Free & Easy Taiwan – 8D7N Part 2/3, 2 Nights in Tainan, Jan 2023

August 16, 2025 - By Su

Tainan is widely considered the culinary capital of Taiwan, and for good reason. Its food scene is deeply rooted in history and tradition, offering a unique blend of authentic Taiwanese flavors that are often sweeter than in other parts of the country. The city is a paradise for food lovers, known for its small, delicious (小吃) and a vibrant street food culture.

This will be a very long post just on my 3 days 2 nights in Tainan!

This time we use a private car charter from Taichung to Tainan.

It takes about 3hours non-stop from Taichung to Tainan by Car, but we stopped by several places before reaching Tainan.

We had breakfast at Taichung lai lai soybean before departing for the next city.

Lai Lai Soybean Milk Shop (opens 24 hours)

Address: No. 91之2號, Section 3, Wenxin Rd, Xitun District, Taichung City, Taiwan 407

Xiao long bao, egg pancake and soy milk

Our car to Tainan, very big and spacious!

We had a pit stop in Chiayi, Xingang for lunch and a short walk.

Stopped by this Duck soup place that sells some traditional tasting duck thick soup~

its really cheap like NT40 per bowl..

Xingang Duck Soup (新港鸭肉羹)

Address: 616, Taiwan, Chiayi County, Xingang Township, Zhongshan Rd, 奉天大廈17號

It is also open daily from 7am – 6.30pm! (do check google before going just in case)

A bowl of delicious and warm duck soup

Walking along the xingang old street~新港老街

Xingang old street

XinGang Fengtian temple

This is a shop that make and sells traditional Taiwanese snacks soft peanut candy

The name of the shop

Century-old Jinchang Li Newport yee

Address: No. 85號, Xinmin Rd, Xingang Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan 616

After that we travelled to the central Chiayi to try the famous fish head soup!

The restaurant was really crowded and we had to wait for about an 1hour to get a table.

but i can tell you that it is really worth the wait totally!!

林聪明沙锅鱼头SMARTFISH

Address: No. 361號, Zhongzheng Rd, East District, Chiayi City, Taiwan 600

the crowd

soo many people waiting for a table

the menu

Finally got a table and ordered our food

ordered some drinks nearby while waiting for a table

After food , we proceeded to head to Tainan.

We reached Chimei Museum, it is a good place for some nice photographs 😀

since the museum is closed, so we just walk around the area~

Managed to take some photos of the statue with their reflection

The area is really peaceful in the evening but cold as well

A lone christmas tree infront of the museum

Some photos of the Christmas tree

The entrance of the Museum

After the Museum, we went to have our dinner.

first shop : 度小月 noodles

This shop sells one of the best egg noodles in Taiwan!

A small, flavorful bowl of yellow noodles is served in a savory shrimp broth, topped with a special braised minced pork sauce, a single shrimp, and a touch of minced garlic.

We really love this noodle soup

This is how they cook the noodle

Next stop, we tried another Tainan’s delicacy

they sell a type of freshwater eel called 鱔魚.

It tastes kind of similar to the Japanese unagi.

There are typically two main variations of this dish:

Dry Stir-Fried Eel Noodles (乾炒鱔魚意麵): The eels are quickly stir-fried over an incredibly high flame with a medley of vegetables, a distinct dark sauce, and the signature chewy egg noodles. The high-heat cooking gives the dish a smoky flavor known as “wok hei.”
Eel Noodles in Thick Soup (鱔魚意麵羹): This version features a thick, viscous soup base that is both sweet and sour, with the same fresh eels and noodles submerged in it.

We tried this stall that was still opened late at night (near the tainan market area)

We ordered the fried eel and minced meat rice (Lurou fan)

After a heavy dinner , we went for a walk at Shennong street (神農街).

The place looks really Instagramable at night with the lanterns and lights.

From the entrance

The lantern makes the place looks really nice and with a traditional vibes

Lantern with the street name

the outer side of the street

Then lastly, after a very long day, we head to the night market.

Dadong Night Market, which opens only on Monday, Tues and Fridays so please take note.

Since we already had a very full dinner, we just bought Taiwan sausage

Also played the nightmarket games~

We reached the hotel quite late at night..

This time, we managed to book nicer hotel at a reasonable price and the hotel is located beside a mall which was super convenient!

The Place Tainan

Address: No. 368號, Section 1, Zhonghua E Rd, East District, Tainan City, Taiwan 701

It cost about SGD$100 per night, booked during the promotion period~

the hotel is really comfortable, only bad point is that the bed is very small, smaller than a queen size bed

View of the quiet Tainan street from our hotel

The same view in the morning~

Day 2 in Tainan

We booked the name car charter for our second day in Tainan, reason being, there are no Train in Tainan.

The Uber / Taxi in Tainan is slightly more expensive compared to other cities..

So we thought it would be better to have our private car and driver to tour around the city.

First stop is for breakfast at:

YongLe Market, 永樂市場

Address: No. 123號, Section 3, Guohua St, West Central District, Tainan City, Taiwan 700

There are many food in this market, alot are quite famous and also it is really crowded.

We decided to takeway the food and have it elsewhere instead, we bought these 3 food!

富盛號碗粿 Fu Sheng Hao Bowl Rice Pudding
A must-try for Tainan visitors, this 70-year-old shop serves a distinctive rice pudding with a dense, savory texture. Topped with a unique sweet soy sauce, marinated pork, and shrimp, it’s a taste of authentic local flavor. Don’t forget to add the garlic paste for an extra kick!
阿松割包 Ah Song Gua Bao
This is basically braised pork all wrapped in a soft steamed bun with a special peanut sauce.
小卷米粉 Squid Vermicelli
A clear, sweet broth is made from fresh squid, and the thick, chewy rice vermicelli soaks up all the deliciousness. It’s a simple dish that is incredibly satisfying and a local favorite.

this is a famous among the Taiwanese as well

富盛號碗粿 Fu Sheng Hao Bowl Rice Pudding

Braised pork bun shop

阿松割包 Ah Song Gua Bao

Squid Vermicelli

小卷米粉 Squid Vermicelli

We also stopped to get some pudding before having our breakfast.

This pudding is also sold at 7-11 or family mart in Taiwan

After getting all the food, we stopped near a river and had our breakfast there.

it was really nice and peaceful, not so many people around.

had our breakfast near the river

Another famous and must eat in taiwan is their 溫體牛 (Its a really fresh beef)

溫體牛 (Wēntǐ niú) is a very special and highly prized type of beef, especially in Tainan, Taiwan. The term “溫體” literally translates to “warm body,” which refers to beef that has never been refrigerated or frozen.

This is what makes it so unique:

Ultimate Freshness: The key is the incredibly short time from slaughter to plate, typically within 6 to 8 hours.
Unique Texture and Flavor: Because the meat hasn’t been chilled, it retains its natural moisture and has a distinct texture—it’s incredibly soft, tender, and has a pleasant chewiness that you don’t get from frozen beef.
The Signature Dish: The most famous way to eat 溫體牛 is in Tainan-style beef soup (牛肉湯). Thin slices of the fresh beef are placed in a bowl, and then a ladle of boiling hot, clear beef broth is poured over it.

We tried 溫體牛 from 2 different stall in Tainan.

First is 文章牛肉汤

Address: No. 300號, Anping Rd, Anping District, Tainan City, Taiwan 708

They are closed on Thursdays so please take note!

This is one of the famous shop in Tainan visited by many locals and tourists.

this is what we ordered

You can see the pinkish fresh beef, scalded with just the hot soup

After a pretty heavy breakfast, we went to visit some of the attractions in Tainan.

Anping Tree House 安平樹屋

admission fee for foreigner: NT70

The Anping Tree House was originally a warehouse for the British trading company Tait & Co. in the late 19th century.

Today, wooden walkways and bridges have been built throughout the complex, allowing visitors to safely explore the inside of the tree house and even climb to a rooftop observation deck for a bird’s-eye view.

Some old houses near the entrance

The treehouse area

Look at tree roots

Are can walk around the area, there are paths

Finished exploring the treehouse~

Next stop Anping Fort (安平古堡)

It is a historic fortress in Tainan and one of the most significant landmarks in Taiwan. Its history spans nearly 400 years, making it a crucial site for understanding the island’s colonial past.

It was a really nice visit, especially on a cool winter day~

gloomy day in tainan

Alot of walking and stairs

Observing the fortress

Canon and tower

Beautiful flowers blooming outside the fortress

We walked to Anping old street from the Anping fortress.

The old street is quite small but its worth to visit~

BBQ Meat

We also tried the Shrimp roll, 周氏蝦捲, selling one of the best shrimp roll ever!

Shrimp rolls in Tainan

月世界 or Moon World Tainan

after so much food we went to 月世界 or called Moon World.

This is one of the less visited places, but it is getting more visitors as time goes by.

It has a Unique “Lunar” Landscape, but do prepare for quite abit of walking to experience the beautiful landscape.

Sharing some photos taken there:

Looking like another planet

Ignore the lights on the bottom left , otherwise it looks really nice

In black and white

Overlooking the hill

Dried out ‘lake’

Beautiful winter sky

View of the hill and dried lake

very beautiful and relaxing place

溫體牛 at 旗哥牛肉湯

Address: No. 126號, Section 1, Zhonghua N Rd, North District, Tainan City, Taiwan 704

Open daily but check google before visiting!

this is one of the best meal ever in Tainan!

this place was recommended by our driver, and is patronized by mainly the locals.

I honestly feel that this is much better than the one we went earlier.

The soup, the beef with Sesame oil was one of the best ever~

Yummy

The shop is located at the roadside with free parking behind

林百貨 Hayashi department store

It is a historic and beautifully restored landmark in Tainan, Taiwan. It is a symbol of the city’s rich history and its blend of Japanese colonial and modern Taiwanese culture.

Built in 1932 during the Japanese colonial period, Hayashi Department Store was one of the first modern department stores in Taiwan, and at the time, the tallest building in Tainan.