Not at all my good sir!
The air seemed pretty fresh when I was there. Since I like harbour towns I have to say Tainan exceeded my expectations (which were mostly based on visits to train st. area previously). Actually large parts of the city have been redeveloped in a good way including train station area. Driving is the only thing that might annoy me there compared to Taichung but you can’t have everything. I need to fly around Asia/China sometimes, I guess Kaoshiung airport would be the easiest one to use for local residents?
No much dryer but probably as HH suggests, far more scorching days. Don’t think it is hotter than other places in the south but there is more than an average 3-4 degree difference between Tainan and Taipei in winter.
Those temp charts are not terribly useful. Think of how many foreigners read those for Taipei and come here with only summer weight clothing and freeze their asses off.
[quote=“headhonchoII”]Not at all my good sir!
The air seemed pretty fresh when I was there. Since I like harbour towns I have to say Tainan exceeded my expectations (which were mostly based on visits to train st. area previously). Actually large parts of the city have been redeveloped in a good way including train station area. Driving is the only thing that might annoy me there compared to Taichung but you can’t have everything. I need to fly around Asia/China sometimes, I guess Kaoshiung (Gaoxiong) airport would be the easiest one to use for local residents?[/quote]
The train station area is still awful, unless you are talking about the back area. Those pedestrian tunnels smell of piss.
But yes, the town has seen great improvements and is more obvious when you take the HSR in than if you drive.
In anping did you drink beer and eat german food in the old Julius Mannich house?
[quote=“headhonchoII”]We visited the Anping coastal area, although it was my second time there it was still very enjoyable, there was a beach with people windsurfing and sailing (A LOT of people), new bike path, harbor area, along with some historical areas which it is famous for. There were some new villas/townhouses there which were really first class.
The other impressive thing about Tainan is that the water is fairly clean, doesn’t smell compared to other cities in Taiwan.
The river area is nice too.[/quote]
That’s where I live. I’m about 50m from the river and cycling distance to the coastal area. Moved to this area from the east of Tainan in January. Very family friendly. 
I lived in Taipei for 2 years, now I live about a 30 min drive from Tainan (I’ve lived here almost 2).
Never, in a million years, would I trade for Taipei’s horrific weather. It may be hot in the south, but barring typhoons it almost never rains. As in, it feels like I could count the number of normal rain days in a year on 2 hands. And of course the humidity is not nearly as bad either (better for those joints). The pollution here is worse, however much of it is from factories and at street level you aren’t sucking up as much exhaust it seems.
Tainan is a decent place. There’s a large university there so there’s a younger vibe, which is nice, and the downtown core is walkable and very easy to get around to do your shopping (unlike Kaohsiung which has MRT but is pretty spread out when it comes to getting stuff done). As mentioned there are some decent places to eat too…I assume because there’s a sizable young population there, there’s a bit more of a leaning towards different food styles. Overall the people in the south are also much more laid back than those in Taipei.
Between the youth in Tainan and the forward thinking Kaohsiung gov’t (modernizing and cleaning up a lot of stuff), I’d say the south is going to be more and more attractive in the near future. Only thing Taipei has on it is restaurant/club selection, if that’s your thing.
Hi,
I am coming to tainan this summer for three months to do an internship. I am coming with classmates and we thought about renting a flat for 4-5 persons. I would like to know how can we find this from where we are living now, in France, and how much does it cost.
We found a rooming house with single rooms, with furnitures, TV, internet access, personal toilet… but no water charge, no electricity charge.
This costs 6600 NT per month. It is a good offer?
Thanks 
[quote=“daftpunk”]Hi,
I am coming to Tainan this summer for three months to do an internship. I am coming with classmates and we thought about renting a flat for 4-5 persons. I would like to know how can we find this from where we are living now, in France, and how much does it cost.
We found a rooming house with single rooms, with furnitures, TV, internet access, personal toilet… but no water charge, no electricity charge.
This costs 6600 NT per month. It is a good offer?
Thanks [/quote]
Depends where it is. Which district?
Otherwise, yes, it sounds good. Water and electricity charges usually aren’t included in the rent. Typically water and electricity is billed every second month and gets sent to the apartment or house address for the owner/renter. How long do you need the place for, because usually you need to sign a year contract and foreigners need to put down a three month deposit. On your place that would be NT$6600 for the first month and NT$19 800 deposit.
Otherwise you could also check out tealit and the Tainan_Bulletin. Do a google search and you’ll find both.
I recently moved house in Tainan and I was also looking for a house (not an apartment - I learned that I don’t live well with others in apartment buildings in Taiwan), but everything under NT$8000 were real crap holes. Have you seen pictures of the place at least?
Also, in Tainan you’re going to need scooters (bicycles at the very least), because using taxis on a daily basis will be very expensive and we don’t have much in the way of public transport in Tainan.
Thank you for the response
I will need the place for 3 months. I think that I don’t need to give a deposit because I knew people who were there for only a month. The rooms are near the Cheng Kung University. Here is the website of the flats with photographs : nandu.com.tw/02.htm
[quote=“daftpunk”]Thank you for the response
I will need the place for 3 months. I think that I don’t need to give a deposit because I knew people who were there for only a month. The rooms are near the Cheng Kung University. Here is the website of the flats with photographs : nandu.com.tw/02.htm[/quote]
I know that place. Used to live near it. It’s a great deal. For the length of time you’ll be here you wont find a better place. Congrats on the find! I believe they’re contracted to NCKU, so AFAIK you don’t need a deposit and can stay for a few months or as long as you need as it’s also sometimes used for students of Chinese who come here for short periods etc.
Go for it, I say.
If you’re just going to be around the university area (plenty to eat and do!) and if you’ll only go out occasionally then you wont need scooters. NCKU is walking distance, as are numerous places to eat. That area is really great, so I’m sure you’ll enjoy it there.
Drop us a line when you get here.
As an aside, surely you are not coming to Taiwan to learn Chinese for just 3 months?
I think he said he was coming for an internship…
If you do need a scooter you can rent them just next to the Mega’21 by the uni, across from the back of the train station.
@bismarck : ok I’ll do that.
@headhonchoII : I’m coming for an internship at the university but I’ll try to improve my chinese, I was taught chinese at school this year, 2h per week.
@Mucha Man : thanks for the information. I have never ridden a scooter, maybe it’s time to learn 
I’m sure you’ll have a blast…good luck.
Great shopping spree -though the colors of the ties are a bit … bright.
[quote]Tony Coolidge’s shopping trip in Tainan, Taiwan, helps prove her point. He got 24 new pairs of socks and 10 new ties, all for 300 New Taiwan dollars. That amounts to about $9.50 in the U.S.
“I know I would have spent much more than that in the USA, even at Wal-Mart,” he said. “I have always enjoyed an amazingly affordable cost-of-living, living in Taiwan. … I moved here a year ago with a wife and three kids and enjoy a high quality of life that costs 40 percent of what it cost to live in Florida.”
[/quote]
edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/1 … =allsearch
Pics here: ireport.com/docs/DOC-431199
Yep, it is pretty awesome, and throw in a high speed train for average 10 euro per trip and a nice beach…it’s a good spot.
Quality seems commensurate with the price.
Taiwan Fuck Yeah
[quote=“Icon”]Great shopping spree -though the colors of the ties are a bit … bright.
[quote]Tony Coolidge’s shopping trip in Tainan, Taiwan, helps prove her point. He got 24 new pairs of socks and 10 new ties, all for 300 New Taiwan dollars. That amounts to about $9.50 in the U.S.
“I know I would have spent much more than that in the USA, even at Wal-Mart,” he said. “I have always enjoyed an amazingly affordable cost-of-living, living in Taiwan. … I moved here a year ago with a wife and three kids and enjoy a high quality of life that costs 40 percent of what it cost to live in Florida.”
[/quote]
edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/1 … =allsearch
Pics here: ireport.com/docs/DOC-431199
those 24 pairs of socks don’t fit right and wear out after two washings.
those 10 ties get snags and runs on their first wear.
and $10 a month for power!!! fucking hell! some of us like to use the A/C and other appliances.
I’ll take the 8 pack of brand name socks from TJ Maxx or Marshall’s or whatever discount store offers them for cheap. You’ll go through 240 pairs of TW night market socks by the time my $5.99 bag runs out.
That being said, there are a lot of pluses to living here.
Great more reports get out like this and we will have every backpacking patchouli wearing hippie coming to live in Tainan.
