Enjoy papaya juice in the tropical country of Taiwan! Wandering around Tainan's retro streets and renovated architecture [Wandering around Taiwan vol.5]

From Taipei, I took the Taiwan High Speed Rail (SHKS), also known as the Shinkansen, southbound, arriving at Tainan Station in just under two hours. From there, I transferred to the Taiwan Railway and headed to Tainan Station. Tainan, a city close to the sun, is intensely sunny and quite hot. Although I visited in March, it felt like I'd traveled between seasons, from spring in Taipei to summer in Tainan. I changed from my long-sleeved shirt to a T-shirt and strolled around Tainan.

Tainan, with its laid-back tropical atmosphere

Since I arrived in the morning, I headed for Tainan's specialty, beef soup. I went to A-cun Beef Soup (A-cun Beef Soup) near Tainan's Yongle Market. The beef soup is made with thinly sliced raw beef in a piping hot broth. The rare beef, served with chopped ginger and a sweet sauce, is light and easy to eat. Locals seem to eat it with white rice. As it's a local specialty, there are many famous beef soup restaurants, so it might be fun to try different flavors.

Light and easy to eat beef soup

After satisfying my hunger, I headed to Lin Baifo, a renovated Japanese department store built during the Japanese colonial period. The photogenic building exudes a modern feel, and the interior is a truly beautiful space with its old-fashioned elevator doors, round windows, and curved staircase. It's now a select shop selling MIT (Made in Taiwan) Chinese tea, sweets, clothing, and miscellaneous goods.

Hayashi Department Store, which reopened in 2013

Tainan is known for its fascinating, aged streets and alleyways. We head to Shennong Street, also known as the old town. This area features cafes and general stores along its traditional streetscape. The illuminated streets of Shennong Street are magically beautiful, and we recommend strolling here both during the day and at night. We continue walking to Xinyi Street, another old streetscape. Here, stylish cafes and restaurants are scattered throughout the alleys. The remains of the old city wall, Duiyue Gate, remain, and the view of the cityscape from there is very atmospheric and beautiful. There is a large tree and a small bench near the gate, so it's a great place to take a short break.

Take a break with papaya milk, winter melon tea, and delicious coffee

Tainan has many attractions, including famous historical sites, retro architecture, and old townscapes. It's easy to walk endlessly, but the strong sun and heat make it a good idea to take frequent breaks. In the Taipei edition, we introduced fruit juice, and it's especially fitting to take a break with a fruit juice in Tainan, which is close to fruit-producing regions. "Ah Tian Shui Guo" on Minsheng Road is a slightly stylish fruit and juice shop. The specialty "papaya milk" was a hit, with its gentle papaya sweetness.

A specialty of "A Tian Fruit Shop." Gentle, sweet papaya milk.

Also, "Yi Fong Achuan Winter Melon Tea," located near the popular tourist spot Chihkan Tower, is a renowned shop for winter melon tea, made by simmering winter melon with sugar. Winter melon is said to be high in potassium, making it good for summer fatigue. It's the perfect drink for Tainan, but it has a slightly bitter taste. I tried the plain winter melon tea, but the winter melon lemon tea, which contains lemon juice, is said to be refreshing and easy to drink.

Tainan is a city with many stylish cafes and delicious coffee shops. Located in an alley on Zhengxing Street, Zhengxing Kafei Hall is a renovated old building where you can enjoy coffee and desserts in a stylish space. The small coffee stand, A Cup of Confidence, brews coffee using a siphon. Even though it's a food stall-like establishment, I had a delicious cup of coffee. Coffee culture is firmly rooted here.

Don't forget to try the local specialty, "Yi Mian"