8 Family-friendly Activities to do in Tainan, Taiwan's oldest city

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Tainan may be the oldest city in Taiwan but honestly, it rarely makes it to a Taiwan travel itinerary  because of more fun cities in Taiwan like Taipei, Taichung, Hualien and even its Kaohsiung neighbour. But surprise surprise, there are plenty of family-friendly activities to keep the kids entertained in Tainan, as we found out!

Before you go on any further, have you read my previous post for the first-timer family travel guide to Tainan? Done? Good.

Here we go.

ANPING TREEHOUSE

Once thought to be haunted, this is arguably the most Instagrammable spot in Tainan now.

Anping Treehouse was a former warehouse which taken over during the Japanese Occupation and then used as a salt factory before being abandoned in the 1940s. Over the next 70 years, a large banyan tree grew and swallowed the house and its walls, roof, and floor with a network of roots!

Fascinating how nature reclaims a man-made structure, and had all of us in awe.

There is also a Skywalk built above the treehouse, where visitors can get a bird’s eye view of the tree. A quiet and serene environment, Anping Treehouse is the perfect place to take a stroll, explore nature and take amazing photos.

There are also activities housed in a building like calligraphy using water for kids to try out.

TEN DRUM CULTURAL VILLAGE

Who knew an old, abandoned sugar factory would offer so much fun to families?

Certainly not me. I got to admit, when I first learnt that we were visiting the Ten Drum Rende Creative Park, I thought all we would be doing is drumming and watching drum perfomances.

Yes, something like this.

But something more fun lie inside these refineries...

A SUPER TALL SLIDE!!! Wow, just wow!

I personally tried that and thought it was fun but definitely not for the faint-hearted. And for the younger kids, a slightly shorter slide with a ball pit.

Add a highly Instagrammble cafe housed within the refinery, and it is a must-visit for families!

Another activity that the entire family could partake is the Drum Experience Class, the short 15 minute- experience would give you an idea how intense drum-playing could be.

We spent almost half a day there but it still wasn't enough. I totally recommend this place if you are passing through Tainan with the kids!

DANEI TOTORO STATION

Danei (大内) is a small quaint village located about a 1-hour drive away from Tainan and visitors flock here for the cute, colourful and highly instagrammable wall murals.

The Totoro ones are obviously the cutest but there're plenty of familiar cartoon characters too.

Danei is made up of a rapidly aging population so these murals are a way of drawing visitors to the village so that the residents can earn additional income. If you are there during the weekend, some of the homes operate as cafes with Totoro-themed drinks! And the fun is in hunting down the murals!

LONGSHAN VILLAGE ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT OYSTER BUFFET & OYSTER FARM CRUISE

Oyster farming is a huge thing in Tainan, and so is having an all-you-can-eat grilled oyster buffet! Can you believe it only costs us about S$40 for the whole family????

And the price even includes a 45-min boat tour to see the oyster farms out at sea.

But honestly, I was just there for the grilled oysters. No seasoning required, they're so so so juicy and fresh on their own!

DTSOU-MA-LAI FARM

Operated with by the Tainan City Farmers’ Association,Tsou-Ma-Lai Farm (走馬瀨休閒農場) is a recreational agriculture area with activities like a mini zoo, bee farm, archery, water bumper boats and a huge outdoor playground!

The place do look a tad dated, but I think younger kids will love the animals and vast open green space. Also, it may make more sense to visit during the summer period as the pools will be filled and there are more activities then. Oh, you can even do a farm stay or camp outdoors if you want!

TAIJIANG BOAT RIDE

The Taijiang Boar Ride took us out to the sea where we explore the coastline of the Wetlands.

The kids had the chance to bring in the fish nets and got up close to tiny fishes, prawns and this puffer fish!

We even got to spot some rare migratory birds at the Wetlands.

HAYASHI DEPARTMENT STORE

Well, this isn't exactly an attraction but it is worth a visit for its rich history. Hayashi Department Store first opened in 1932 during the Japanese Colonial Era. It not only was the first department store with elevator in southern Taiwan, it was also the most popular spot throughout the entire Tainan City.

FUN ACTIVITY: Head to the top most floor and try to spot the walls that still have bullet holes in them, which were made by Japanese fighter jets during the war.

CHIHKAN TOWER

Originally built as Fort Provintia (普羅民遮城) in 1652 by the Dutch, the building set the tone as the location of the administrative center of Tainan, and has gone through numerous repairs and refurbishments over the past 300 years.

Kids may want to pray to Lord Kui Xing (God of Examination) here. Being blessed with a pencil from him means being blessed with good grades. Well, no harm trying.

We spent 3 nights in Tainan and while it was not as vibrant as Taipei or naturally beautiful as Hualien, it has a character that makes it interesting and unique. There was just something about Tainan that tugged at my heart.

Perhaps it's the oldest city in the country

Perhaps it has a variety of good food and family-friendly attractions.

Or maybe perhaps it is just not as crowded and touristy as other cities in Taiwan.

Whatever it is, I think it fully deserves a spot in your Taiwan itinerary.


And since the highlight of any family vacation is having the chance to spend time together, why not opt for a Homeaway vacation rental where the entire family can stay together?

Part of the Expedia family, HomeAway offers the world's largest selection of vacation rentals with more than 1.2 million listings. Take your pick from a large variety of HomeAway Tainan vacation rentals, and you will be all ready for your next family adventure!



This post was done in collaboration with Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau and HomeAway Asia.