Taiwan Times Village (Baodao Shidao Cun) was an indoor theme park with shops, antiques, performances, food, and decor from earlier eras (roughly 1940’s-50’s). Sadly, this abandoned themed landmark is now history.
🛥️ Planning your trip to Nantou? ⛰️
Here are some top travel tips for you:
- Best time to visit: Winter or Autumn when it is less rainy
- How to get there: Taiwan Railway and Inter-City Bus
- Best place to stay: Kirin Villa or Jenq Yang Hotspring Hotel
- Book tours and activities in Nantou on Klook
- Stay connected with a local SIM
- Rent a car to explore distant sights
Historical Background:
Taiwan Times Village (寶島時代村) was a tourist attraction in Caotun Township, Nantou County, Taiwan. It was co-founded by Chiang Chin-liang and entertainer Hsiao Pan-pan, and opened in June 2012. The site temporarily closed in 2018 due to Chiang’s legal troubles, reopened on May 11, 2019, but has been shut down since February 24, 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and remains abandoned.
The complex, built by Taiwan Times Village Co., Ltd., covers about 4 hectares (with 4,000 ping of indoor space) and once employed around 200 staff. At its peak, it generated NT$200 million in revenue, with NT$120 million in paid-in capital.
The attraction recreated the atmosphere of Taiwan in the 1940s–50s, featuring night markets, as well as reconstructed communities representing Hakka, Minnan, Indigenous groups, and military veterans.
After closing down in 2020, the area has served as a location for Caotun Night Market 草屯鎮人文觀光夜市 (in the parking lot) and Owl Family Arcade 貓頭鷹親子樂園 (in the main building).
Price:
It was about 200 NT per person
Hours:
Taiwan Times Village: Permanently closed
Caotun Night Market: 5:30-11 PM on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
Owl Family Arcade: 5 PM to 12 PM every day except Monday.
How to get around Nantou:
As always, we recommend renting a scooter as the best way to see Taiwan. However, you can also get to Nantou by taking the train to Taichung and then switching to an inter-city bus, or local bus. Getting around in a car is also a convenient option as there is plenty of parking pretty much everywhere in this less crowded county.
Scooter Rental: Looking for scooter rental in Nantou? Search Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
Car Rental: If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.
By Bus: You can book tickets to travel to Nantou via inter-city bus on Klook here.
By Train: You can book tickets to Taichung via high speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here, or book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here, then switch to a bus to Nantou.
Bicycle Rental: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here.
Tours:
There are many tours and activities available in Nantou, such as river Tracing, paragliding, Shanlinxi Forest Recreation Area 杉林溪, Cona’s Chocolate Castle, Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge, JOJOZOO Park, and Aowanda Forest Recreation Area.
You can find more tours of Nantou on Klook here or KKday here.
Where to Stay:
We have stayed at and recommend Jenq Yang Hotspring Hotel (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Trip.com here, or Klook here), a hot spring hotel near the mystical Lushan hot spring, and Maple Leaf Holiday Villa (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Trip.com here, or Klook here), a lodge with a great view and within walking distance of Cingjing Farm. I also have stayed at and recommend Kirin Villa (you can book on Agoda here), a mountain resort in Puli near Sun Moon Lake.
Looking for a hotel? Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality accommodation on the islands.
Map:
Check out the former location of Taiwan Times Village here.
Our Journey:
I only visited Taiwan Times Village once. It was an interesting experience. It was cool to see a bunch of antiques and memorabilia from Taiwan’s past, but at the same time, it was also a bit dark. I also did not like that you had to pay 200 NT to get in, and then they wanted you to buy more stuff when you got inside. It was kind of a tourist trap.
I must say this blog has been sitting on the shelf for a long, long time. It wins the record for the longest I have waited to post a blog (these photos were taken in 2011).
Entrance to Taiwan Times Village.
There was once a roundabout and a splash fountain in front of the main building.
There was also plenty of parking, including parking for tour buses.
Globally Limited Production — Only 73 Cars!!!
Panther Kallista (美洲豹卡里絲塔 / Kallista)
About Me
Model: Panther Kallista Manufacturer: Panther Car Company, UK Production Period: 1982–1990 Total Produced Worldwide: 73 units Assembly Plant: Panther Limousine Plant, Weybridge, England
Specifications
Engine: 2.8L Ford Cologne V6 Horsepower: 135 hp Transmission: 5-speed manual (Getrag) Weight: 1,689 lbs (766 kg) Wheelbase: 96.5 in (2.45 m) Length: 152.1 in (3.861 m) Width: 67.0 in (1.70 m) Height: 50.1 in (1.27 m)
Designer: Robert Jankel
View of the Panther Kallista.
Wedding photos, I guess they are advertising portraits here.
More wedding photos.
Statue of Sun Yat-sen at the front of the building.
Front door of the building.
View of the charitable activities of the company.
Some foods sold at their restaurant:
Taiwan Times Village – Special Offers
10/24 – Tea House (茶山房)
Handmade natural soap (original NT$150) Special price: NT$80
10/25 – Bamboo Crafts (竹藝子)
Bamboo products Spend NT$2,000 and get a free massage voucher
10/26 – Honey Hall (蜜堂)
600ml honey (original NT$580) Buy 2 large, get 1 small free
10/27 – Handcrafted Incense Flowers (素手浣花)
Handcrafted incense flower set (original NT$750) Buy 2, get 1 free
10/28 – Cha He Pastry Shop (朝和餅舖)
Traditional cakes and pastries (original NT$360) Special price: NT$320
10/29 – Da Fang Sesame Candy (大芳麻糬)
Mochi and sesame snacks 3 boxes for NT$200
10/30 – Mouth Snack Shop (廟口小吃)
Traditional temple snacks (original NT$30) Special price: NT$20
A kid playing in an old-style police guard station. Vibes of martial law!
Antique store.
Old-style craft store.
Old Street, including a theater.
Old movie poster.
Old train station and ROC flags.
Aboriginie statue.
Old posters and ice cream for sale.
“Times Tunnel”
Old map of the whole complex.
Taiwan Times Village Directory
- Papermaking King
- Traditional Grocery Store / Old-style Sundries
- Taiwanese Puppet Theater
- Fortune Telling (Palm Reading / Face Reading)
- Taiwan Tea House
- Old-Time Dessert Shop – Grass Jelly & Aiyu Jelly
- Old-Time Blacksmith Shop
- Handmade Candy & Chocolate
- Taiwan Style Street Snacks
- Taiwan Native Shop
- Taiwan Coffee Shop
- Taiwanese Pastry Shop
- Taiwan Fried Chicken Shop
- Taiwan Rice Cake Shop
- Taiwanese Pancake Shop
- Taiwanese Handicrafts / Toys
- Taiwanese Pastry Shop (2nd)
- Taiwan Native Shop (2nd)
- Taiwanese Snacks
- Taiwanese Specialty Shop
- Taiwanese Specialty Shop (2nd)
- Taiwanese Pastry Shop (3rd)
- Lotus Pond
- Fortune Telling
- Restroom / ATM Withdrawal
- Children’s Toy Shop
- Taiwanese Scallion Pancake
- Taiwanese Oyster Omelet
- Taiwanese Meatball (Ba-wan)
- Taiwanese Shaved Ice King
- Taiwanese Snacks
- Taiwanese Pastry Shop (4th)
- Taiwanese Food Street
- Taiwanese Snack Restaurant
- Taiwanese Specialty Shop (3rd)
- Taiwanese Puppet Theater (2nd)
- Taiwanese Tea Shop
- Taiwanese Food & Drink Restaurant
- Taiwanese Pastry Shop (5th)
- Taiwanese Food Court
- Taiwanese Pastry Shop (6th)
- Taiwanese Pastry Shop (7th)
- Taiwanese Specialty Shop (4th)
- Taiwanese Snack Shop
- Taiwanese Snack Restaurant (2nd)
- Taiwanese Pastry Shop (8th)
- Taiwanese Tea Shop (2nd)
- Taiwanese Specialty Shop (5th)
- Taiwanese Pastry Shop (9th)
- Taiwanese Snack Shop (2nd)
- Taiwanese Specialty Shop (6th)
- Taiwanese Pastry Shop (10th)
- Taiwanese Tea Shop (3rd)
View of the old street.
Pooopo gift shop.
View from behind the old train station.
Trinkets for sale.
There was also a large square here that used to have performances.
Horns for sale.
Grass hut.
Old steam train.
A 50’s era house with clothes lined out to dry.
Rickshaw carriages.
Saxaphone performance at the old train station.
Old “Darkie Toothpaste” poster.
Steamed buns for sale.
Plum juice for sale.
And that concluded our tour.
Maybe Taiwan Times Village will come back someday. Probably not though, since a few other businesses have started to rent out the building.
Check out our full guide to Nantou County here.
Check out our guide to Taiwan here.
