Discover 35 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Kaohsiung (Taiwan). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: National Science and Technology Museum, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, and Lotus Pond. Also, be sure to include Dragon and Tiger Pagodas in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Kaohsiung (Kaohsiung).
Table of Contents
National Science and Technology Museum
Also known as: 國立科學工藝博物館
Museum in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The National Science and Technology Museum is a museum of applied science and technology in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[1]
Address: No. 720號, Jiuru 1st Road, 807 Sanmin District
Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts
Also known as: 高雄市立美術館
Museum in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts is located in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It was founded by the Kaohsiung City Government and has been administrated by the Kaohsiung Bureau of Cultural Affairs since 2003. It occupies about 8.15 acres and started in 1994. It is the third public arts museum in Taiwan, after the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts and the Taipei Fine Arts Museum.
The museum is a part of the Neiweipi Cultural Park (內惟埤文化園區), which occupies about 40 hectares. The first stage of Neiweipi Cultural Park’s construction started in 1989 and was completed in 1994. During this phase, the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts was completed. Later further developments were made to the entrance plaza, sculpture park, and ecology park.[2]
Address: No. 80, Meishuguan Rd, 804 Gushan District
Lotus Pond
Also known as: 蓮池潭
Artificial lake in Taiwan. Lotus Pond is an artificial lake and popular tourist destination on the east side of Zuoying District in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Opened in 1951, it is famous for the lotus plants on the lake and the numerous temples around the lake, including the Spring and Autumn Pavilions, the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, and the Confucian Temple.
Lotus Pond was the site for several water sporting events for World Games 2009, including canoe polo, water ski, and dragon boat.[3]
Dragon and Tiger Pagodas
Temple in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Dragon and Tiger Pagodas is a temple located at Lotus Lake in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The temple was built in 1976. One of the towers is the Tiger Tower, the other one being the Dragon tower.
The seven story tower has yellow walls, red pillars and orange tiles. The front connects to the shore with a bridge. There are paintings inside the temple depicting Ksitigarbha. In the Tiger Tower, there are paintings of twelve Magi and the Jade Emperor's thirty palaces as well as paintings of Confucius. The towers have a double spiral staircase, one each for ascending and descending visitors.
This building is representative of traditional Kaohsiung culture.
Overlooking the towers are the Small Tortoise mountains, Spring and Autumn Pavilions, 5-mile Pavilion and Pei Chi Pavilion, as well as a surrounding lake.[4]
Holy Rosary Cathedral
Also known as: 玫瑰聖母聖殿主教座堂
Historic building with Gothic elements. The Holy Rosary Cathedral is the oldest Catholic church in Taiwan, located in Lingya District, Kaohsiung, just east of the Love River. It is the seat of the Bishop of Kaohsiung.[5]
Address: No. 151, Wufu 3rd Road, 801 Lingya District
Fengshan Longshan Temple
Place of worship in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Fengshan Longshan Temple is a Chinese temple in Fengshan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[6]
Cihou Fort
Also known as: 旗後砲臺
Historic fort with harbor and city views. Cihou Fort or Cihou Battery is a historic fort in Cijin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, formerly guarding northern entrance to Kaohsiung Harbor.[7]
Address: Qijin District, Kaohsiung
Ruifeng Night Market
Also known as: 瑞豐夜市
Night market in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Ruifeng Night Market is in the Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, located between the Yucheng and Nanping Road, and is nowadays considered to be one of the largest and most popular night markets in the city.[8]
Address: Yucheng Road, Zuoying Dist., Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung Lighthouse
Also known as: 高雄燈塔
Lighthouse in Taiwan. The Kaohsiung Lighthouse, also called Cihou Lighthouse or Cijin Lighthouse, is a lighthouse in Cijin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[9]
Address: No.34 Qixia Lane, Qijin District, Kaohsiung
Chi Jin Mazu Temple
Also known as: 旗後天后宮
Place of worship in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The temple was Kaohsiung's first temple to Mazu. It was first opened in 1673, when Taiwan still formed the Kingdom of Tungning ruled by the Ming-loyalist Zheng dynasty. Koxinga's son Zheng Jing attempted to abandon the Ming cause and seek peaceful recognition as an independent leader from the Kangxi Emperor but was rebuffed and forced into a defensive war with the mainland. The Chi Jin temple was built to house an idol of Mazu brought by the Fujianese fishermen who first settled the island under Hsu Au-hua. The Hung, Wang, Cai, Li, Bai, and Pan families were chiefly responsible for the temples' governance and property, which formed the core of early Kaohsiung.
Mazu was credited with the success of the Qing conquest of Taiwan in 1683 and the temple changed its name to reflect her new title of "Heavenly Empress" around 1737.
The Chi Jin Mazu Temple was originally composed of bamboo and thatch but, in the 18th century, it was redone in stone. It was restored by the Jhang Yi Ji in 1887 and by Cai Ji-Liou in 1926, when much of its present artwork was completed by the master Chen Yu-feng. Following damage over the course of the Second World War, it was restored again in 1948 under the direction of Cai Wun-bin. It became a protected monument of the city on 27 November 1985.[10]
Shoushan Zoo
Also known as: 高雄市壽山動物園
Time-tested spot with many animals. The Shoushan Zoo is a zoo in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is located on the northern border of Shoushan Park and houses animals from Asia, Africa, Americas and Australia, such as lions, tigers, elephants, black bears and kangaroos.[11]
Address: No. 350, Wanshou Road, 80444 Gushan District
Cijin Wind Turbine Park
The Cijin Wind Turbine Park, Cijin Wind Power Park or Cijin Windmill Park is a recreational wind farm in Cijin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[12]
Zhonghua Street Night Market
Also known as: 中華街夜市
Night market in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Zhonghua Street Night Market is a night market in Fengshan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[13]
Taiwan Sugar Museum
Also known as: 橋頭糖廠
Museum in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Taiwan Sugar Museum is a museum about sugar in Ciaotou District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[14]
Address: No.24 Tangchang Road, Qiaonan Vil., Qiaotou District, 825 Kaohsiung
Liuhe Night Market
Also known as: 六合夜市
Bustling market with many food vendors. The Liuhe Night Market is a tourist night market in Sinsing District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is one of the most popular markets in Taiwan where seafood, handicrafts, clothing, knives, cameras and live animals are sold.[15]
Kaohsiung Wude Hall
Also known as: 高雄市武德殿
Museum in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Kaohsiung Wude Hall is a museum in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[16]
Sanfong Central Street
Also known as: 三鳳中街
The Sanfong Central Street or Sanfong Jhong Street is a street in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is a traditional shopping area selling grocery goods and the largest grocery goods wholesale center in Kaohsiung.[17]
Address: Fenzhong St., Sanming Dist., Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung Museum of History
Also known as: 高雄市立歷史博物館
Museum in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Kaohsiung Museum of History is a museum located in Yancheng District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is administered by the Kaohsiung City Government.[18]
Address: No. 272號, Zhongzheng 4th Rd, 803 Yancheng District
Takao Railway Museum
Museum in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Takao Railway Museum is a museum in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[19]
Address: No. 32號, Gushan 1st Road, 804 Gushan District
Hamasen Museum of Taiwan Railway
Museum in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Hamasen Museum of Taiwan Railway is a railway museum in Pier-2 Art Center, Yancheng District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[20]
Jinshi Lake
Also known as: 金獅湖
Lake in Taiwan. The Jinshi Lake is a lake in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[21]
Dadong Arts Center
Also known as: 大東文化藝術中心
Art center in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Dadong Arts Center is an art center in Fengshan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[22]
Address: Guangyuan Road, 830 Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung Hakka Cultural Museum
Also known as: 高雄市客家文物館
Museum in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Kaohsiung Hakka Cultural Museum is a cultural museum in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[23]
Address: No.215 Tongmeng 2nd Road, Sanmin District, Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung Arena
Also known as: 高雄市現代化綜合體育館
Sports arena in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Kaohsiung Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is used to host indoor sporting events. It was used as a host to some of the indoor sporting events during the 2009 World Games.[24]
Address: No.757 Bo'ai 2nd Rd., Zuoying Dist., 813 Kaohsiung
Chengcing Lake
Also known as: 澄清湖
Lake in Taiwan. Chengcing Lake, also known as the Cheng Ching Lake, Dabei Lake, or Toapi Lake in Taiwanese, is an artificial lake located in Niaosong, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The lake is not far from downtown Kaohsiung and the major suburban district of Fengshan. The lake is a source of the water supply network and a tourist area of the Kaohsiung region.[25]
Zhongxing Pagoda
The Zhongxing Pagoda is a pagoda in Chengcing Lake, Niaosong District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[26]
Shoushan
Also known as: 壽山
Mountain in Taiwan. Shoushan is a mountain in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, north of the main entrance to Kaohsiung Harbor. It was named Ape Hill by the Dutch in the 17th century to describe many Formosan rock macaques on this mountain. It is also called Chaishan and includes the Snake Hill in its northern part, and Long Life Hill – named by Japanese in 1911-1915 for the crown-prince Hirohito – in the southern part. In some old maps, the peak of the hill is called Saracen's Head. Now it is a nature park where biological diversity can be seen.[27]
Fongyi Tutorial Academy
Also known as: 鳳儀書院
Heritage building in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Fongyi Tutorial Academy is a former tutorial academy during the Qing Dynasty rule of Taiwan in Fengshan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is the largest preserved Confucian academy in Taiwan.[28]
Address: No.62 Fengming Street, Fengshan District, 830 Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung Confucius Temple
Also known as: 高雄左營孔子廟
Temple in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Kaohsiung Confucius Temple is a temple dedicated to the memory of Confucius near Lotus Pond, Zuoying District, in the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung. With an area of 167 square metres, it is Taiwan's largest Confucian temple complex.[29]
Address: No.400 Liantang Road, Zuoying District, Kaohsiung
Gushan Daitian Temple
Also known as: 高雄代天宮
Place of worship in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Gushan Daitian Temple or Hamasen Temple is a temple in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[30]
Kaohsiung Cultural Center
Also known as: 高雄市文化中心
Cultural center in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Kaohsiung Cultural Center is a cultural center located in Lingya District of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It was founded by the city government in 1981. The main building of the center is a complex of two concert halls, many galleries, and a library. The office of Kaohsiung Bureau of Cultural Affairs is also located in Kaohsiung Cultural Center.[31]
Cijin Memorial Park for Women Laborers
Memorial park in Taiwan. The Memorial Park for Women Laborers originally named the Twenty-five Ladies' Tomb, is located in Cijin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It acts as a memorial to the 25 young women who drowned in a ferry accident on their way to work in the nearby export processing district.[32]
Cijin Shell Museum
Also known as: 旗津貝殼博物館
Museum in Taiwan. The Cijin Shell Museum is a museum in Cijin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.[33]
Address: Qijin 3rd Road, 887號, 805 Qijin District
Spring and Autumn Pavilions
Also known as: 春秋閣
Tourist attraction in Taiwan. The Spring and Autumn Pavilions are a Taoist temple complex located on Lotus Lake in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Like the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, the temple is special and unique. It was built in 1953 by Chi Ming palace, were two Chinese palace-style pavilions. The complex can be seen from the top of the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas.[34]
Central Park
Also known as: 中央公園
City park in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Central Park is a park in Cianjin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The park is an oasis of greenery in the midst of a heavily built-up urban area.[35]