Back in my university days in Chiayi, whenever I couldn’t sleep at night, I would sometimes ride up to Alishan in the dark or dash to Shanhua in Tainan at five in the morning, just to have a steaming bowl of beef soup. More than a decade later, returning to Shanhua, I wasn’t just drawn back by that unbelievably fresh and flavorful beef soup. The traditional cow market—held only on the 2nd, 5th, and 8th days of each month—also sparked my curiosity.
Contents
◦ Tainan Travel Guide
01｜Transportation in Tainan
🚄 Taiwan High Speed Rail
🚗 Cross-city Chartered One-day Tour from Taipei
🛵 Tainan Motorcycle Rental Tainan Train Station Pick Up
🛵 Tainan Motorcycle Rental Pick up at Tainan Transit Station
02｜Popular Attractions in Tainan
🎫 Chimei Museum Permanent & Special Exhibition Ticket
🎫 Ten Drum Cultural Village Ticket
🎫 Tainan Naughty World Safari Ticket
🎫 Sicao Green Tunnel Ticket in Tainan
🎫 Tainan Art Museum Ticket
🎫 Anping Old Fort Admission Ticket
🎫 Anping Tree House Admission Ticket
🎫 Shan-Shang Garden and Old Waterworks Museum
03｜Things To Do in Tainan
🛶 Tainan Longshan Eco Boat Tour and Oyster Barbeque
🙌 Lifestyle Goods DIY Experience at Zhuo Ye Indigo Dyeing House
♨️ Reikei Hot Spring Resort in Tainan
💆🏻♀️ Royal Thai Massage in Tainan
◦ The Past of Shanhua
Shanhua was once called Wanli. Of the different explanations for its name, I prefer the one connected to cattle. In earlier times, the Siraya people of the Pingpu tribe lived here, in a settlement called Mattauwan. In their language, the name meant “a place for slaughtering cattle.” Because the original transliterated name was too long, it was later shortened to Wanli.
As for the name Shanhua, it came from the administrative district “Shanhua Village” established during the Ming-Zheng period. According to legend, when Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) inspected the area, he remarked that the people here had “become civilized rather early” (shan zao kai hua), and so the place was renamed Shanhua.
With the Zengwen River flowing through it, Shanhua developed a prosperous agricultural economy. Its location also made it a key route leading eastward to the Dawulun community. During the Qing dynasty, it gradually grew into a regional economic hub. Later, under Japanese rule, with the construction of railways and highways, as well as the founding of the Shanhua Sugar Factory, transportation became more convenient and commerce increasingly flourished.
◦ Attractions in Shanhua
01｜Cow Market of Shanhua
Back in the 1870s, before supermarkets and hypermarkets existed, people relied on local markets for their daily necessities. The so-called “cow market” (niúxū) was a type of periodic marketplace dedicated specifically to trading cattle. During the Japanese colonial era, there were once more than 80 cow markets across Taiwan. With the passage of time, only three remain in operation today: in Beigang (Yunlin), Yanshui (Tainan), and Shanhua. Among them, the most famous and the largest is the Shanhua Cattle Market.
After the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 1997, the government banned cattle trading. Since then, the Shanhua Cattle Market has transformed into a “farmers’ market,” open only on days ending in 2, 5, and 8 each month. Here, you can find everything from farming tools, fruits and vegetables, poultry, fish, and meat to antiques and curios—a bustling and lively scene.
What caught my eye the most was a particularly thriving stall selling guppies. The savvy vendors lined up aquariums filled with brightly colored fish darting back and forth, while eager customers scooped them up with nets. Both in and out of the water, the lively commotion was a spectacle in itself.
The Shanhua Cattle Market, which has been operating at its current location for over a century, is set to relocate to the Taiwan Sugar Corporation’s Zengwen Farm in 2027 due to land lease issues. In other words, the most authentic version of the Shanhua Cattle Market is about to vanish from its original site. If you want to experience its irreplaceable traditional atmosphere, now’s the time to go!
Cow Market of Shanhua Opening Hours: The market is open only on the 2nd, 5th, 8th, 12th, 15th, 18th, 22nd, 25th, and 28th of each month, and it operates until noon. No. 102, Shanhua Dist., Tainan
02｜Shanhua Qing’an Temple
The Shanhua Qing’an Temple was originally known as the Wenchang Pavilion, and during the Dutch colonial period, it even served as a Dutch language school. Today, it has been designated a Grade III historic site. Having stood for more than three centuries, it has gradually become the spiritual center for the 16 villages of Shanhua.
The temple was first built in 1709, during the 48th year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign, dedicated to the deity Wenchang Dijun, and it also functioned as a place of learning. After being destroyed by an earthquake in the first year of the Tongzhi era (1862), local gentry initiated its reconstruction. At that time, a sacred statue of Mazu was brought from Tainan’s Grand Matsu Temple (Datianhou Gong) to be enshrined here. From then on, the Wenchang Pavilion was transformed into a Mazu temple, becoming Shanhua’s most important religious center and the liveliest gathering place in town.
Shanhua Qing’an Temple Opening Hours: 0500-2200 No. 470, Zhongshan Rd., Shanhua Dist., Tainan
03｜Shenyuan Jishui Shantang Cultural Park
Stepping into the Shantang Cultural Park, a poster reading “Do you smell it?” immediately caught my eye. The Shanhua Sugar Factory in Tainan and the Huwei Sugar Factory in Yunlin are the only two sugar factories in Taiwan that are still in operation. From December to March each year, during the sugar-making season, the air is filled with a sweet aroma tinged with the scent of yeast.
The Shenyuan Jishui Shantang Cultural Park rose to fame after being featured as a filming location in the hit TV drama U Motherbaker. To my surprise, it turned out to be far more diverse and fascinating than I had imagined! Beyond the factory and its towering smokestack, the park also features the popular Shenyuan Bakery (beloved thanks to the TV drama), a steam locomotive built in Belgium in 1948, and Shenyuan Garden, which commemorates the educator Shen Guangwen.
And of course, a trip to the sugar factory wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a bowl of ice. Compared with the Huwei Sugar Factory, the ice-making facility in Shanhua is even larger in scale. Its signature milk ice is a must-try, but other flavors—such as roselle, yeast, chocolate, and peanut—are also very popular. Personally, my favorite is the roselle ice. The candied roselle is served so generously that every bite is a perfect balance of sweet and tangy. Even after finishing the whole bowl, it never feels heavy or overwhelming.
Shenyuan Jishui Shantang Cultural Park Opening Hours: 1000-1900, closed on Monday. No. 228, Shanhua Dist., Tainan
04｜Hucuoliao Painted Village
The Hucuoliao Painted Village, also known as “Grandma’s Painted Walls,” began with three devoted granddaughters. Worried that their elderly grandmother might feel lonely living alone, they painted whimsical, childlike characters on the walls to bring her joy and energy. What started as a simple gesture of love gradually sparked a wave of community spirit. Neighbors joined in, adding their own artwork, and soon the entire village became alive with colorful murals.
Within this charming neighborhood, a cozy family-friendly restaurant called Gei Xiaohai (“For the Children”) caught my attention. On its lush green lawn, children can ride toy cars, while the restaurant offers a specially designed menu for babies that looks both nutritious and delicious. It’s the kind of place where you can immediately feel the warmth and love behind it.
Hucuoliao Painted Village No. 300, Shanhua Dist., Tainan
05｜Shanhua Brewery Tourism Factory
The Shanhua Brewery is one of the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation’s key production bases in southern Taiwan. Through diversified operations, it has transformed from a traditional beer factory into a Beer Culture Park—the very first tourism-oriented brewery in Taiwan themed entirely around beer.
Stepping into the promotion center, visitors are greeted not only with freshly brewed draft beer topped with a rich, creamy foam, but also with premium liquors priced from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of NT dollars, waiting for collectors to take them home.
Shanhua Brewery Tourism Factory Opening Hours: 0900-1700 No. 2, Chenggong Rd., Shanhua Dist., Tainan
◦ Restaurants and Snacks in Shanhua
01｜258 Beef Soup
Shanhua is not only home to the historic cattle market but also the largest cattle slaughterhouse in Taiwan, making it the ultimate place to savor freshly prepared local beef. Within the cattle market area, two beef soup shops are especially famous: 258 Beef Soup and Wangcheng Beef Soup. From my own experience, if it’s your first visit, I recommend starting with 258 Beef Soup. The ordering process here is straightforward: place your order and pay, take a number, find a seat, and when your number is called, raise your sign—the food will be brought right to your table. Even though the place is packed with customers, the service is impressively fast and well-organized.
For just NT$100, you get a hearty bowl of beef soup brimming with tender, flavorful slices of fresh beef. The thinly sliced warm beef is lightly blanched in the savory hot broth, then served immediately. Pair it with a generous bowl of rice and plenty of ginger soy sauce, and it’s pure satisfaction.
258 258 Beef Soup Opening Hours: 0530-1200, the shop is open only on the 2nd, 5th, 8th, 12th, 15th, 18th, 22nd, 25th, and 28th of each month. No. 102, Shanhua Dist., Tainan
02｜Yi Deng Liang
Located on bustling Zhongshan Road, right next to Qing’an Temple, Yi Deng Liang is a beloved local spot famous for its winter melon tea. The shop carefully selects high-quality winter melons, peels and cuts them into chunks, then simmers them with special sugar over a slow fire for eight hours to create a rich winter melon concentrate. This is then blended with just the right amount of water to make a refreshing, aromatic winter melon tea. For those who prefer a less sweet option, the shop also offers its most popular variation: winter melon with lemon. The crisp, tangy freshness balanced with gentle sweetness makes it the item I recommend most!
Yi Deng Liang Opening Hours: 0900-2100 No. 468, Zhongshan Rd., Shanhua Dist., Tainan
03｜Bafangyuan Cherry Duck Roast
On Zhongshan Road, Bafangyuan is a popular local eatery, best known for its generous cherry roast duck submarine sandwich—a favorite afternoon snack among engineers working at the Southern Taiwan Science Park. The sandwich uses toasted soft French bread that is crisp yet not too dry, stuffed with a hearty portion of fresh, crunchy lettuce and tender, boneless cubes of cherry duck. A drizzle of the shop’s special mayonnaise and a sprinkle of scallions tie everything together, making it irresistibly moist and flavorful. A friendly tip: wash your hands well before digging in, because by the end, you’ll definitely want to “sweep the plate clean” with your fingers!
Bafangyuan Cherry Duck Roast Opening Hours: 1030-2100 No. 312, Zhongshan Rd., Shanhua Dist., Tainan
◦ Flying Over Taiwan
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◦ Other Areas in Tainan
➤ Annan | Mini Amazon in Taiwan
➤ Houbi | Experience Taiwan at the International Orchid Show!
➤ Longci | Longci Light Festival