Things to Do in Tainan in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
March Weather in Tainan
Is March Right for You?
Advantages
- Comfortable temperatures for temple exploration - March sits in that sweet spot where mornings are genuinely pleasant at 64°F (18°C), perfect for walking Tainan's historic districts before the midday heat kicks in. You can actually enjoy cycling the old city without feeling like you're melting.
- Mango season is just beginning - Late March marks the arrival of early-harvest Yujing mangoes, and locals know this is when to hit the fruit markets. You'll catch the tail end of strawberry season too, making this a surprisingly good month for fruit lovers willing to venture to nearby farms.
- Fewer mainland Chinese tour groups compared to Lunar New Year period - The post-holiday lull means you can actually photograph Anping Old Fort and Chikan Tower without waiting for crowds to clear. Hotel prices drop 20-30% from February peaks, and you'll get better service at popular breakfast spots.
- Stable weather patterns with predictable rain - Unlike the typhoon uncertainty of summer or the surprise cold fronts of January-February, March rain in Tainan tends to be brief afternoon showers. You can plan outdoor activities for mornings with reasonable confidence, and the rain rarely disrupts evening night market visits.
Considerations
- Humidity builds throughout the month - That 70% humidity figure is an average, but by late March you're pushing toward summer levels. Clothes don't dry overnight, and if you're not used to subtropical humidity, you'll feel sticky by midday even when temperatures seem moderate on paper.
- Not ideal for beach activities - Water temperatures around 72°F (22°C) mean the nearby beaches at Anping aren't particularly inviting for swimming. Most locals won't get in the water until May, and beach facilities often operate on reduced schedules since it's still considered off-season.
- Inconsistent air quality from agricultural burning - March is when farmers in surrounding areas burn fields after harvest, and depending on wind patterns, Tainan can get hazy days with AQI readings above 100. Not a daily issue, but worth checking air quality apps if you have respiratory sensitivities or plan intensive outdoor activities.
Best Activities in March
Historic Temple District Walking Tours
March mornings are genuinely the best time of year to explore Tainan's temple-dense neighborhoods. Start at 7am when temperatures are still in the mid-60s°F (18°C) and locals are doing their morning prayers - you'll see temples actually being used, not just photographed. The route from Confucius Temple through to Koxinga Shrine covers about 3 km (1.9 miles) and takes 3-4 hours with proper stops. March also coincides with preparations for the Matsu Pilgrimage season, so you might catch temples doing practice processions and drum rehearsals.
Anping District Cycling Routes
The 15 km (9.3 mile) coastal route from Anping Old Street to Sicao Mangrove Wetlands is perfect in March because you avoid both winter winds and summer heat exhaustion. Rent bikes near Anping Fort and you can cover the full loop in 4-5 hours with stops. The mangrove tunnels are particularly photogenic in March light - less harsh than summer, and the migratory birds haven't fully departed yet. Water levels in the green tunnel tend to be ideal for the bamboo raft tours through April.
Night Market Food Circuit
March evenings are ideal for night market grazing because you're comfortable in a t-shirt without sweating through it by your third stall. Tainan's night markets rotate by day - Dadong on Monday/Tuesday/Friday, Wusheng on Wednesday/Saturday, Xiaobeicheng on Thursday/Saturday. Each runs roughly 6pm-midnight. The specialty here is Tainan's distinct food culture: coffin bread, danzai noodles, and shrimp rolls that taste different from northern Taiwan versions. March also brings early summer fruits to dessert stalls.
Salt Mountain and Lagoon Exploration
The Qigu Salt Mountain and surrounding lagoon areas are about 40 km (25 miles) southwest of central Tainan, and March weather makes this surprisingly worthwhile. The massive salt pyramids create weird photo opportunities, and the nearby Black-faced Spoonbill Reserve still has winter migrants through mid-March. The exposed landscape means you want cooler months - doing this in July would be miserable. Plan 4-5 hours for the round trip including the Jingzaijiao Tile-paved Salt Fields.
Traditional Breakfast Crawl
Tainan is legitimately famous across Taiwan for breakfast culture, and March mornings are perfect temperature-wise for the traditional experience of eating outdoors at street-side stalls. The classic circuit includes milkfish belly soup, rice cake in thick soup, and Tainan-style soy milk. Most iconic spots operate 5:30am-11am and are busiest 7-9am. This is hyper-local - you'll be the only tourist at most places, which is the point.
Guanziling Hot Springs Day Trip
About 50 km (31 miles) northeast in the foothills, Guanziling's mud hot springs are one of only three mud spring sites in the world. March is actually ideal because you want warm days but not hot - soaking in 70-75°C (158-167°F) mineral mud is more pleasant when ambient temperature is 75°F (24°C) rather than 95°F (35°C). The drive up through Baihe district also passes lotus fields and rural temples worth stopping for. Budget a full day if you're doing this properly.
March Events & Festivals
Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival
If you're lucky with timing, this insane festival usually falls in late February to early March depending on the lunar calendar. Participants wear full protective gear while thousands of bottle rockets are fired directly at crowds - it's as wild as it sounds and deeply rooted in local religious tradition. Yanshui is about 30 km (18.6 miles) north of Tainan city. Check exact 2026 dates closer to travel as they follow the lunar calendar, but it typically happens within two weeks after Lunar New Year.
Matsu Pilgrimage Preparations
While the major Matsu pilgrimage routes happen in April, March is when Tainan temples start preparation ceremonies, practice processions, and blessing rituals. You'll see temples getting decorated, drum troupes rehearsing, and palanquins being restored. Not a single event but an ongoing cultural moment that gives insight into Taiwan's religious traditions. The Grand Matsu Temple in downtown Tainan becomes particularly active.