Tainan ranks 4th on Time Out best Asian travel list

Tainan, Jan. 1 (CNA) Tainan in southern Taiwan ranks fourth among the eight best Asian travel destinations selected by British magazine Time Out in a recent travel experts' guide to the best places to visit in Asia in 2025.

In the Dec. 19 edition of Time Out, Tainan is the sole Taiwanese city on the list made by editors and travel contributors, the city government said in a press release issued on Wednesday.

Sumba, Indonesia; Siargao, Philippines; and Da Nang, Vietnam are ahead of Tainan on the list, followed by Ipoh, Malaysia; Osaka, Japan; Nan, Thailand; and Lijiang, China.

Citing Time Out, the city government praised "Tainan, Taiwan's oldest city and original capital -- also regarded as the county's foodie capital -- as a warm-weather southern gem, rich with history, a vibrant culture, cutting-edge arts, cool bars, and drool-worthy cuisine."

In addition to having a taste of the local favorite douhua (tofu pudding), Time Out recommended visitors head to Anping Tree House, a sprawling banyan tree that has taken over a colonial-era Japanese warehouse and created a surreal blend of nature and architecture with a root system large enough to walk through, according to the city government.

The magazine also suggests visitors do not miss the Tainan International Dragon Boat Championships from May 30-31, 2025, calling the event a reflection of Tainan's "perfect blend of tradition and riverside fun," it said.

This is not the first time that Tainan has been chosen by international travel organizations as a place to visit.

In January 2024, both CNN Travel and National Geographic Traveller (UK) chose Tainan on their respective lists "Where to go in 2024: The best places to visit," and "The Cool List 2024: the 30 most exciting destinations to visit in 2024."

As Tainan just marked its 400th anniversary with the Tainan 400 series ending at the end of December, 2025 is a milestone year for the city, the city government said.

A wide variety of events, including the Agricultural and Fishing Art Festival, will run at various venues across the city until April 30, it added.