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Chiayi: top things to do, hidden gems and key tips

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Spend a night in Chiayi on the way to or from Alishan: the forest railway and buses up the mountain leave from here. Give the city an afternoon and an evening, and the Palace Museum’s southern branch a morning, but not on a Monday, when the museums close.

How long have you got?

  • An afternoon and evening: Hinoki Village, the Chiayi Art Museum, then Wenhua Road Night Market.
  • A day: add the National Palace Museum Southern Branch, on the way to or from the high-speed rail station.

When are you going?

  • Mid-December to 1 January: the Chiayi City International Band Festival, running since 1993, with parades and concerts. The 2026 festival runs from 18 December to 1 January 2027 at the Central Fountain.Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw

Top things to do

  • National Palace Museum Southern Branch: Asian art and the Palace Museum’s southern collection, NT$150. 09:00 to 17:00 Tuesday to Friday, to 18:00 at weekends.Tip Closed Mondays, and free on 1 January, the Lantern Festival, 18 May, 27 September and 10 October.NPM Southern Branch (opens in a new tab)south.npm.gov.tw
  • Hinoki Village: restored Japanese-era forestry housing, free, 10:00 to 18:00 daily.Tip The Lumber Factory and Mianyuelu have been closed for renovation since early 2025.Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (opens in a new tab)forest.gov.tw
  • Chiayi Art Museum: three restored tobacco monopoly buildings, 250 m from Chiayi station. Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00 to 17:00.Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw
  • Wenhua Road Night Market: the city’s main food street, 17:00 to 01:00.Tip The south end is pedestrianised at night.Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw
  • Chiayi Park and the Sun Shooting Tower: the city’s oldest park, with a Confucius Temple, an Alishan steam locomotive and a 62 m tower with a viewing deck.Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw

Hidden gems

Getting there and around

  • From Taipei: high-speed rail to Chiayi, NT$1,045 non-reserved. The station is in Taibao, outside the city.
  • Into the city: BRT buses run from the high-speed rail station’s exit 2 to the back of Chiayi railway station and on to Chiayi Park.Chiayi Bus (opens in a new tab)cibus.com.tw Route 7212 also stops at the Palace Museum’s southern branch.Chiayi Bus (opens in a new tab)cibus.com.tw
  • Round town: Tourist Shuttle 0715 links Chiayi station, Hinoki Village, Wenhua Road and Lantan Lake, NT$12 a section, and free with an EasyCard until 31 December 2026.Taiwan Tourist Shuttle (opens in a new tab)taiwantrip.com.tw

If it doesn’t go to plan

  • It’s Monday? The museums are closed. Hinoki Village and the night market are open.
  • Raining? Go to the Palace Museum’s southern branch, the Art Museum or the Municipal Museum.
  • Alishan train sold out? See the backups in Getting to Alishan.