Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Christina has covered travel, food, and drinks for over a decade. When the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts opened in Taiwan ...
Kaohsiung (高雄 or Gaoxiong) is the largest city in Southern Taiwan and home to the country’s largest port. Beyond its port vibes and proximity to the sea, Kaohsiung has some big name attractions like Lotus Pond and Fo Guang Shan Monastery. It also has the best street art scene in Taiwan.
In this article, I’ll introduce my favorite places to visit in Kaohsiung, starting with the waterfront areas of Gushan and Yancheng Districts. Next I’ll take you through Central and Southern Kaohsiung, followed by historic Zuoying, where Lotus Pond and the HSR station are found.
Mandarin is the lingua franca of Taiwan, so most locals in Kaohsiung speak it. However, like the rest of southern Taiwan, Kaohsiung is part of the traditional Taiwanese -speaking heartland, and you will encounter Taiwanese here more often than in Taipei.
We loved Kaohsiung for its easygoing vibe, colorful art, buzzing night markets, and hidden temples—here’s our full guide to Taiwan’s southern gem.
Kaohsiung City has a population of approximately 2.72 million people. It is Taiwan's third most populous city and the largest city in southern Taiwan. [5]
From the super-cool Yancheng neighbourhood (complete with a new Godzilla themed cafe) to Kaohsiung’s famed Dome of Light, likely the most beautiful station in the world, here is our guide to the top things to do in Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 2025. You might like – Our guide to Tainan, Taiwan >