About Kaohsiung

The City of Kaohsiung is a beautiful and thriving international metropolis.

Historically, Kaohsiung is a tiny fishing village that has now evolved into a dynamic city. With a world-class port and a well-connected international airport, Kaohsiung is also an important international hub for international trade. The busy ship routes from all over the world represent the energy and vitality of the city. Despite the industry the city houses, it is considered the greenest and most livable city on the island as it maintains the highest green space per capita as well as extensive natural landscapes and resilient infrastructure.

Kaohsiung boasts varied landscapes, from the mountain ranges bordering the city in the northeast to the warm South China Sea to the west, and southwest. The city offers natural beauty as well as a bustling urban environment, from the lush green Chai and Banping mountains to the clear and serene Lotus Pond with its intricate namesake flowers. The Love River meanders through the city and in the summer, residents and visitors can enjoy beautiful sunshine and a gentle breeze from the surrounding sea. Kaohsiung offers an authentic Taiwanese atmosphere with night markets and small streets with cafes offering traditional local delicacies.

The City of Kaohsiung sincerely welcomes you to experience all that it has to offer at the 3rd EcoMobility World Festival.

Quick facts

Area size :2,946 square kilometers
Population size : 2,780,000
Average temperature : 25 °C
Average temperature (Oct): 30 °C

Tastes of Kaohsiung

Food in Kaohsiung has many origins. The menus offer an eclectic mix of regional Chinese fare, as well as, for geographic and historical reasons, dishes showing Japanese, Korean, American, European, and Southeast Asian influences. From flavored shaved ice to chicken cutlets as big as your face, eating in Kaohsiung always comes with superlatives. The food map provides a sneak peek into traditional fare in and around Kaohsiung. It begins with beef noodle soup, shaved ice and bubble tea, and extends to the iconic pastry – pineapple cakes.

Oyster omelet

Sea-fresh oysters are an important ingredient in this popular snack, available at just about every night market. The oysters are coated in potato starch and tapioca. Eggs and leafy vegetables are added to the mixture, which is skillet fried over a high flame. A sweet and sour sauce further adds to the addictively delicious taste.

Beef noodle soup

Beef noodle soup inspires competitiveness and innovation in Kaohsiung. Everyone wants to claim the “beef noodle king” title.

Three cup chicken

Though three-cup chicken is a signature local food, it’s hard to find at street stalls. The traditional recipe called for a cup each of soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar, with added ginger, garlic, and basil.

Glass noodle

It is a type of transparent noodle made from starch (such as mung bean starch, yam, or potato starch) and water.

Shaved ice

The summer blockbuster – shaved ice mountain. This popular dessert has a base of crushed ice flavored with beans, taro, fruit jelly, toppings of mangoes and other seasonal fruits, offering sweet and cool relief on a hot summer day.

Pineapple cake

Pineapple is known for producing canned pineapple, pineapple drinks, and pineapple jams. This iconic pastry – mini-pies filled with candied pineapple – is one of Kaohsiung’s best food souvenirs.

Bubble tea

No matter who invented it, we’d like to thank all the bubble tea places that serve it right. It originates from Taichung and is made of a mixture of black tea, milk, and tapioca balls. The combination of fragrant tea and chewy tapioca has made this beverage very popular.

Mochi

This dessert became known as “mochi” under the influence of the Japanese dessert “wagashi” during the Japanese colonial period. It is one of the representative delicacies of the aboriginal and Hakka cultures.

Sun Cakes

Sun cakes are also known as “xibing” (fine cakes) due to their delicate texture and popularity as a dessert among the better heeled. Taichung is the cradle of sun cakes and home to several old-time bakeries that specialize in making this treat.

Attractions

Kaohsiung boasts varied landscapes, from the mountain ranges bordering the city in the northeast to the warm South China Sea to the west, and southwest. The city offers natural beauty as well as a bustling urban environment, from the lush green Chai and Banping mountains to the clear and serene Lotus Pond with its intricate namesake flowers. The Love River meanders through the city and in the summer, residents and visitors can enjoy beautiful sunshine and a gentle breeze from the surrounding sea. Kaohsiung offers an authentic Taiwanese atmosphere with night markets and small streets with cafes offering traditional local delicacies.

Photo source: http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/

Night markets

The stalls in the night markets often offer foods, snacks or games. You can find all kinds of flavored ice and drinks. Liuhe Night market in the city center is a must-go.

Cijin Island

This island acts as a buffer to the harbor and extends down the city coastline, connected to Kaohsiung at its southern tip by a tunnel. The beach on Cijin Island is just a five-minute walk from the Cijin Ferry Terminal.

Lotus Pond

The scenic pond in the north of the city has been a popular destination since the Qing dynasty and is well known for the 20 or so temples dotting the shoreline and nearby alleys.

Formosa Boulevard KMRT Station

Stop by to see the resplendent Dome of Light by Italian glass artist Narcissus Quagliata. Formosa Blvd is located south of the main train station.

Shitzuwan Beach

Shitzuwan Beach is smaller than Cijin, but it’s a calmer swimming beach and is an excellent place for hanging out and watching the sunset.

Love River

Love River was once an open sewer and it has seen a remarkable transformation in recent years. The waters flow clean and the bankside promenades with their benches, shady trees and outdoor cafes are popular hang-outs for both locals and visitors.

British Consulate Residence at Dagou

Built in 1865, this handsome red-brick consulate residence sits 70m above the mouth of Kaohsiung Harbor, a perfect location for watching giant container ships sail through the tiny mouth of the harbor.

Tianliao Moon World

It has the most badlands and most active mud volcanoes in Taiwan. It has a dreary and desolate beauty of desert and is famous for its similarity to the landscape of the Moon surface.

Meinong District

Beautiful rural scenery, leisurely countryside view, rich and simple cultural history make Meinong on the list of Taiwan’s Top 10 Small Tourist Towns.

Transport Facts

Kaohsiung city is committed to the development of green transport. Although motorcycles are one of the most common form of mobility in the city, the city government is encouraging transition from motorized vehicles to electric vehicles through subsidy schemes. Numerous exhibition fairs and test-rides were organized for citizens to experience the various modes of electric vehicles. In addition, the city is served by the High Speed Rail which provides rapid, frequent and reliable railway connection to Taipei.

In addition, the city maintains multiple public transport systems, including MRT, high speed rail, the Taiwan Railway, city buses, ferries, solar boats, and light rail (the first of its kind without catenary cables in Asia). A circular light rail covering 22.1 kms with 37 stops is planned, with the first stage of construction, including 8.7 kms of waterfront light rail passing through 14 stops, scheduled to be completed by June 2017.