Lynda's Taiwan-logue

< Visited in Aug 2018 >

To say that Taiwan has as many temples as convenience stores should be an understatement. Big and small, many built from donations from the local community, and some as opulent as they can get. I often include temples in my itinerary, for sightseeing from a cultural and historical perspective. Nonetheless, Madou Daitian Temple 麻豆代天府 (十八层地狱) is probably the first to attract me with the ticketed attraction onsite. 

As the name suggests, there is a hades (and heaven) themed park in this temple, possibly why it attracted so many local visitors (and bloggers). Noting that there are two Daitian Temples 代天府 about 4km apart on Google Maps, I would advise including 十八层地狱 (18 levels of hell) for an accurate search.     

The nearest bus stop is Wuwang Temple 五王庙前, though I had reached this destination on foot. Other than a lone foodcart, the immediate vicinity is unlike what I would expect of bustling market places and food zones often sprouting around temples. Just in case you are expecting to fill your tummy here, you may want to make alternative plans. 

▼ Entering the compound proper, this iconic structure could be spotted from a distance (and from where I had approached on my walk). 

Not noticing any visible sign of the "theme park" I came for, I asked a staff for direction and was directed to walk along the annexe building to the back.  

Looked like I was not alone in my excursion... 

Reaching the understated entrance proper to hades. Admission fee is NT$40 (and another NT$40 for the next segment of heaven), which I took as maintenance fee. 

Caution: the walkway henceforth is dimly lit (apologising too for less than ideal quality of images), a tad chilly and the air at some parts feeling damp. The sections (and my photos) are also presented in a graphic manner. If you have kids or elderly in tow, their comfort level may be something you wish to consider. 

And my journey through the buddhist 18 levels of hell begins...

Finally reaching the level many Chinese could be most familiar with (regardless of religion) - being served with Mengpo's soup (孟婆汤) to forget the current life and queue up for reincarnation. 

Completing the dark and damp segment (which should take no more than an hour even if you were as slow-paced as I was), heaven beckons (at another admission fee of NT$40).

In contrast, this journey was well lit and less chilly, as well as a shorter stroll. 

The end of my stroll through heaven... 

... emerging from the dragon's mouth and at a good height to admire the surroundings.  

There seemed to be a crystal palace (水晶宫) and kids-friendly slide (溜滑梯) elsewhere in the compound, which I saw from blogs but did not venture to. If you have more time than I did for this attraction, the temple architecture and halls could also be worth checking out.   

Side note: some people may find this attraction resembling Haw Par Villa 虎豹别墅 in Singapore, and having visited both, I wouldn't disagree. With parental guidance, such attractions could be interesting lessons for children (if they are not terrified by the graphic setup). 

Related reads:
[Tainan 台南] ☼ Madou Day Trip 麻豆一日游 ☼
[Tainan 台南] Madou Day Trip // Tsung Yeh Arts & Cultural Center ♦ 麻豆一日游 // 总爷艺文中心

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❖ Madou Daitian Temple 麻豆代天府 (十八层地狱)
Web
Address --- No. 60 Guandi Temple, Nanshi Village, Madou District, Tainan City 台南市, 麻豆区, 南勢里, 关帝庙60号 

檢視較大的地圖

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