Kaohsiung, Taiwan. I bet you’ve never heard of this city; you can’t find it on a map, and if I didn’t just write it, you’d have no idea how to spell it. This isn’t a knock on your geography knowledge – I’d never heard of this city before my wife got a job offer here – and I’m a former two-time geography bee champion.
I’ve lived in Kaohsiung for three years now and may be biased. Still, I think it is one of the most livable cities in Asia and a massively underrated travel destination.
“If this city is so great, why hasn’t anyone heard of it?” You are probably asking.
Great question. Over the last 20 years, Kaohsiung transformed from a grimy port city to a vibrant metropolis. The city invested billions of dollars into urban revitalization, with the most noticeable change happening at the harbor, which they call “The New Bay Area.” The bay used to be full of derelict warehouses and a polluted river.
Today, the vibrant harborfront boasts stunning architecture, and the abandoned warehouses now house art museums, breweries, shops, and eateries. The formerly toxic Love River is now delightful, as walking trails and parks parallel the river on its meandering journey through the city.
Do you prefer beaches or mountains? In Kaohsiung, you don’t have to choose. Monkey Mountain rises 1600 feet above the city and dozens of hiking trails crisscross the forested peak. If you climb high enough, you’ll have sweeping views of the city and ocean. After a strenuous hike, you can swim at the beaches or take the ferry to Cijin Island, a quirky place that mixes Kaohsiung’s blue-collar roots with its tropical beauty.
One of the most fun – and most touristy – things to do on the island is rent an electric scooter and drive along the coast, stopping at the many made-for-Instagram art installations, watching the surfers, and exploring the beaches.
On the island’s north side sits a lighthouse atop a steep hill. The sweeping 360-degree views of the green mountains, busy harbor, and colorful Cijin Island make the calf-burning hike worth it.
After exploring the island, you can drink a beer at the Cijin Sunset Bar with all the expats or eat at one of the many seafood restaurants in the night market. Relaxed Cijin island is ten minutes away from Kaohsiung by ferry, but a world away from the buzzing city.
About 8% of Kaohsiung is public parkland, and my favorite park is Lotus Pond, famous for its stunning Buddhist temples. The Dragon and Tiger Pagodas are the most photogenic. Enter through the dragon’s mouth, walk through the ornate interior, and exit through the Tiger’s mouth for good luck. (By the way – it works. I did it repeatedly before the 2020 U.S. elections, and democracy lived another day.)
The serene Tiger and Dragon Pagodas sit incongruously next to a raucous wakeboard park. If you want to watch a mix of experts do gnarly tricks and beginners crash and burn, get a beer at the lakeside bar and kick back for some free entertainment.
At dusk, noisy and crowded night markets pop up all over Taiwan, and my favorite is the Ruifeng Night Market. Don’t go to Ruifeng if you are claustrophobic or have an aversion to strong smells. The hundreds of food vendors fill the air with a miasma of deep-fried batter, grilled meats, steamed rice, and stinky tofu – a pungent dish that smells like a sewer and is one of the most polarizing foods in the world. (I love it!) The jam-packed lanes are full of people eating street food, shopping for cheap items, and playing carnival games. It feels like the state fair, but it happens every night.
Even though Kaohsiung has 2.7 million people, it is considered a relatively quiet country town by Asian standards. It is ⅓ the size of Taipei and a fraction of the size of Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. I’m okay with that because I’m a small town boy and the laid back vibes suit me. The city is remarkably safe and easy to walk around, and the people are chill, polite, and friendly.
Kaohsiung is in the tropics, on the same latitude as Honolulu and Havana. Although the summer’s heat and humidity are miserable, the winters are perfect – at least for me. On a gloriously cool 63℉ morning, I went to my local coffee shop. The bewildered barista, who I didn’t know could speak English, looked at me and said, “Where is your COAT! You are so strong!” As I stood there in my shorts and Hawaiian shirt, I realized that all the locals were bundled up for an Arctic expedition.
Although Kaohsiung has lovely city beaches and a forested mountain in town, an hour’s drive to the east leads to some truly spectacualar mountains with raging waterfalls and dense rain forests. A short drive to the south leads to Kenting, with postcard-perfect beaches, turquoise water, kaleidoscopic reefs, and Cowboys, a beach bar with hamburgers, cold beer, groovy music and bikini-clad Taiwanese waitresses wearing cowboy hats.
Taiwan is overlooked as a travel destination, overshadowed by Japan and Southeast Asia. Kaohsiung is overlooked by travelers to Taiwan, overshadowed by Taipei. But if you reach this rugged tropical island, go to Kaohsiung. It might be your favorite city in Asia.
Read more: Kaohsiung: The Coolest City in Asia You’ve Never Heard Of
Planet Bell 
You’ve rekindled my interest in Taiwan again. Always been on my to do list and now has reached a couple of rungs higher. I like slow travel, settling in one place for a month or two so this sounds perfect. Oh and the night markets!
If you ever want a free place to stay for a month – and you love cats – let me know. We are always looking for catsitters when we travel at Christmas and summer.
Taiwan is a great place for slow travel. It is a small island with a wide variety of things to do, with cities, mountains, beaches. It is also affordable so you can stay here for a while on little money.
Wow, that is very kind of you. I currently live in the UK (after a lifetime growing up in Australia) so tend to travel for a couple of months to escape the winters here. Off to Malta this winter (I’m very much an island person having been born on Isles of Scilly and now living back here). I have a friend in Singapore who offers the same so it would be great to combine both. And I’m very much a cat person.
Jeff,
Glad to see you back in blog land. Be careful. This article might bring folks to your doorstep wanting to visit!!
Hope all is well.
Right? In Bangkok we had lots of visitors. With Covid and everything, we’ve only had four so far. Maybe we will get more 🙂
Sounds like an amazing place, Jeff. Thank you for this delightful tour.
Thank you!
I’m sold! Even the dogs are exotic there!
Yes, the dogs are very strange. Some have shells and others meow!
Very interesting, Jeff. Thanks!
Thanks Brian.
That’s very nice photo and places. I will note that. Thanks Jeff
Thank you!
Gah, I just wanna come and see for myself! 🤗😂
One day I’ll get to Taiwan. You’ve really added to my already strong conviction that is it worth visiting. I’ll be sure not to miss Kaohsiung!
Alison
I’m originally from Kaohsiung but have lived in the US for long time. I visited there when I have opportunity to go. Your blog is excellent but I believe there are a lot more “cool” places there – you may need at least a couple of more blogs to cover this vibrant city. I always enjoy reading your blogs as you travel around the world – lucky you to live in Kaohsiung for three years. Could I re-blog your article to my friends?
Where are some other places I should check out? Of course, you can share my blog.
Next time you are in Taiwan lets go take photos.
Thank you for the response, Jeff. I plan to travel to Taiwan in mid-December and will stay until the end of January 2024. We will spend some days in Kaohsuiung and will look forward to meeting you and yes, may photograph together. Meanwhile, you should check out Formosa Blvd subway station, taking ferry to Cijin and check out the town and coastline, Kaohsiung Harbor Fishermen Wharf for wandering around the art district and for sunset photos of the harbour, Former British Counselor Building on top of mountain for afternoon coffee break and check out the beautiful sunset, etc. I haven’t ridden the Light Train in town but have heard good things about it; also, Weiwuying National Art and Culture Center in Fengshan District. Please keep in touch! Stephen Hung – shung2008@gmail.com
I have heard of Kaohsiung. It’s one of our sister cities. Years back it gifted us a few dragon boats – I actually crewed in one for our Rose Festival races one year.
But although I’ve read the name of the city a few times and written it twice, I still couldn’t spell it on demand. (Copy and paste for this comment… 😉 )
Where are you from that Kaouhsiung is a sister city? That is cool that they gave you a dragon boat. You win points for the geography quiz!
I’m in Portland, Oregon. Not so sure about the geography though. I might be able to find Taiwan…
I had no idea you were posting these during our trip to Kaohsiung! It was so nice to finally meet you and Kristi. I wished we could’ve met again during the typhoon-related closures. James and I decided to go for a walk last Thursday and found out almost everything was closed! We even had the brilliant idea of going to Pier 2, which of course was deserted. Did you end up staying at home? I really loved Kaohsiung and I think I want to go back when the main station has been finished.
It was great meeting you! When typhoons are near, everything closes up a day in advance. It is crazy! It is a very livable city. We don’t have crazy traffic problems and there is plenty to do. I’m glad you enjoyed Kaohsiung.
We’ll definitely go back to Kaohsiung! James and I had this crazy idea of walking around the harbor area on the day the typhoon was closest to the city. Of course, everything was closed! We ended up eating at this beef noodles chain near our hotel.
Jeff, you are so right about Kaohsiung – it really deserves this headline. Bama and I never got bored there and we wished we could have stayed another day or two to catch some of the festivities happening this weekend (and of course to hang out with you and Kristi one more time!). We will definitely return in the future, hopefully when the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas are no longer under scaffolding. Remember the hilarious label we found during our short hike up Guishan – “The Crying Apes in the Cold Night”? 😂
The Arctic wear thing happens every winter in Hong Kong too – my brother went to college in Montreal and often got weird looks when he went out in shorts and T-shirts while spending Christmas back home.
In Alaska in April, it will be 50 degrees outside and everyone is wearing shorts and t-shirts. I guess it is all relative. I’m glad you enjoyed Kaohsiung and it was great to meet Bama. Next time you come you should start in Kaohsiung and head over to the East Coast. It is some spectacular over there.
Kaohsiung is a veritable wonderland. Thanks for introducing me to it. Maybe the city is mostly undiscovered because it is so hard to spell. Just kidding.
There is some truth to that. I’d never heard of it either, but it is wonderful.