Travel Date: 2022/02/04

Yuejingang Riverside Park (月津港親水公園)

In 2022, the Lantern Festival in Yanshui featured an impressive exhibition with more than 70 art teams and 83 art works, making it the largest exhibition in the town's history. To showcase the town's transformation and development during the past 10 years of the Lantern Festival, the city government introduced drones and unmanned boats for the first time on the floating platform in Yuejin Harbour Riverside Park on the opening day of the festival, which was January 22. This unique performance, combining land, sea, and air elements, marked the beginning of the festival of lights.

Special performances are also scheduled on the floating platform on February 5-6 and February 12-13. Various groups of sound and audio-visual artists will perform in the outdoor space of the warehouse group. The Xinchuang Lighting District will present experimental audio and video interactive live performances on two Saturdays, namely February 19th and 26th.

The Lantern Festival will run from January 22 to February 28, 2022. Lanterns can be found in several locations, including Yuejin Harbour (月津港親水公園), Xinchuang Light District (新創燈區), Lanes and alleys (巷弄街區), the railway station (火車站), and Yongcheng Theater (永成戲院).

See also: Historical Buildings in Yanshui

Map of Yuejin Harbour Lantern Festival / Yanshui, Tainan

Chestnut Pond
Yuejin Harbour Lantern Festival 2022 / Yanshui, Tainan

Yanshui Old Street
Yuejin Harbour Lantern Festival 2022 / Yanshui, Tainan

Alley decorated with lanterns
Yuejin Harbour Lantern Festival 2022 / Yanshui, Tainan

Yanshui Octagona Pavillion
Yuejin Harbour Lantern Festival 2022 / Yanshui, Tainan

Yanshui District Office
Yuejin Harbour Lantern Festival 2022 / Yanshui, Tainan

Christmas Decoration at Church / Yanshui, Tainan

Wu Temple (鹽水武廟)

It was really crowded, streets and riverside park was full of people. Smaller roads was blocked by police officers from driving. Visiting Yanshui several times in the past, I've never seen so many people in there... We parked nearby entrance to the Riverside Park. It took us 2 hours to walk around, we didn't go to Qiaonan Old Street as it was full of people. Later on we drove to Wu Temple.

In addition to the light environment of Yuejin Harbour, the Wu Temple (鹽水武廟) also has the largest sculpture of Guan Shengdijun in the country. In the back park, there is a 2022 sound and light art light exhibition symbolizing the theme of bee cannons to eliminate the plague. There are 3D double-sided paintings of Guan Gong on the surrounding walls.

Wu Temple Lantern Show: 2022/01/22 - 2022/02/28 fron 6:00PM - 10:00PM

Wu Temple 鹽水武廟 Light Exhibition / Yanshui, Tainan

Address:

1. Yuejingang Riverside Park: 737台南市鹽水區康樂路月津港親水公園
2. Wu Temple: 737台南市鹽水區武廟路87號鹽水武廟

Longqi Light Sky Mountain Festival ( 龍崎光節空山祭)

Tainan is hosting various Christmas and New Year's Eve activities this year, including the Longqi Light Sky Mountain Festival (龍崎光節空山祭), which is renowned as the most beautiful mountain and forest lantern festival in Taiwan. The festival runs from December 25th, 2020 to February 28th, 2021. Admission is free from today (December 25th) until December 27th. However, when we arrived at the festival, which was a little after 7 PM, it was challenging to find parking space. The road leading to the park was already blocked due to limited parking availability. Many people had parked their cars along other roads, as well as near gas stations and parking lots. Luckily, we managed to find a parking spot, but there is also a shuttle bus service available for convenience. Before entering the festival, it is important to wear a mask, scan a provided QR code, and register your name, phone number, and the number of people in your group if you are visiting as a family. You will receive a small sticker after registration. Additionally, children can obtain lanterns to carry around the park (which must be returned after use).

Huxingshan (虎形山)

Huxingshan, named for its mountainous terrain resembling a fierce tiger, stands 113 meters above sea level and is not heavily crowded with tourists. It can be considered a hidden gem among the many mountains in Tainan. The park is well-maintained, and the natural ecology is rich, with frequent sightings of various wild animals.

Many tourists enjoy hiking along the trail that surrounds the mountain, passing by Wanglong Suspension Bridge and walking through the forest. It is also common for families to camp and have barbecues in the park. Summer nights are particularly popular, as many visitors bring their children to observe the fireflies. The fluorescent lights of the fireflies create a magical atmosphere, making it an educational and ecological experience in Tainan's Houshan area.

The limited exhibition route at the festival spans 2 kilometers. Whether you are ascending stairs or traversing slopes, you can enjoy unique scenery along the way. The walk takes approximately 40 minutes. Colorful light bulbs guide the path for visitors walking at night.

One of the featured art installations is Xin Qi's "Flower Tree: Reunion," which showcases the art of "light insects" that feed on light. The various colored lines create a magnificent scene that is both vibrant and dazzling up close, but also breathtaking when viewed from a distance.

This year's mountain festival has undergone changes compared to the previous year. Not only has the scale of the festival expanded, but the exhibition period has also been extended to 66 days. Additionally, a ticketing system has been implemented for the first time to support local arts and cultural activities. On-site tickets are priced at 100NT, while online tickets receive a 50% discount. In addition to the stunning artistic lighting displays, the ticket price includes free shuttle bus connections and ecological guided tours. Ticket holders can also enjoy discounts at local stores by presenting their ticket stubs. Residents of Longqi District can enter the venue for free every day, while residents of Rende, Guiren, and Guanmiao, belonging to the Nanguan line, are entitled to free admission from Monday to Thursday. For those who do not drive, the Tainan Bus Red Route or Kaohsiung Bus 8050 can be taken to reach the "Longqi Bus Station."