Hanging Out in the Colorful World of Rainbow Village, Taichung

Rainbow Village, Taichung, is a real colorful village located in Taiwan. Once upon a time, it used to be a small housing village for veterans, and now it is a favorite spot in Taichung City. Rainbow Village is definitely one of my favorite destinations in the country and I hope that it will be yours as well once you’ve read this blog post. But before getting in to it, you might be wondering: why should I go to Rainbow Village, Taichung? Here’s why:

• It’s totally free. No need to pay an entrance fee.
• You can get there by taking public transportation.
• You can meet the man who painted the village known as Rainbow Grandpa.
• Going there means supporting Rainbow Grandpa’s cause and artwork.

History of the Rainbow Village, Taichung

Right around the end of the Chinese Civil war, the KMT party relocated to Taiwan and built small ‘villages’ for the soldiers along with their family. Unfortunately, after so many years, the condition of these villages have deteriorated. Moreover, since the government had built these housing complex, veterans did not have ownership. In the end, some villages were demolished, but others stayed put because local artists turned them into art villages that became viral in the Taiwanese community. The same goes for Rainbow Village, Taichung.

Since Grandpa Huang had a lot of free time in his hands, he decided to pursue his passion: art. He started painting the walls of his house which lead to finally painting the whole village. A few university students near by found his art work, took pictures of it, and as expected: they went viral. When people found out that the city government was going to take down the village, they made a petition which finally saved the fate of this small but colorful home of Grandpa Huang.

My thoughts on the Rainbow Village

Looking for the Rainbow Village in Taichung was not exactly easy because it is not inside the city. But once I got there, I thought it was worth the trip. The village is small and it isn’t really an actual village. Rainbow Village is a housing complex for the veterans and consist of 4-5 houses. However, the fact that Grandpa Huang still managed to paint all the houses in different designs impressed me profoundly. Grandpa Huang painted the houses beautifully and it was such an honor to be able to meet him in person. His artwork was also printed on T-shirts, postcards, and made into pins and other merchandise.

How to I got there

So, you want to go to the Rainbow Village and witness Grandpa Huang’s work for yourself. The question is how do I get there? Well, here is how I did it:

• Take bus no.27 or 40 from Taichung Train Station to Lin Tung University (cost: 40NTD)
• Walk straight to the south along Ling Dong Road.
• If you don’t have Google Maps, follow the people. Those who are there are most likely going to the village.
• If you don’t have much time, take a taxi instead as it will take time getting there by bus. However, the fare will cost a lot more.

I’d go back there any day

So far, my experiences in Rainbow Village, Taichung, have been super duper pleasant. Sure, it’s not a big place and if you come at the peak days, there will be many people. However, I really loved all the colors and art work that was on the walls. I admire the Grandpa Huang for his persistence in making this place alive, so as someone who loves painting as well, the place has more meaning to me. If you are going to Taiwan, I do suggest that you stop by at Rainbow Village, Taichung, and don’t forget to support Grandpa Huang by purchasing some merchandise (I personally loved the postcards). Happy travels!