Beimen Salt Field: Building a New Look for Tourism
Tainan City has two salt fields, Beimen and Qigu, but the two could hardly be more different. The Qigu Salt Field uses a soil base, and has the newest salt fields. The Beimen Salt Field, on the other hand, consists of tile-paved salt fields, with the oldest existing salt fields in Taiwan (the Jingzaijiao Wapan Salt Fields opened in 1818). These salt fields are located south of the Jishui River and north of the Sanliaowan River. Because of their long history and the experience of the salt workers, the quality of the salt produced here is the best in Taiwan. The opening of the salt fields in Qigu, Anshun, and Wushulin all required help from the Beimen salt workers. This makes Beimen (like the Xincuo Salt Fields) one of the the original homes of salt production in Taiwan.
In 2000, due to the newly opened coastal expressway passing through it, not only did the salt fields cease operations earlier than other fields, but also the salt field scenery was severely damaged. Now that the salt fields have been rebuilt as tourist destinations, the old town is no longer old but has a brand new look.
There are abundant scenic spots around the Beimen Salt Fields, such as the famous Crystal Church and the Money Comes general store. The Beimen Bike Path is also located nearby, so visitors can enjoy riding and take in the beautiful scenery of the salt fields.
