Inhabited for at least 3,000 years, Guantian is an important agricultural district in south-west Taiwan. It was known as “Wang Tian” under Dutch rule and was renamed “Guantian” by the Qing dynasty. During the Japanese colonial era, it was officially established as a village before being upgraded to a district in 2010.
Things to do in Guantian District
Sprawling across the east of Guantian District is the Wusanto Reservoir, which was the largest man-made lake in Asia when it was completed in 1930. It was established to provide irrigation water for the plains of Chianan, where rice has long been cultivated. At the Wusanto Reservoir Scenic Area, you can enjoy sweeping views of the lake from one of the waterfront trails.
Nearby is Hatta Yoichi Memorial Park, which is dedicated to the reservoir’s Japanese-born engineer, Yoichi Hatta. It is clustered with Japanese-style buildings created using traditional woodworking techniques and furnished as they would have appeared during Hatta’s time in Taiwan. The garden courtyard is particularly beautiful, with flowing water, a tranquil bridge and cherry blossom trees.
On the other side of Guantian District is Hulupi Natural Park, an 18th-century reservoir named after its resemblance to a gourd. It is famed for its bright red suspension bridge and provides a habitat for frogs, egrets and pheasant-tailed jacanas. Follow the walking trail that rings the reservoir and connects to a viewing platform, from where you can watch farmers rowing small boats around the caltrop fields.
Getting around Guantian District
Guantian District is around 30 minutes’ drive from the centre of Tainan City and 35 minutes from Tainan Airport, which has flights to destinations across Asia. The much larger Kaohsiung International Airport is one hour away. Trains connect to Balin and Longtian railway stations and buses travel throughout Guantian District.