taipei or tainan?
Taiwan's capital and its old capital, about 1 hour 45 minutes apart by high-speed rail. Taipei is the easy, modern city with an MRT to almost everything, while Tainan is older and slower, all temples, alleys and some of the best snacks in Taiwan.
taipei
Dear group chat,Night markets every night, Taipei 101, bubble tea and hot springs at the end of the MRT.Read the guide →To: whoever’s drivingTaipeiTW, Taipei
tainan
Dear group chat,Taiwan's old capital and snack heaven: beef soup breakfasts, temples and alleys.Read the guide →To: whoever’s drivingTainanTW, Tainan
- From KL
- taipeiAbout 3,230 km
- tainanAbout 2,970 km
- Best months
- taipeiMar–May, Oct–Dec
- tainanOct–Mar
- Vibe
- taipeiModern, easy capital with mountains at the edge
- tainanOld capital of temples, forts and narrow alleys
- Food
- taipeiNight markets, beef noodles, xiaolongbao
- tainanBeef soup breakfasts, danzai noodles, milkfish
- Getting there
- taipeiAbout 4.5 hours' flight to Taoyuan
- tainanVia Taipei, then about 1 hour 45 minutes by HSR
- Getting around
- taipeiThe MRT reaches almost everything
- tainanSights spread out; taxis or rental bikes
- Halal food
- taipeiHalal restaurants and the Taipei Grand Mosque
- tainanHarder; pork and lard are in many dishes
- How long
- taipei3–4 days
- tainan2–3 days
Go taipei if…
- it's your first time in Taiwan
- you want the big sights, from Taipei 101 to the National Palace Museum
- you'd like halal food to be easy to find
- you'd rather not add a train ride after the flight
Go tainan if…
- eating your way through small bowls is the whole plan
- old temples, forts and quiet alleys appeal more than skyscrapers
- you've done Taipei and want a slower side of Taiwan
- you're happy to get up early for a beef soup breakfast
The verdict
For a first trip, Taipei is the easier choice, with more to see and a metro to almost all of it. Tainan is the better food trip, and it means more once you've seen the capital. Can't decide? Do both: three days in Taipei, then the HSR south for two days of eating in Tainan.