Recreational Agriculture and Fishing
Salt fields and lotus flowers, agricultural and fishing experiences, all in Tainan
Known as the "orchid kingdom," Taiwan is the world's largest orchid exporting country and orchids have been grown here for over 100 years. Tainan also has the Beimen Jing-Zai-Jiao Salt Fields, over 200 years old and still sun-drying salt; every November-December, Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) spend the winter at the salt fields and attract a large number of keen birdwatchers.
Tainan also offer distinctive seasonal flower scenery formed by lotus flowers and kapok flowers etc; cycling or walking through the flower decorated scenery is always pleasant. Tainan also has quite a few local special agricultural products that make good gifts; why not take some of the old-times tastes of Tainan back home when your visit ends?
Fresh seasonal vegetables that will make your mouth water
Tainan City has an ample supply of agricultural products, mainly comprising rice, sugar cane, and some grain crops. It also possesses the most areas of land in Taiwan when it comes to no matter wet and dries farms, fishing hatcheries, salt evaporation ponds, lotus farms or water caltrop farms. Agricultural specialties also come in various categories. In spring, carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and greater burdocks are in plenty supply while in summer, pineapples, lotus, and mangoes are in abundance. In fall, pomelos, longans, and sweetsops are right on season while in winter, avocadoes, muskmelons, citruses, white wax-apples, and water caltrops are dominant in the market.
Mangoes of Yujing
Yujing produces many different varieties of mango. Aiwen mangoes have soft, amber flesh, fine fibers, and are sweet and juicy with a light floral fragrance; Jin Huang mangoes are plump with only a small stone, have fine fibers and are as large as a papaya.
Harvest Season of Mango: June to September. Mango Festival is held annually around July.
Water Caltrops of Guantien
Guantian is the largest water chestnut production area in Taiwan so is known as the "land of water chestnuts". Irrigated by the plentiful water of Coral Lake on which boats can be seen all around, water chestnut fragrance fills the air.
Harvest Season of Water Caltrop: September to October. Food made from water caltrops is available locally.
Rice of Houbi
Located in the center of the Jia-nan Plain, the soil is clay soil and, low-lying, water is retained easily. A relatively small amount of rice is grow in the Tainan area, but the quality is excellent. It is one of the rice baskets of Taiwan.
Viewing Season for the Golden Rice Fields: Around May to June and September to late October. Also, the perfect seasons for purchasing agricultural produce.
Pomelos of Madou
Madou has long been famed for its fragrant and sweet pomelos. Products such as face masks, shampoo and shower gel etc. developed using pomelo or pomelo flowers in recent years are popular.
Harvest Season of Pomelo: August to September. Pomelos are available around the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Sun dried salt, diverse aquaculture
The salt industry in Tainan was initiated in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. During the occupancy of the Empire of Japan, Taiwan also continued to produce salt. The Chigu Salt Evaporation Pond was closed in 2002, terminating it 338-year history of salt production. Tainan's coastal areas are abundant with soils of a high level of salt, which is perfect for providing the habitat for oysters and sea snails. Those are then freshly made into seafood is what tourists would not want to miss to taste when they are in Tainan.
Salt Fields
Beimen Jing-Zai-Jiao Salt Fields are the oldest existing tile-paved salt fields where salt is still sun-dried manually in Taiwan, with over 200 years of history. Here, visitors can not only enjoy the salt field scenery by bicycle, they can also have fun drying salt, carrying salt on a pole, collecting salt and pedaling a water wheel.
Aquaculture
Tainan is one of the aquaculture centers of Taiwan; milk fish, hard clam, tilapia and grouper etc. are reared. Both the area used for aquaculture and production quantity are substantial.
An Easy Bike Tour of Summertime by the Lakeside of Lotus Park
Baihe District in Tainan is known as the land of lotus flowers and is the best place in Taiwan for viewing lotus flowers. Many visitors to Baihe view the lotus flowers by bicycle. Ancient temples, green tunnels and other natural and cultural attractions are strung together like pearls and can be slowly savored to appreciate the beauty of the land of lotus flowers. Summer is the lotus flower season. Why not take a trip to Baihe to view the pure and untainted beauty of the lotus flowers? Kapok Road at Linchupi has been named one of the top 15 most beautiful flower sea promenades in the world by a Spanish travel and leisure website and is well worth visiting in Autumn.
Experience family leisure fun in the countryside
Visitors to Tainan can enjoy a forest shower or have countryside fun in different ways at a resort or safari park. No matter if you hike on a mountain trial or visit one of the various distinctive recreational farms and amusement parks, you are sure to be satisfied!
Recreational Farms
Recreational farms such as Dakeng, Xianhu, Zoumalai, Nanyuan and Tainan Duck Farm all feature distinctive local industry characteristics and are highly suitable for family fun in the countryside.
Amusement parks
Rated as excellent fun parks nationally, Wanpi World Safari Park and Jianshanpi Jiangnan Resort combine entertainment, education and leisure functions. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery and can have fun camping and picnicking. Both places are very suitable for family visits.
