanbi Lighthouse from 1883 recalls the dangerous waters off the coast.

    Exploring the South

    Tainan: Shuttle train from Shalun, next to the HSR station, to the city center in about 20 minutes.Kaohsiung: Red and Orange Metro Lines, plus the Circular Light Rail; transfer at Zuoying HSR Station.Kenting: Kenting Express 9189 from Zuoying; on-site scooter or shuttle bus.

    Round trips through this region

    Taiwan around the island in 16 days

    The tour starts in Taipei with temples, museums, and night markets, then proceeds to the gold mining town of Jiufen. High-speed train to Taichung, bus to Sun Moon Lake, then into the Alishan mountains with its historic forest railway. The south offers Tainan's Old Town, the port city of Kaohsiung, and Kenting National Park's beaches. Back north via Taitung's East Rift Valley and Pacific coast to Hualien, gateway to Taroko Gorge, with some paths closed since the 2024 earthquake.

    16 Days
    10 stops

    Nearby

    Kaohsiung

    Kaohsiung

    Kaohsiung is a major port city in southern Taiwan and the terminus of the high-speed rail from Taipei. The city boasts a revamped harbor district filled with art, colorful pagodas on Lotus Lake, and a short ferry ride to Cijin Island, home to beaches and seafood restaurants.Near Zuoying Station on Lotus Lake stand the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, which, according to tradition, you enter through the Dragon's mouth and exit through the Tiger's. In the former warehouse district by the harbor, the Pier-2 Art Center has established itself with galleries, installations, and cafes. Formosa Boulevard Metro Station is renowned for its glass dome, the Dome of Light, and the Liuhe Night Market is located nearby.
    Tainan

    Tainan

    Tainan in the southwest is Taiwan's oldest city and was its political center for centuries. Those interested in history, temples, and traditional street food will find more here in a compact area than anywhere else on the island.The Dutch East India Company erected Fort Zeelandia in 1624 in today's Anping district; its remains are now known as Anping Fort. After Koxinga expelled the Dutch in 1662, the city served as the seat of his kingdom and later, under the Qing, as the capital of Taiwan Prefecture. The Confucian Temple, built in 1665, is considered the island's first Confucian academy, and the city boasts more Buddhist and Daoist temples than any other in Taiwan.
    Luye

    Luye

    Luye, located in the East Rift Valley north of Taitung, is accessible by train and especially known for its hot air balloon festival, which attracts thousands of visitors in summer. The high plateau Luye Gaotai offers expansive views over the valley. Like Chishang, Luye is well suited as a quiet base in the east.
    Taitung and Huadong Valley

    Taitung and Huadong Valley

    Taitung in the southeast is the quietest part of Taiwan: rice fields in the East Rift Valley between two mountain ranges, a sparsely developed Pacific coast, and a strong indigenous character. The region is suitable for slow travel by bike, train, or rental car.In the valley lie Chishang with the Brown Boulevard amidst vast rice fields, and Luye, where on the Luye Gaotai plateau, a multi-week hot air balloon festival has taken place every summer since 2011. On the coast north of Taitung City, an arch bridge connects the mainland with the rocky islands of Sanxiantai.
    Dulan

    Dulan

    Dulan is a small coastal town on Route 11 north of Taitung, popular with surfers, as you can surf here all year round. There is no train line along the coast; you can reach Dulan by bus, scooter, or rental car. Many travelers stay overnight here instead of in Taitung City.