Follow in the footsteps of travel bloggers as they explore the Ten Drum cultural village and the Sicao Green Tunnel.

After leaving Jiayi District, the 10 members of the group arrived in Wenhua District of Tainan City to begin a new journey. This time, we will follow travel blogger Ha La La to explore the art of Ten Drum Cultural Village, travel through the Sicao Green Tunnel, and experience the local spirit at Tainan Night Market.

Explore the musical culture at Ten Drum Cultural Village.

Once a former sugar factory from the Japanese colonial era, the Ten Drum Cultural Village is now a 5-hectare complex featuring 16 old warehouses. Originally conceived as a repurposed space, it was taken over by the Ten Drum performing arts group in 2005. Gradually, a community of locals and tourists has formed, dedicated to learning about and preserving Taiwan's traditional drumming culture. A new journey has begun for this abandoned factory. It is considered one of the first drumming arts and culture villages in Asia.

The entire complex was designed and renovated by a renowned architect, Mr. Liu Guo Cang. At night, the Ten Drum Cultural Village transforms into a beautiful, brightly lit sugar factory. Within just seven years of its opening, thanks to its unique architecture and excellent promotional efforts, the Ten Drum Cultural Village has become increasingly famous, attracting many international artists from all over the world to perform. The dream of promoting traditional Taiwanese drumming art to the world is gradually becoming a reality for the Ten Drum Cultural Village.

At the Drum Museum, visitors can admire the art of drumming and watch performances by international artists. The theater stage is built on the gears of five interconnected sugarcane presses. The stage floor uses transparent tempered glass, allowing the audience to observe the entire operation of the gears while enjoying the performance. The combination of the gentle beauty of history and the vibrancy of drumming techniques in the performance allows viewers to fully appreciate the local heritage, culture, and art of the area.

Inside the museum, there will be music experience rooms, a small theater, a prayer room, and various exhibition rooms. Visitors can also visit the Ching Ci Lin drum workshop and learn about the traditional drum-making process. And the Ten Drum troupe will also teach tourists basic drumming techniques.

After watching the drum performance, the members visited the Maintenance Bookstore. This building used to be the maintenance area of ​​a sugar factory during the colonial era. Today, metal cutting machines are repurposed into workbenches and bookshelves, and hard hats are used to make lampshades in a rather impromptu way. There is also a café inside the bookstore serving desserts if you want to spend some time reading.

Additionally, there's an amusement park with a slide renovated from an old chimney. Originally a sugar mill, it has been redesigned with vertical walls for those who enjoy climbing and adventure sports. After visiting the village's famous landmarks, don't forget to sample the local specialties at Ten Drum restaurant. The chefs here use cane sugar in most dishes, and the food is served in a unique drum-shaped bowl.

Visit the Sicao Green Tunnel to learn more about the local history and nature.

Leaving Ten Drum Cultural Village, the group members headed towards the ferry terminal in Annan District of Tainan City to visit the Sicao Green Tunnel.

The Sicao Green Tunnel is located behind the drainage channel of the Sicao Dazhong Temple, surrounded on both sides by native mangrove forests over 50 years old, along with rows of trees that create a lush green natural tunnel.

Sicao Dazhong Temple is a shrine dedicated to the naval admiral Chen Tze (also known as Chen Yu). Founded in the 39th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1699), Sicao Dazhong Temple celebrates his outstanding military service. The 300-year-old temple is the center of worship for the Sicao area of ​​Annan County.

Located behind the drainage canal of Sicao Dazhong Temple, the Sicao Green Tunnel is a canal surrounded by native mangrove forests over 50 years old. Nature has enveloped the canal, creating a tunnel-like landscape, hence it is also known as a "miniature version" of the Amazon rainforest. The Sicao Green Tunnel is also Taiwan's only aquatic green river.

Before boarding the boat, passengers need to wear life jackets, sun hats, and head protection. Along the sides of the tunnel, you'll occasionally see herons, egrets, or other birds flying at low altitudes. Your guide on the boat will explain the diverse ecosystem of the Dazhong Temple mangrove forest reserve along the way. Visitors can also observe aquatic life and other creatures in the mangrove forest through binoculars. The natural beauty of this ecological forest will captivate any photographer who visits.

If you know how to paddle, renting a boat and paddling around the lake will allow you to explore with a more adventurous spirit. Alternatively, visitors can participate in fishing on the canal. However, after catching fish, visitors must release small fish and fish with eggs back into the wild; the remaining fish can be prepared for consumption on the spot.

The Sicao Canal attracts not only tourists from other cities, but also Taiwanese people who frequently visit to admire the beautiful river scenery. This is wonderful for those who want to learn more about the language, explore the beauty of a new land, and learn about the colorful culture of Taiwan. You should visit the Sicao Canal during the rainy season because it will be difficult to paddle a boat during the dry season. Besides, during the dry season you won't be able to see the migratory birds, the white reeds, and the blooming yellow trumpet flowers.

Stay tuned for more articles about the exciting Amazing Tour in Taiwan on Travellive orfanpageThis is the official Amazing Tour announcement!

Additional information:

Amazing Tour is a series of destination promotion tours initiated by Travellive Media Group since 2013. To date, Amazing Tour has collaborated with international tourism promotion agencies such as South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Türkiye, successfully organizing experiential tours to promote tourism and quickly making a strong impression.

Entering 2023, Amazing Tour returns with a fresh program format, aiming to inspire travel enthusiasts to explore the world. Each program will include practical activities designed to provide information on services and destinations based on the real-life experiences of celebrities, influential figures in the travel industry, and photographers.

The Amazing Tour in February 2023, a travel and tourism promotion event focusing on culture and cuisine, titled "Taiwan - Gently Touching the Spring in Taiwan," was organized by Travellive Media Group and the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, with sponsorship from STARLUX Airlines.

Yen Nhi