Stand on the deck of a ferry crossing Kaohsiung Harbour and the city rearranges itself: container cranes and naval hulls on one side, the long green spine of Cijin on the other, and the red brick of a hilltop consulate catching the late light behind you. This is a port city that has spent the last two decades turning its old warehouses, rail yards and harbour edge into places to walk, cycle and linger.
Kaohsiung suits travellers who like their cities working rather than polished, who are happy to cross water for dinner, and who will trade a checklist of monuments for a day of ferries, temples and sea views. It is also easy to move around: the harbour, the lake district of Zuoying and the western districts of Gushan and Yancheng hold most of what you will want to see.
This guide covers the sights worth your time, grouped so you can plan a route rather than a series of separate trips, and ends with a single-day itinerary built only from the places named below.
Top things to do in Kaohsiung
1. Cijin District
Cijin is a slender island lying in front of Kaohsiung that acts as a natural breakwater for the harbour. It is filled with seafood restaurants selling freshly caught seafood that can be prepared right after you pick it, and most of the major sites can be seen within two hours.
The transportation of choice is one of the many ferries that traverse the harbour; use Gushan ferry pier rather than the one in front of Warehouse No. 2, which is less frequently served and only for pedestrians. Bicycles and scooters can be brought aboard, and the ferries are wheelchair accessible. If you have only a brief period in Kaohsiung, skip Cijin; with more than a day, it is a pleasant and relaxing place to take a break.
2. Chihou Lighthouse
On the hill above the ferry landing, the lighthouse was built by English technicians during the rule of the Ching Dynasty and was remodelled by the Japanese into Baroque style and painted white. It has played a crucial role in guiding ships during night sailing.
On exiting the ferry, turn right and head for the lighthouse and the fort, which share a hill with great views of the city, the harbour and the ocean. Combine the two, then continue south towards the beach.
3. Chihou Fort
Chihou Fort is a battery designed by an English engineer, which became a military base after the Ching government took over Taiwan and was later occupied by the Japanese army, after which the cannons were dismantled and melted and the battery abandoned. The city government began restoring it in 1988 and completed the work in 1992.
It sits at the same address as Chihou Lighthouse, so see them as one stop on the hill before walking south along the coast.
4. Lotus Lake
Take a walk or bike around Lotus Lake in Zuoying District. The lake is surrounded by temples, some of which have built out onto the lake, and during the day the lake is surrounded with stalls selling food, drinks and trinkets.
Across the street from the Dragon-Tiger Pavilion is a Taiwanese puppet shop worth checking out. Just south of the lake is one of the restored gates of the Old Wall of Fongshan; a few blocks down on Shengli Road is the North Gate, the best-preserved of the three, with a new park and the Military Dependents' Museum on the other side.
5. Pei Chi Pavilion
This large statue of Beiji sits on Lotus Lake, connected to the shore by a plank lined with a series of sculptures of animals. The statue is hollow and contains a temple within.
Although relatively modern, the statue is colourful and colossal. It is on the lake itself, so fold it into a walk or cycle around Lotus Lake rather than treating it as a separate trip.
6. Spring & Autumn Pavilions
This Taoist temple complex contains a large dragon that you can enter, with the inside beautifully painted with murals; you exit out its opposite end. The nearby Dragon-Tiger Pavilion is also worth seeing and features two pagodas you can visit.
Like Pei Chi Pavilion, this sits on Lotus Lake, so plan the lake's temples as one continuous circuit on foot or by bike.
7. Kaohsiung City Temple of Confucius
Taiwan's largest Confucius temple stands among the temples around Lotus Lake in Zuoying District. It is open 09:00–17:00 and closed on Mondays, and entry is free.
Because of the Monday closure, place it early in a Zuoying day and check the day of the week before you set out.
8. The British Consulate
Sitting atop a hill, this red brick building offers beautiful views over the Kaohsiung harbour and the sea. It is now thought to have been the official residence of the British Consul rather than the consulate proper.
It sits right in front of the bus stop for Syongjhen North Gate, so the two are naturally paired. From here you can descend to the observatory deck of Sizihwan beach.
9. Syongjhen North Gate
This fort was built by the Qing dynasty to protect the harbour and, after renovation during 2018, re-opened to the public in 2022. It is a small and quiet place to enjoy views of the sea and Cijin lighthouse.
Reach it from Hamasen MRT/LRT station by buses 99, O1 or O1C to Syongjhen North Gate station. Entry is free, and the Former British Consulate is right in front of the bus stop.
10. Sihzihwan Beach
A curved beach south of Shoushan, developed as a tourist attraction since Japanese colonial times, with views of Shoushan and the red-brick university buildings perched next to it. It is best visited during sunset, when tourists, locals and nearby university students come to wind down.
On the other side of the car park is a concrete barrier that has become a ledge for people to sit and enjoy views of Cijin over snacks and beers. Entry is free; reach it from Hamasen MRT/LRT station by buses O1, O1B, O1C or R52 to NSYSU Administration Building station, then walk west for five minutes to the entrance.
11. Shoushan
Also known as Chaishan, this mountain sits at the westernmost point of Gushan and offers scenic views of the sea, the city, or both, depending on your location. There are hiking trails across the mountains and plenty of rest stations, plus a small hillside village overlooking the sea with plenty of cafes to choose from.
It is full of macaque monkeys that are very sneaky and cheeky, so keep your food and drinks away, and try not to store them in plastic bags because the sound reminds them of food. Buses 56, 99 and O1C serve the mountain from different directions.
12. Cijin Coast Park
A long area of picturesque terrain along the west coast of Cijin Island, with a constant view of the Taiwan Strait. The park incorporates a long path for walking and cycling as well as an ecological area and Cijin Beach.
Take a leisurely stroll or cycle past the architectural designs. If you rent a bike, either from Youbike or a shop on Lisyong Street next to Hamasen station, this coastal path runs south along the beach and makes a good continuation of the lighthouse and fort walk.
13. TianHou Temple
Chihou is the area of Kaohsiung where many fishermen live, and this temple was built about three hundred years ago, dedicated to the Goddess of Sailors, Matzu, who people believe protects every fisherman going to sea. It is crafted with charming folk art and is regarded as the oldest temple in Kaohsiung.
It sits on Cijin, so visit it as part of the same island trip, either before or after the walk south along the coast.
14. The Takao Railway Museum
Turned into a museum in 2010, this was Kaohsiung's first railway station. There are exhibition rooms, a railway document archive and a platform and track area.
It belongs with the western districts, so pair it with the Pier-2 Art Center and the harbour front rather than with the Zuoying temples.
15. The Pier-2 Art Center
The centre occupies several warehouses that were artfully converted into exhibition space and cafes. Many of the warehouses in Yancheng, long abandoned, have been renovated and refurbished as part of the centre.
It sits in Yancheng, the district west of the Love River, and works well combined with the other western-district sights. Note that the ferry pier in front of Warehouse No. 2 is for pedestrians only and is less frequently served than Gushan ferry pier.
If you only have one day
Morning: Take the ferry from Gushan ferry pier to Cijin. On exiting, turn right and head up the hill to Chihou Lighthouse and Chihou Fort for the views over the city, harbour and ocean, then visit TianHou Temple before walking or cycling south through Cijin Coast Park along the beach. Have a seafood lunch on the island, choosing your catch and having it prepared.
Afternoon: Return by ferry and move to the western districts. Visit the Pier-2 Art Center and the Takao Railway Museum, then take buses 99, O1 or O1C to Syongjhen North Gate, a small and quiet spot with views of the sea and Cijin lighthouse. The British Consulate sits right in front of the bus stop, so climb up for the harbour views before descending to the observatory deck of Sizihwan Beach.
Evening: Stay at Sihzihwan Beach for sunset, when locals and university students come to wind down, and take a seat on the concrete ledge across from the car park for views of Cijin over snacks. If you have energy left, Shoushan is next door for a short trail and a hillside cafe overlooking the sea.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Cijin, and can I bring a bike?
Take a ferry from Gushan ferry pier, not the pier in front of Warehouse No. 2, which is less frequently served and only for pedestrians. Bicycles and scooters can be brought aboard, with a higher fee for a scooter and no extra fee for bicycles, and the ferries are wheelchair accessible.
When is the best time to visit Sihzihwan Beach?
Go at sunset. Because of its location, that is when tourists, locals and nearby university students come to wind down, and on non-winter days you can see people windsurfing.
What should I watch out for on Shoushan?
The mountain is full of macaque monkeys that are very sneaky and cheeky. Keep your food and drinks away, and avoid storing them in plastic bags, because the sound of plastic bags reminds them of food.
Can I see the main sights of Cijin in a short visit?
Most of the major sites on Cijin can be seen within two hours. If you have only a brief period in Kaohsiung, the source material suggests skipping Cijin and saving it for a trip of more than a day.
Work out which side of the harbour you want for sunset, check the day of the week against the Temple of Confucius hours, and start mapping your ferry crossings and bus routes.