Sinshih District combines history and culture with easy access to some of the top attractions in Tainan City. Visit one of the biggest natural history museums in the country and stroll along a street lined with beautiful Japanese-era shophouses. Express trains make it easy to zip into Tainan City and visit attractions like Anping Fort and Grand Mazu Temple.
Things to do in Xinshi District
Dive into the rich ethnocultural history of the country at the National Museum of Taiwan History. The enormous museum sprawls across three storeys and is packed with engaging exhibits and audio-visual installations. You’ll learn about everything from indigenous groups like the Siraya and Pingpu to the Dutch occupation. The museum is set within a landscaped park where you can spot local bird species like egrets, woodpeckers and kingfishers.
Just south of Sinshih District, Xin Hua Old Street recalls the city’s colonial past. The street is lined with elegant Baroque shophouses built in the 1920s during the Japanese Era. Once occupied by fruit and vegetable vendors, today the shops house a mix of cafes and restaurants. Stop for lunch and enjoy local specialties like spicy beef noodle soup and “zong zi” sticky rice dumplings.
Dinosaur skeletons, prehistoric human fossils and woolly mammoth bones are just some of the treasures on display at the Tree Valley Museum of Life Sciences. The museum boasts one of the largest natural history collections in Taiwan and is packed with educational exhibits. Head outside to the Tree Valley Farm to meet friendly pigs, goats and chickens.
Getting around Xinshi District
Buses are a fast and affordable way to get around Sinshih District or you can use taxis. The district is a 30-minute drive from Tainan City. High-speed trains run between Tainan City and Sinshih District in less than 15 minutes and Tainan Airport is a 30-minute drive away.