Tainan City, the former capital, is situated on the southwest coast. It has a population of 750.000 spread over an area of 176 km², 0,5 % of the total land area of Taiwan. Tainan's modern history may be seen to begin when the Dutch established Fort Zeelandia in 1624. The Fort was however surrendered to Koxinga after nine months siege in 1662. The fort is located in Anping, one of the oldest non-indigenous settlements in Taiwan and the oldest part of Tainan. It is here that the famous Anping Tree House may be found. Originally Tait & Co.'s warehouse during the Japanese period, it was taken over by Taiwan Salt Co. in 1945. Finally, when the house was abandoned, it is the Banyan trees that 'took over'. Both the fort and the house are open daily 9am - 5pm.

Shopping in Tainan can be enjoyed in several traditional arts and craft stores as well as new modern department stores, malls and the latest boutiques. Beimen Street is the city's computer ¨street¨.