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With almost the same population as Taipei, Kaohsiung is a large port city full of skyscrapers. Like almost all Taiwanese cities, it has a wide variety of activities to do, whether it be walking through the shopping district, relaxing in Central Park or visiting the street art exhibitions, not forgetting the night markets so typical of the island . It is also worth strolling along the shore of the Love River, watching the boats go by and enjoying the lights of the city at nightfall.
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung in Kaohsiung Area (Taiwan)
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung guide
What to do in Kaohsiung
Rei Feng Night Market
Located north of Kaohsiung, it is the largest night market in the city, and also the most touristy. There are also, apart from stalls of food, playground with the famous doll vending machines, targets, bets and infinite variations. In it you can try various Taiwanese delicacies.
Pier-2 Art Center
Surely, the most well-known area of the city, located in the Yancheng district. It is near the sea, since it is the old port of Kaohsiung, which was abandoned when it went from being an industrial city to a service city. The various buildings host exhibitions, craft shops, modern cafés and cinemas. It is an area to walk around without blinking, since there are enormous graffiti on all the walls, the traffic signs are different and even on the floor you can find works of art. The tram passes through the middle of the area, connecting the ends of the city. Even so, it is best to travel by bicycle or walk to appreciate the different artistic expressions.
Cihou Fort and the Cijin lighthouse
Just one kilometer from Pier-2 is Gushan Ferry Pier, the port where you can catch the ferry that takes you to the small island in front of Kaohsiung, about 9 km in length. The journey is worth no more than NT $ 20, and lasts only 5 minutes.
From the place of disembarkation, going to the right, there is a small path that climbs the small mountain. At the end closest to the mainland, the lighthouse rises, and at the opposite end, the Cihou fortress, currently half in ruins. From the two points, on a clear day, you can see the skyline of the city, but most days, due to the abundant pollution, you can barely distinguish the other coast, especially if it is at sunset. On the other side of the island are the surfing beaches and, beyond that, the commercial ports.
Sanduo Shopping District
It's the neighborhood, they say, more touristy than Kaohsiung, although the truth is that if you do not want to buy anything, you have little to do in that district. It is located in the center of the city, with tall buildings and large avenues, full of clothing and technology stores. Within walking distance is Central Park, the largest park in Kaohsiung, which has a little pond inside, and small mountains that, for a moment, make you forget that you are in the most polluted city in Taiwan.
Lotus Pond
This artificial pond is located north of the city, in the district of Zuoying. It is a popular tourist destination, not only because you can walk around it or do water skiing in it, but also because of the temples that you can visit around it. The most curious are the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, which are accessed through some bridges and entering through the mouth of the respective animals. In another of the extremes, is the temple of Confucius.
Soushan National Park
This great mountain located at the western end of the city is also known as Monkey Mountain due to the large number of monkeys that you can find in its forests. There are several ways by which to undertake the ascent to the top, reaching the University, the Zoo or the viewpoints above everything, from which you can observe the city on a clear and low-pollution day. I know I repeat myself, but the truth is that you see absolutely nothing but. You can check the levels here, and if they are in red, do not bother to upload, since the views will be null.
Food in Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung has an excellent seafood, as it is a point of distribution of the fruits of the ocean throughout southern Taiwan. There's everything from a comforting bowl of fish soup to a seafood feast of whiskey, Kaohsiung's favorite drink. The seafood restaurants are called 海產 店 (hǎichǎn diàn), literally, 'seafood shop'.
An increasing number of young chefs and restaurateurs in the city are working to modernize Taiwanese cuisine in the south and focus on local products. Gien Jia is inspired by European cuisine and cooks with Taiwanese ingredients. A simple plate of grilled vegetables is presented with plum 'butter'; the pilgrim and chicken pumpkin salad is garnished with flying fish sauce; and fresh local shrimp and local bacon combine as a ravioli filling.
All the classic Taiwanese delicacies, whatever their city of origin, can be savored in Kaohsiung; Stewed pork with rice, oyster omelettes, soup dumplings, chive pancakes and frozen treats of all kinds. All this and much more is in the sensory cacophony that are the night markets. Of the dozen of them in Kaohsiung, Ruifeng Night Market is the favorite of the locals. It seems that everything happens there: fair games, selling clothes and various objects, people who sing, but food is still the main protagonist.
Climate in Kaohsiung
In Kaohsiung, the wet season is hot, oppressive, and overcast and the dry season is warm, humid, and partly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 59°F to 90°F and is rarely below 53°F or above 93°F.
The best time of year to visit Kaohsiung for warm-weather activities is from late October to early April.
