Joy Fang

ON MY 20-day sojourn to Taiwan, the southern city of Tainan turned out to be one of the cities which captured both my interest and my heart.

For sure, the quaint city – Taiwan’s oldest and its former capital – boasts a dizzying array of delicacies to munch on, a bonus point for this Singaporean foodie.

But while the food – which my paper recommended in last week’s instalment – is lip-smacking, what I loved most about the city was its air of unassuming charm, as well as its historical and interesting gems.

My favourite site has got to be the enchanting Anping Tree House (No. 194, Anbei Road, Anping District), a huge dilapidated former warehouse. Since falling into disuse after World War II, it’s been covered by a thick carpet of roots and branches
of banyan trees.

Stepping through its doors, one is awestruck, thanks to the fairy tale-like atmosphere within. Thick aerial roots crisscross the warehouse like curtains, hanging low through the roof beams and covering cracked walls.

You feel as though you’ve stumbled upon some gnome’s hidey-hole. As sun rays filter through the little gaps left by the roots, the feeling that you’re in an enchanted tree house straight out of an Enid Blyton book grows. Go on a weekday to avoid the crowds.

Also visit the preserved two-storey Tait & Co. Merchant House (No. 108, Gubao Street, Anping District) next door. It serves as a museum displaying scenes of the lives of past settlers.

Each room is distinctly decorated to showcase a different culture; for instance, there is a Dutch House showing the typical setting of a Dutch family’s living room, complete with a fireplace decorated with Delft tiles.

Other rooms display Chinese warriors and aboriginal groups. The mannequins in each room might be a tad unsettling on a quiet day, though.

Taiwan has many forts scattered along its shores, with the Dutch-occupied Anping Fort (No. 82, Guosheng Road, Anping District), also known as Fort Zeelandia, being its oldest.

The fort is spectacular, with a trademark white watchtower topping a tall red-bricked step platform. Once at the top, you get a nice view of Anping and the ocean – a good spot for watching the sunset.

While the original fort was destroyed during the war, the current one is an exact replica of what it looked like 300 years ago. You can still find remnants of the outer fort’s south wall, which is covered by the roots of an old banyan tree, as well as remains of two semi-spherical bulwarks.

Another place worth visiting is the Chihkan Tower (No. 212, Section 2, Minzu Road, West Central District).

It’s not really a tower, but a former fort called Fort Provintia with more than three centuries of history, and considered the landmark of Tainan.

Built in 1653 by Dutch colonisers, it now serves as a museum of sorts, with its large garden littered with old stone weights, statues, plaques, a disused well and remains of a bastion of the fort. A preserved row of houses serves as its gift shop.

The fort has two ornately decorated buildings with lovely carved doors and roofs and striking red pillars. You can climb rickety old stairs up to the second floor where you get a good view of the gardens and surrounding scenery.

History buffs will love the Confucius Temple (No. 2 Nanmen Road, West Central District), the first such temple to be built in Taiwan.

Built in 1666, the courtyard of the temple is surrounded by a serene garden with old classrooms, two ceremonial gates, and a three-storey tower called the Wenchang Pavilion.

In the heart of the temple grounds stands the Dacheng Hall. There, look out for a hornless dragon head – the Chinese version of a gargoyle – poking out of the temple’s low wall. It served as a water spout in the past.

Also visit the Minglun Hall, where you can find Confucian text displayed in beautiful calligraphy.

If you have time, head to the Eternal Golden Fortress (No. 3, Guangzhou Road, Anping District), a scenic fortress surrounded by a moat, which you can explore by renting paddle boats.

Walk through the arc gates of this 19th-century fortress, which faces the coast, and you’ll feel a sense of peace in its square courtyard.

The second storey of this fortress is filled with reconstructions of cannon to show where the original ones stood. You can find a kitchen and an ammunition depot under the fort.

Make a last stop at the Lin Mo Niang Park (along Anyi Road, Anping District), which boasts a towering 16m-tall statue of Lin Mo Niang – the human embodiment of the sea goddess Matsu – overlooking the picturesque Anping Harbour.

With a sea breeze blowing, the tranquil grounds are beautiful and a great spot for kite-flying or a romantic evening stroll.

This page is brought to you by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau and Taiwan Visitors Association