Ranking of Taiwanese cities

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
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41

Either I really don’t get this, or the place has changed a lot. I lived there roughly 2000-2005: loved it because it was fun and unique for the first couple of years, then gradually got bored silly. What especially drove me nuts was the lack of places to just … stroll. Again and again I was driving my scooter to Chenggong University to walk around there. Even though I lived walking distance from the campus, the sidewalks were so awful I drove my scooter to get there. Cycling … so many kilometers of busy flat polluted roads to get to interesting places. What I did love about Tainan was relatively easy access to long scooter drives up the South Cross-Island Highway, and camping at the top, but that’s not much of an option now.

Moved to Taipei (well, Danshui) and have never, ever regretted it. MRT (I am SO happy to almost never drive these days), much more variety of food (whether for restaurants or groceries), outdoor activities far, far easier here. Yes, more rain, but I think that’s balanced out by cleaner air. Admittedly Danshui does have better strolling opportunities than most other places in the Taipei area.

Oh yeah, moving from a well-furnished huge apartment with 10,000/month rent to a tiny shabbily furnished place with, I dunno, maybe it was 13,000/month, was also a bit of a shock.

Caveat: the money saved from several years living in a really cheap place were a big factor in later putting down the down payment on a mortgage in Taipei.

That being said: if you’re just arriving in the country, Tainan is a solid #1 choice. But living here long-term? Taipei first. Then … hm, a big gap to Kaohsiung (MRT, a touch more international), slight move down to Tainan at #3 (scootering everywhere, ugh), then Taichung #4. I know next to nothing about Taichung but have spent five or six weekends there over the years and never found enough to fill any of those weekends.

But a lot of my ranking comes from an intense dislike of driving a scooter, and a desire to spend a lot of time outside, whether walking or cycling or hiking.

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42

I feel Tainan and Kaohsiung have a vibe that is more free than anything else north of it.

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43

This sounds like the most reasonable list so far.

44

so what you are saying is danshui no.1?

45

I dunno … I often felt a touch self-conscious walking around with my (Taiwanese) then-girlfriend, now wife, when we were in Tainan. Not a huge deal, but I was very much aware that we were watched, and that wasn’t comfortable for either of us. Moving to Taipei made things a lot more relaxing. I feel more freedom to just be myself in Taipei than I did in Tainan: there, I was very much The White Guy, and now I’m mostly just some other bozo on the street.

Of course, Taiwanese people will have different reactions.

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46

You think Tainan is a bit more traditional/conservative than up north?

47

Nah. I’m just sticking to the four listed in the original question. Danshui has problems, especially if you’re living out here and commuting into the city for work; I’m lucky in that I both live and work out here. The MRT’s enough of a slog that I seldom even go into Taipei for dinner, despite a mile-long list of restaurants I want to try. If I’m comparing food and breaking down by district, Tainan is better than Danshui, but Taipei is better than Tainan. (And the groceries available make my kitchen a hell of a lot better in Danshui today than it was in Tainan in 2005.)

I trust the massive numbers of Taiwanese people who tell me that Tainan has the best Taiwanese food. But that’s like telling me something is the best episode of The Big Bang Theory, or the best true-crime show: sure, and if you like that kind of thing, great, but not something I’m all that interested in.

I can’t speak to what it’s like now. But in 2005, I definitely felt that way. Tainan was an interesting Taiwanese city. Taipei was “just” another world city, which means in many ways it’s like lots of other world cities. When I first arrived here, Tainan was perfect for what I wanted. When I realized I was here for the long term, Taipei became more suitable.

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48

Are people really that much more open-minded in the Taipei area?

49

Yes.

Yes.

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50

Taipei is mixed as far as this. It has older population with older traditional views in society and politics than other major cities. In Kaoshuing and Tainan I see as younger on average and fairly open on items such as gay rights, social issues ect. This what I see, the big difference is big city and countryside as far being open minded.

What I do see more traditional here in central KHH is larger extended families. My alleyway is full of noise with all the kids playing on holiday with kids in the hood and grandma/pa siting outside the house. I did not see this in Taipei but I lived in big apartment like building in Taipei vs. house here)

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51

Pretty much all the cities are dirty, and not that pleasant. I would prefer taipei just because the people there tend to mind their own business and tend to understand more and comprehend things easier. less polluted as well. taichung the people are strange. they have their own culture, many a local business person notices as well. its inconvenient and dirty…last.t

ainan the people are the best for my.liking in the west, but still southern to be sure. the city wont easily become convenient as its old and poorly organized.

Kaohsiung is certainly the fastest changing, both with infrastructure and culture. Though still incredibly dirty and unhealthy. So i go Taipei, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Taichung mostly based on the human aspect

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52

Dammit, am I late for the Taichung hate thread??

Taipei - Pros: incredible public transit, vibrant night life, lots of young people, lots of activities and communities to find. Cons: sometimes feels not ‘Taiwanese’ enough, expensive, crowded, stifling. Rainy.

Taichung - Pros: good weather, comparatively cheap, great access to mountains and trails, great tea + tea culture, feels much more ‘local’ and ‘family-oriented’. Cons: polluted, incredibly spread out, boring, anywhere worth going to outside of the city requires a car and a couple hours.

If we’re doing a city ranking, I begrudgingly put Taipei at the top, and Taichung at the bottom of the ‘main’ cities - however, once the green line is fully operational and they add more, it may surpass Kaohsiung for me. (Potentially hot take - Tainan and Kaohsiung would not be nearly as cool/fun/nice if not for their proximity to each other.)

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53

Yes that and pingdong and Kending. The chain of places to see is greater. But on their own not as good.

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54

Everyone said that. I always found it too sweet and gooey. Prefer the food in Taipei, Taichung.

Very hot and humid, not actually a whole whole lot to do there–certainly not in the long term-- limited good western restaurants, sprawled over a large area, pretty low walkabililty, aesthetically not the prettiest in most places, lots of speed cameras on the lights make it annoying to drive there, hard to park. Felt kind of like a generic ‘city’ setting of a GTA video game to me. It’s gone one hai hao beach that’s not that easy to get to.

Kaohshiung COUNTY has some very beautiful places. And also some very strange ones.

This is true, the south in general. I’m not sure that I agree that South is more conservative value wise than the north part either. Just more exposure to out of towners is all.

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55

Some points I agree with and some I don’t. For example, I have no problem with speed cameras when we have such an ongoing problem with drunk drivers down here. And yes, our heat sucks, but a few have made the point that Taipei is actually more humid in the summer. Our heat is more of a dry heat. But the summers are pretty unbearable all over the island. The other stuff you said I can’t rebut as easily lol. Our selection of western restaurants is indeed not great, but we do have Arkansas Diner. :man_shrugging:

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56

And here Imma Bakery Cafe Restaurant - Cuisine / Kaohsiung & Southern Taiwan Restaurants - Forumosa Which is better than any other of it’s type in Taiwan.
or here
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My favorite comfort food in the south. Have a meal there, sit back and feel happy.

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All run by natives from the said countries (like the few French and Japanese places also here to serve there sizable Japanese ex pat population in KHH)

57

I honestly when I came to live to Taiwan I did not care if there are western restaurants or not, it like if a Taiwanese said they do not like Paris or London because there are not enough Taiwanese or Asian restaurants.
honestly If I want Western food, I make it myself at home.

if I want to live in Taiwan but I want things like in the West, why move to Taiwan

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58

I’m strongly considering moving to Tainan. Am I making a mistake ?

I want to leave Taichung due to how boring it is.

59

I’ve never known a westerner who moved to Taiwan for the food. Some may like the food, but I don’t know anyone who wants it 3 meals a day, 365 days a year.

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60

Why don’t you go visit there for a few days and judge for yourself?

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