Things to do in Kaohsiung

About Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung serves as Taiwan’s primary maritime gateway and largest industrial hub, uniquely defined by its expansive harbor and tropical climate. The city seamlessly integrates massive urban green spaces like Weiwuying Metropolitan Park with traditional cultural sites such as the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas at Lotus Pond. Travelers often balance high-tech exploration at the National Science and Technology Museum with the recreational offerings of the Kaohsiung Eye Ferris wheel. Its urban landscape is marked by wide boulevards and a focus on sustainable infrastructure, making it a strategic base for exploring southern Taiwan.

Good to know

1. 1

   Kaohsiung was historically known as Takau, a name derived from the Makatao indigenous language referring to bamboo forests.

2. 2

   The city is home to the Pier-2 Art Center, a reclaimed warehouse district that was once abandoned before being repurposed into an expansive contemporary art hub.

3. 3

   It maintains one of the world's most unique public transport transit stations, the Formosa Boulevard Station, famous for its massive stained-glass 'Dome of Light'.

4. 4

   The city’s harbor is the largest in Taiwan, historically driving the nation's economic rise through container shipping and manufacturing.

5. 5

   Kaohsiung experiences a tropical savanna climate, meaning it remains warm to hot year-round with very little variation in seasonal temperature.