For a proper walk, climb Shoushan, the green hill behind the harbor, on one of its seven trails, and keep your snacks out of sight of the monkeys. For an easy stroll, walk the 7 km loop around Chengcing Lake, or the big city parks on the MRT: Central Park in the middle of town, and Weiwuying's park around the arts centre.
Shoushan
Shoushan National Nature Park (壽山國家自然公園) covers 1,122 hectares of limestone hill above Hamasen, and about 3.6 million people visit a year. It has seven hiking trails. A good start is the Gushan Road trail: take the light rail to Gushan (C18) and walk past the car park beside the cement works to the trailhead, then climb past the Four Banyans viewing deck. The stretch from Guotai rest stop to Longcyuan Temple is less clearly marked and harder.
- Station Light rail Shoushan Park (C15), Wenwu Temple (C16) or Gushan (C18); MRT Hamasen (O1)
- Rules Stay on marked trails, leave before dark, carry no food or plastic bags, don't feed the macaques
- Caves Entry needs an advance application
Chengcing Lake
Chengcing Lake Scenic Area (澄清湖風景區) in Niaosong is a reservoir lake in parkland, with a 7 km lakeside trail. The city lists no entry fee, only parking.
- Hours Apr to Sep 06:00 to 18:00; Oct to Mar 06:00 to 17:30 (last entry 30 min before)
- Closed Mondays (the next day if Monday is a holiday) and typhoon days
- Address No. 32 Dapi Rd., Niaosong District
- Getting there No MRT station nearby; taxi or bus
City parks
- Central Park (中央公園): 12.7 hectares in the centre, open all the time. MRT Central Park (R9), exit 1.
- Weiwuying Metropolitan Park (衛武營都會公園): 47 hectares on a former army base, around Weiwuying. MRT Weiwuying (O10).
- Kaohsiung Metropolitan Park (高雄都會公園) in Nanzi, in the north. MRT Metropolitan Park (R21), exit 4.
- Lotus Pond: a path now runs right round the lake. → Lotus Pond
Good to know: summer afternoons are hot and wet. Walk early, carry water, and check the forecast. → Weather by month
Sources: Shoushan trails: the city's Takao magazine (2024) and 2015; height: National Park Service; stations: Taiwan Tourism Administration; fine: PTS. Chengcing Lake: Kaohsiung Travel and the Parks Office notice. Parks: KRTC, Kaohsiung Travel and the Taiwan Tourism Administration. Checked October 2026.