Kaohsiung: Experience the Riverside

The name comes form the the 2 buildings rapresented a dragon and tiger. Visitors enter the towers through the statues' bodies. Entering the dragon's mouth and exiting via the tiger's mouth is believed to be auspicious. The towers are connected to the shore with a 9-angle bridge (九曲橋).

Lotus Pond is an artificial lake, ended in 1951, it is - as you can guess from the name - famous for the lotus plants!

Lotus Pond, only 5 Km from the city center, it can take around 2 to 3 hours to walk all around the lake. The most interesting thing about the pond is that there are more than twenty temples worshiping different deities around the lake. Among the temples, one of the main attraction is the Dragon and Tiger pagodas.

Love River is undoubtedly the most representative spot of Kaohsiung and it is the spine of Kaohsiung.

It plays today an important role in its economy and tourism but it was once heavily polluted, when raw sewage and industrial waste water flowed untreated into the river. Recent efforts by the city government have resulted in significantly improved water quality.

Love River is today used for sightseeing and walking; there are duck boats, love boats and gondola rides for tourists to enjoy the city view.

A riverside park, the Love River Park, runs along the riverbank and a night market operates in the park in the evening in case you would like to have your dinner here.

The Holy Rosary Cathedral is the oldest Catholic church in Taiwan, it is the first Catholic church in Taiwan and one of the three major Catholic churches in Asia.

The cathedral was first established in 1860 by Spanish from Filipinas and rebuilt to its present dimensions in 1928. The statue standing in the entrance is that of the Lady of the Holy Rosary, brought to Taiwan from Spain in 1863.

The church has a magnificent design in Gothic and Romanesque style and the interior design is similar to the Manila Cathedral in the Philippines. It is probably one of the most beautifully decorated Catholic churches in Taiwan.

For the last 100 years, Kaohsiung Port Station had been the largest freight station in Taiwan and has played a critical role in the development of Taiwan’s economy, hundreds of trains passing through every day and night. The current site of Takao Railway Museum is the former site of Kaohsiung Port Station, which was also the earliest site of the current Kaohsiung Station.

Kaohsiung Port Station is the most meticulously conserved freight station in Taiwan, the museum still presents the original setup of the '60s and '70s!

To expand the economic benefits of trade with Taiwan, the British established a consulate to protect its expatriates and commerce.

In 2005 the former consulate was the first-place recipient of the prestigious Yuan-Yeh Award and recorded over 400 000 visitors.

Several exhibition are held here, in 2006 it was the site of over one hundred artistic and cultural activities.

You can also enjoy a classical British afternoon tea ( not included and need to be reserved ); the authentic British style afternoon tea, personally set up by the British afternoon tea ambassador, is served in Victoria Lounge and George V Lounge, which also feature exquisite French set menus created by the head chef. Immerse yourself in an elegant classy consular residence atmosphere as if turning back the clock to the time when the consul and his wife lived in the 19th century.

Cijin or Qijin Island is a small and narrow island about 10-15 minutes away by ferry from Kaohsiung harbor.

Here you will have some time to explore this little island. There are many bike rental shops on Cijin Island but you can rent or just take a drink in one of the bars on the beach and relax on the quiet Black Sand Beach.

If instead you want to visit the island with your bike don't miss the Chi Jin Mazu or Tianhou Temple, one of Cijin Island’s foremost attractions. Opened in 1673, it’s Kaohsiung's very first temple dedicated to Mazu, the Chinese goddess of the sea. Cihou Lighthouse and Cihou Fort are both offering great views of the ocean and island and a nice spot to take pictures. The colorfull Rainbow Church – which is actually not a place of worship – is also a nice spot to take some photos due to its colorful architectural, it islocated at Cijin Seaside Park.

This is our favorite area to visit in Kaohsiung. If you are art lovers, take your time to explore the area with all the hidden galleries, some of them are free others require and entrance tickets.

"It was once an abandoned and forgotten warehouse buried in history due to the move from an industrial based segment to the service sector. However, with a group of persistent artist who injected waves of creativity and inspiration into the area, the Pier-2 area was released and re-born making the region a place where tourist and locals can come together to enjoy fine art. With the collision of an old area and new fine art, Pier-2 becomes an area of new vitality and liveliness."

The atosphere and the scenery here change from morning to night; each time of the day has its special attraction, but the brilliant colors of the sunset are unparalleled in their beauty.