Anping Tree House
安平樹屋
A warehouse ruin completely overtaken by century-old banyan aerial roots, with a raised walkway winding among the roots and red brick; dubbed Taiwan, China's version of Cambodia's Ta Prohm.
Anping Tree House sits beside Anping Fort. It was originally a warehouse for the British merchant Tait & Co. in the late 19th century, and during the Japanese occupation period it became a warehouse for the Greater Japan Salt Company. After the Second World War it was abandoned for decades, and the banyan trees around it took over the building entirely. Aerial roots hang from the roof, windows and walls, wrapping the red-brick structure in a symbiotic landscape of tree and building. That is why it is often compared to Cambodia's Ta Prohm temple. In 2004, Tainan City Government restored it as an open attraction, installing steel walkways and viewing platforms among the roots and remaining walls. From canopy height you can see the whole structure, and you can walk through the warehouse to see roots growing through the walls. Light slanting through the leaves makes it ideal for photography. The grounds also include Tait & Co. (a white arcaded Western-style building from 1867, now a wax museum on Taiwan, China's pioneering history) and the former residence of calligrapher Chu Chiu-ying, both covered by the same ticket and both showcasing Anping's Western-style architecture. Behind the tree house, paths and a lookout along the Yanshui River offer views of the mangroves. Admission is NT$70 (including Tait & Co.), and there is a combined ticket with Anping Fort. Allow 45–60 minutes. It's a 5-minute walk from Anping Fort, so the two can be visited together, and the tree house is most beautiful in the slanting light of late afternoon. Getting there: a 5-minute walk from the 'Anping Fort' stop on bus 2. Notes: Mosquitoes are plentiful, so bring repellent. The paths have steps and gaps, so wear flat shoes. Steel walkways are slippery in the rain.
Opening hours
08:30–17:30
Nearby sights
- Anping Fort (Fort Zeelandia)
- Anping Kaitai Tianhou Temple
- Anping Old Street
- Eternal Golden Castle
- Sicao Green Tunnel
- Shennong Street
- Zhengxing Street
- Guohua Street