Unwind among the lawns, plants and pavilions of Tainan Park, one of the oldest green spaces in the city. Study the flora, visit playgrounds and take a boat out on the pond.
The park dates back to the late 17th century and is filled with hundreds of trees, including cypress trees. Look for an enormous Samanea Saman tree, which was brought over from Brazil by the Japanese. The tree is located on top of the park’s highest hill on a site that was used for executions during the Qing Dynasty.
Walk or cycle along the park’s meandering stone pathways and admire the pavilions, lily ponds and arched footbridges. During the mornings and early evenings, you will see a lot of activity in the park. It is a popular outdoor recreational space for many senior citizens who come to enjoy tai chi, dance classes and badminton among other activities. See if you can join in or relax on a bench and watch others taking the strain.
There is lots for children to do in the park. In addition to large open spaces, there are various playgrounds to keep them entertained.
Go to the centre of the park, where there is a large pond and a marble bridge and pavilion. Rent a pedal boat and cruise across the water.
Near the pedal boat rental area is the Zhongdao Chongwen Archway. During the Qing Dynasty, archways like this one were constructed to honour exceptional citizens. This stone structure dates back to 1815 and commemorates a man named Lin Cao-ying, who helped to fund an important temple renovation. It originally stood at the city’s Confucius Temple, but was moved to the park after being torn down by the Japanese.
Tainan Park takes up an entire city block in the centre of Tainan, and is situated about 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) north of the Confucius Temple. The park is well served by local bus routes.
