Kaohsiung in 5 days

Taiwan's harbour city: the Pier-2 art warehouses, Lotus Pond temples, night markets and island day trips. Best time to visit: October-April. Average daily budget: $45 to $110 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Pier-2 Art Center & Hamasen, Converted harbour warehouses with murals, galleries, cafes and the light rail.

Morning: Pier-2 Art Center. Taiwan's flagship creative park in old dock warehouses, with installations, markets and harbour views.

Afternoon: Explore Pier-2 Art Center & Hamasen, Converted harbour warehouses with murals, galleries, cafes and the light rail.

Evening: Ruifeng or Liuhe Night Market. Ruifeng for local crowds and games, Liuhe for tourist-friendly seafood and papaya milk.

Eat: Milkfish congee and soup, a Kaohsiung speciality

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Yancheng, Old downtown streets with classic eateries, temples and the Love River.

Morning: Lotus Pond and the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas. Enter through the dragon's mouth, exit the tiger's, then loop the lake's temples and pavilions.

Afternoon: Explore Yancheng, Old downtown streets with classic eateries, temples and the Love River.

Evening: Cijin Island half-day. Ferry across the harbour for seafood, the lighthouse viewpoint and a beach cycle path.

Eat: Grilled squid and oyster omelettes at Liuhe Night Market

Day 3, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Central Park & Formosa Boulevard, Shopping, the Dome of Light metro station and access to Liuhe Night Market.

Morning: The Dome of Light at Formosa Boulevard Station, the world's largest glass artwork, free to see.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Central Park & Formosa Boulevard, Shopping, the Dome of Light metro station and access to Liuhe Night Market.

Evening: Takao Railway Museum and the Hamasen light-rail heritage corner.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Dan dan noodles at a Yancheng old shop

Day 4, Day trip or nature

Base: Zuoying, Lotus Pond's dragon-and-tiger pagodas, the old walled city and the high-speed rail station.

Morning: Chai Mountain (Shoushan) trails for macaque monkeys and sunset over the strait.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Zuoying, Lotus Pond's dragon-and-tiger pagodas, the old walled city and the high-speed rail station.

Evening: Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, a vast monastery complex 40 minutes out, free entry.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Papaya milk and fresh fruit juices from night-market stalls

Day 5, Slow finish

Base: Cijin Island, A ferry-hop away: black-sand beach, seafood street, lighthouse and coastal cycling.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Cijin Island, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Cijin Island, A ferry-hop away: black-sand beach, seafood street, lighthouse and coastal cycling.

Evening: Dinner at Milkfish congee and soup, a Kaohsiung speciality, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Cijin Island.

Eat: Milkfish congee and soup, a Kaohsiung speciality

Hidden gems

The Dome of Light at Formosa Boulevard Station, the world's largest glass artwork, free to see.
Takao Railway Museum and the Hamasen light-rail heritage corner.
Chai Mountain (Shoushan) trails for macaque monkeys and sunset over the strait.
Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, a vast monastery complex 40 minutes out, free entry.

Getting around

Kaohsiung's metro (MRT) and circular light rail cover nearly everything, with fares under $1.50 and EasyCard accepted. The high-speed rail arrives at Zuoying, 15 minutes by MRT from the centre; the airport sits on the MRT too. The Cijin ferry runs every few minutes and takes five. Taipei is 1.5 to 2 hours north by high-speed rail, making Kaohsiung an easy add-on.

Safety

Kaohsiung is extremely safe, even late at night in night markets, with very low crime. Watch scooters when crossing roads and keep an eye on belongings in crowded markets. Summers are very hot and humid with typhoon risk from July to September. Taiwan sits in an earthquake zone; modern buildings are built for it, but know basic drill steps.

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