Encompassing the eastern half of Chiayi City, Chiayi East is home to many of the city’s top cultural attractions. It’s dotted with fascinating museums and picturesque parks, as well as the 200-hectare reservoir of Lantan Lake with its centrepiece fountain.
Things to do in East District
You can delve into the region’s past at the Chiayi City Historical Relic Museum, which houses an impressive collection of old photos, maps and artefacts. It occupies two buildings that were affiliated with the Chiayi Shrine during Taiwan’s period under Japanese rule and have been beautifully restored to their former glory. Kimonos are also available for rent if you want to explore Chiayi East in style.
Another museum not to miss is the Chiayi Prison Museum, which offers guided tours for experiencing life behind bars in Taiwan. Wander through the warden’s room and see the visitation room where inmates once met with their families before getting a glimpse of what lies behind the wooden-doored cells. A fascinating array of guard instruments and prison artefacts are on display, including tools made by prisoners for tattooing.
Green thumbs shouldn’t miss a visit to the Chiayi Botanical Garden, which sprawls across 8.6 hectares in the north-east corner of Chiayi Park. It serves as an experimental garden for the growth of tropical trees, with West Indian mahogany, Chinese fir and Brazilian rubber trees all planted here.
Getting around East District
Chiayi Airport is a 15-minute drive from Chiayi East and has flights to Kinmen and Penghu while Taichung International Airport is just over an hour away. Trains connect from destinations across Taiwan to the Chiayi railway station and buses travel throughout Chiayi East.