Pingtung
Pingtung City is the county seat and largest city in Pingtung County with a population of about 194,000 (2024). Weather is subtropical.
Understand
Not a main tourist destination, but its subtropical climate makes Pingtung a city one could spend a night and see the essence of Taiwan on the way through Taiwan.
Get in
By train
Pingtung is easily accessible by train from Kaohsiung or Tainan. You can connect to the TRA train from the High Speed Rail (HSR) station at Zuoying. You can also connect to the Kaohsiung KRT, which serves Kaohsiung International Airport.
- ๐ Pingtung railway station (ๅฑๆฑ่ป็ซ). The main station for the city which connects to the West Coast line of the TRA network.
- ๐ Guilai railway station (ๆญธไพ่ป็ซ). A smaller local station on the Pingtung line.
- ๐ Liukuaicuo railway station (ๅ ญๅกๅ่ป็ซ). A newer local station on the Pingtung line.
By bus
Most long-distance bus companies have Pingtung on their schedule. You can get there from Taipei or the international Airport in Taoyuan within a few hours. It is cheaper than the HSR but still comfortable hence you usually need to change the bus only once.
- ๐ Pingtung Bus Station (ๅฑๆฑ่ฝ้็ซ). Busses from Pingtung Bus (ๅฑๆฑๅฎข้), UBus (็ตฑ่ฏๅฎข้) and Kuo-Kuang Bus companies operate from this station.
Get around
Taxi service is available at the Pingtung train station. Although bus service is available, most people commute by car, scooter or bicycle.
See
Pingtung City is not typically on tourist itineraries. However, people are friendly and foreign nationals will appreciate unique aspects of southern Taiwanese life, such as robust night markets, bright neon lights and numerous Buddhist temples. Streets are lined with palm trees. In the center of town is Zhongshan park, which has a soccer field, pond, fountains and playground.
Culture and history
- ๐ Chonglan Xiao Family Ancestral Temple (ๅด่ญ่ญๆฐๅฎถๅป), โ +886 8 733 0924. 09:00-17:00. Built in the 19th century, this scenic temple is a popular, architecturally notable landmark.
- ๐ Zhong-Sheng-Gong Memorial (ๅฎ่ๅ ฌ็ฅ ), โ +886 8 751 2267. 09:00-17:00. The memorial was constructed in 1929 by the Zhen clan family members who moved to Taiwan from Guangdong during the Qing Dynasty in the 18th century.
- ๐ Pingtung Tutorial Academy (ๅฑๆฑๆธ้ข), No. 38, Shengli Rd, โ +886 8 736 1544. 08:00-17:30. A former tutorial academy in Taiping Village, built in 1815.
- ๐ Pingtung Martyrs' Shrine (ๅฑๆฑๅฟ ็็ฅ ). A memorial dedicated to fallen soldiers erected in 1967.
- ๐ Ahou City Gate (้ฟ็ดๅๆฑ้). A brick and cobblestone city gate built in the 19th century.
- ๐ Former Pingtung Tobacco Factory (ๅฑๆฑ่ธ่ๅป ), No. 57-5, Minsheng Road, โ +886 8 721 3635. The site of the former state tobacco factory which closed down after the government lifted its monopoly control over tobacco production.
Museums
- ๐ Pingtung Art Museum (ๅฑๆฑๅธ็ซ็พ่ก้คจ), No. 74, Zhongzheng Road, โ +886 8 738 0728. 09:00-17:30 (closed Mon).
- ๐ Pingtung Taiwanese Aborigines Museum (ๅฑๆฑ็ธฃๆฟๅบๅไฝๆฐ่กๆฟๅฑๅไฝๆฐๆๅๆ้คจ), No. 7, Lane 50, Fengrong Street, โ +886 8 738 1479. 08:00-17:30.
Temples
- ๐ Cihfong Temple (ๆ ้ณณๅฎฎ), No. 39, Zhongshan Road, โ +886 8 732 2967. A highly decorative temple built in 1775.
- ๐ Limtsiinui Three Mountains King Temple (ๆไปๅ งไธๅฑฑๅ็ๅป), No. 43, Hengyang Street, โ +886 8 732 7236.
- ๐ Du Chenghuang Temple (้ฝๅ้ๅป), No. 12, Nanchang Street, โ +886 8 732 4051. A multi-storey temple painted in gold.
- ๐ Haifeng Sanshan Guowang Temple (ๆตท่ฑไธๅฑฑๅ็ๅป), No. 28, Haifeng Street, โ +886 8 736 7727. An ornate temple complex on the outskirts of the city.
Do
The top tourist attraction in Pingtung County is Kenting National Park. The government is investing in developing tourism in Dapeng Bay, which is much closer to Pingtung City. Since the city does not cater to tourists, life typically revolves around the extended family and friends. Kaohsiung is close enough to serve as an anchor for most tourist activities. The Pacific SOGO department in central Pingtung has a Starbucks, food court, small market, cafe and a bookstore that sells a few English language books.
- ๐ Pingtung Performing Arts Center (ๅฑๆฑๆผ่ๅปณ), No. 4-17, Minsheng Road, โ +886 8 722 7288. The arts center consists of music hall, multipurpose theater and open air plaza.
- ๐ Pingtung Baseball Field (ๅฑๆฑ็ธฃ็ซๆฃ็ๅ ด), No. 1, Bangqiu Road, โ +886 8 752 5482. The county's main sports stadium which can seat up to 10,000 people. While mostly used for baseball, there are occasionally also cricket matches held here.
- ๐ Pingtung Extreme Sports Ground (ๅฑๆฑๅธๆฅต้้ๅๅ ด), No. 69, Zhongshan Road. Despite the name, the area is largely a skating park.
Buy
Pingtung has a 70-year-old night market near the train station. During the day, vendors offer a wide variety of products. The Pacific SOGO department store (one of 9 in Taiwan) is the most upscale shopping option. There is a large Carrefour supermarket.
- ๐ Pingtung Night Market (ๅฑๆฑ่งๅ ๅคๅธ), No. 36, Minzu Road. The city's main night market, filled with a variety of stalls selling snacks and an assortment of small items.
- ๐ Zhongshan Huanghun Market (ไธญๅฑฑ้ปๆๅธๅ ด), No. 65, Zhongshan Road, โ +886 988 878 973. 14:00-17:00. An indoor market selling a variety of food and homewares.
- ๐ Central Traditional Market (ไธญๅคฎๅธๅ ด), Xiamen Street, โ +886 8 732 0415. 06:00-15:30. A large, circular market building with stalls inside and around the outside. The market sells a variety of food and lifestyle necessities.
- ๐ Ruiguang Night Market (็ๅ ๅคๅธ), Section 3, Ruiguang Road. 18:00-01:00. A typical Taiwanese night market full of snacks and other assorted items.
Eat
Pingtung has numerous dining options that tend to be inexpensive by North American or European standards. There are restaurants, noodle stands, tea and juice shops and night markets. There are a few Western chains such as McDonald's, KFC and Domino's pizza. Stores that specialize in inexpensive Bento boxes for takeout are ample.
Drink
Bars include the Steelskin Bar, the G.D. Pub, Duckie's, Jimmie's, and Hunters. You can enjoy Asian and Western music at these venues.
Sleep
Pingtung City does not have any international level hotels. However, there are some hostels and independently operated motels. There are certainly well regarded hotels in Kaohsuing that are within 25 km of Pingtung City.
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