Spend your first day on the harbor: the light rail, Pier-2, Hamasen and the ferry to Cijin. Then add Lotus Pond's Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, a night market, and whatever else suits you, from Shoushan's monkeys to the museums.
- Start hereThe harborAsia New Bay, Pier-2, Hamasen, the British Consulate, Cijin and the Love River.
- ZuoyingLotus PondThe Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, reopened in 2025, and the Old City walls.
- After darkNight marketsRuifeng, Liuhe and three more, with the nights each is open.
- The hillShoushanWild macaques, the nature park and Shoushan Zoo.
- IndoorsMuseumsFine arts, science and the city's history, plus Weiwuying tours.
- TemplesTemplesSanfeng's Nezha temple, Cijin's Mazu temple and more.
- OutdoorsParks and hikesShoushan's trails, Chengcing Lake and the city parks.
- The calendarFestivals and eventsLanterns, Megaport, dragon boats, balloons and Wannian.
- Take homeSouvenirsKaohsiung Bear, guava, bananas, umbrellas and the harbor's catch.
- EveningsShows and nightlifeStadium concerts, Weiwuying, Megaport and rooftop bars.
- Further outDay tripsKenting, Fo Guang Shan, Meinong, Xiaoliuqiu and Tainan.
The Great Harbor Bridge
The Great Harbor Bridge (大港橋) by Pier-2 is a 110-metre footbridge that swings open to let boats through, which the city calls Taiwan's first horizontally rotating bridge. It turns every day at 15:00, and again at 19:00 at weekends, taking about three minutes. It's been out of action several times in 2026 for repairs and events, so check the port company's news before you make a trip of it. Light rail: Dayi Pier-2 (C12).
Parks
- Central Park (中央公園), 12.7 hectares in the middle of town, open all the time. Its MRT station, Central Park (R9), was designed by Richard Rogers.
- Weiwuying Metropolitan Park (衛武營都會公園), 47 hectares on a former army base, around the Weiwuying arts centre. MRT Weiwuying (O10).
Shopping
- Dream Mall (夢時代), 789 Zhonghua 5th Rd., Qianzhen, with a Ferris wheel. Open from 11:00 (10:30 at weekends) to 22:00 or 22:30. Light rail: Dream Mall (C5).
- Sanduo Shopping District (三多商圈, R8): FE21 and the 85 Sky Tower from exit 1, SOGO and Shin Kong Mitsukoshi from exit 4.
- Hanshin Arena (漢神巨蛋), a department store next to the Kaohsiung Arena (R14, exit 5).
- Shinkujiang (新堀江), streets of small fashion shops by Central Park (R9, exit 2), roughly 13:00 to midnight.
Good to know: the 85 Sky Tower, long the tallest building in southern Taiwan, has its upper floors (37 to 85) closed for renovation, so its observation deck isn't open.
Sources: bridge: Kaohsiung Travel, UDN and Liberty Times; Central Park: KRTC; Weiwuying park: Kaohsiung Travel; Dream Mall; Sanduo and Shinkujiang: KRTC; 85 Sky Tower: Taiwan Tourism Administration. Checked October 2026.