Kaohsiung

No reviews yetCity Takao, Taiwan

Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, Kaohsiung, Takao, Taiwan

About Kaohsiung

Taiwan's great harbour city has reinvented itself from a gritty industrial port into one of the most enjoyable urban destinations on the island. Kaohsiung spreads around a busy deep-water harbour in the sunny south, with warm weather nearly all year, a relaxed pace and a waterfront that has been turned over to art, music and cycling.

Old warehouses at Pier-2 now host galleries and installations, the Love River glows at night, and the striking Weiwuying arts centre and the Kaohsiung Music Center show off the city's new ambition. History lives on at the hilltop former British Consulate above Sizihwan Bay, while a short ferry hop to Cijin Island brings seafood, beaches and an old fort and lighthouse.

Temples are everywhere, from the colourful Dragon and Tiger Pagodas on Lotus Pond to the vast Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum in the hills of Dashu. Evenings belong to the night markets, where seafood, papaya milk and grilled snacks keep crowds busy late, and the metro's Dome of Light is a sight in its own right.

Best seasonOctober to April is dry and warm; summer brings heat, afternoon storms and typhoons.

Ideal stayTwo to three days, plus a half day for Fo Guang Shan.

ArrivingKaohsiung International Airport is on the metro Red Line; Taiwan High Speed Rail arrives at Zuoying Station.

Kaohsiung Has So Much to Discover: 12 Highlights

Temples and Shrines 2

Dragon and Tiger Pagodas

Rising from the water of Lotus Pond in Zuoying, these twin seven-storey towers are reached along zigzag bridges and guarded by a h...

Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum

In the hills of Dashu District, next to the Fo Guang Shan monastery, this huge complex is approached along an avenue of eight pago...

Beaches 1

Cijin Island

A five-minute ferry ride from the Gushan pier brings you to this long, narrow island that shelters the harbour. Rent a bicycle and...

History 1

Former British Consulate at Takao

Built in 1879 on a hill above the harbour entrance, this red-brick colonial residence is one of the oldest Western-style buildings...

Arts 2

Pier-2 Art Center

A row of old harbour warehouses in Yancheng has become the city's creative playground, with galleries, design shops, cafes and gia...

Weiwuying National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts

Designed by the Dutch firm Mecanoo and opened in 2018 on former military land, this enormous arts centre sits under a single rolli...

Landmarks 2

Love River

Once a polluted canal, the Love River has been cleaned up and lined with promenades, cafes and bridges that light up after dark. W...

Formosa Boulevard Station

Where the metro's Red and Orange lines meet, the concourse of this station is crowned by the Dome of Light, a vast circular ceilin...

Food and Drink 2

Liuhe Night Market

Close to Formosa Boulevard Station, this long, straight night market is the easiest to reach from the city centre and is lined wit...

Ruifeng Night Market

Near the Kaohsiung Arena in Zuoying, Ruifeng is a dense grid of food, game and clothing stalls that draws mostly local crowds. Exp...

Nature 1

Shoushan National Nature Park

Rising behind the harbour, the limestone hill known locally as Monkey Mountain has forested trails, coral rock outcrops and lookou...

Museums 1

Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts

Set in the green Neiweipi Cultural Park, this large museum shows modern and contemporary art, with a strong focus on artists from...

Reviews

No reviews yet. Been to Kaohsiung? Be the first to share your experience.

Write a review

Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.

Share your photos

Been to Kaohsiung? Add your best shots to the gallery.

More places in Takao

Tainan

Taiwan

Taichung

Taiwan

New Taipei City

Taipei, Taiwan

Taipei

Taiwan

See all places in Taiwan →

Photo credits

Photo: Sengkang, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Jirka Matousek from Brussels Taipei Hong Kong Singapore Prague Shenzhen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Photo: Pbdragonwang, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Shangkuanlc, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Fcuk1203, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Nagono, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Linguixperiments, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5

Photo: lumoplank, Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Photo: Chainwit., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Photo: 施典志(tenz1225), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Photo: Wpcpey, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Photo: Chi-Hung Lin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Benjiho, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: SSR2000, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Graphium, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Rico Shen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Anav Rin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Photo: Huicheng1967, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Bernard Gagnon, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: WikiLaurent, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Bonkers The Clown, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Zairon, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Pppighil, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: 高偉格(othree), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Photo: ironypoisoning, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Photo: othree, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Photo: Wargash107, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Vintagejhan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: WEI, WAN-CHEN（魏琬臻）, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: 温文佑, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: vegafish, vegafish in zh-wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5

Photo: 人人生來平等, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: o331128, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Photo: Jimmy3357569, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0