Kaohsiung: Must See Spots and Must Try Foods!

Here are some of the must see attractions and must try foods if you’re curious about Kaohsiung, Taiwan! This is the second largest city in Taiwan, right next to the ocean. Located in southern Taiwan, is bustling with both creativity and culture, with laid-back harbors and tons of different pop-up events. And, don’t forget their vast variety of different foods, from the classic room temperature beef to the freshest seafood. If you love relaxing tropical weather with tons of culture and delicious foods, you have to visit Kaohsiung!

Kaohsiung: An Artistic Port City

When people think of Taiwan, they usually think of Taipei. While I adore Taipei with my whole heart, one of my actual favorite cities in Taiwan is actually Kaohsiung 高雄. There’s something about this southern port city: warm weather, ocean breeze, the slower pace that instantly makes me feel so grounded and happy. Along the waterfront, you can see all the brand new, beautifully designed architecture like the Kaohsiung Music Center.

Because it’s next to the ocean, Kaohsiung’s food culture is filled with fresh seafood as well as super comforting southern classics. There’s tons of different spots everywhere that are loved by locals! But, other than the vast amount of food that Kaohsiung has to offer, there’s still so much culture and history for you to explore. Literally every corner you turn, there’s another spot that you don’t want to miss.

How To Get To Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung is located on the southern tip of Taiwan. To get to Kaohsiung from Taipei, you have several options:

Driving: You can take National Highway 1 or 3, about 5 hours
High Speed Rail: Take HSR from Taipei Main Station and Transfer at Zuoying HSR to Kaohsiung MRT. Takes about 1.5-2 hours for about $1500 NTD
Train: Takes about 3-4 hours via Puyuma/Tze-Chiang Limited Express for about $600-800 NTD
Bus: Longterm bus routes are available via Taipei Main Station through Ubus, Kuo-Kuang, and Ho-Hsin. Takes about 4-6 hours depending on traffic for about $500-700 NTD

This trip to Kaohsiung, we’re taking a road trip! We are first driving to Hsinchu to go pick up my mom, then heading to Kaohsiung to meet up with my sister and her husband. The drive took about 5 hours, because there’s so much traffic. Shoutout to Dom for driving us all the way here! To find out all my best tips for driving in, check out my Road Tripping in Taiwan post!

Must Visit Spots

Pier2 Art District

One of Kaohsiung’s hotspot is Pier2 Art District. Once an abandoned warehouse area, it is now transformed into a vibrant artistic waterfront, bursting with color and creativity. It’s right by the waters where we ran this morning, so you can a full view of Kaohsiung’s waterfront with its iconic buildings. It’s a popular place for shopping, with tons of pop-ups and events all the time.

The shops here are run by local creatives selling everything: handcrafted jewelry, ceramics, vintage collectibles, graphic tees, postcards, and beautifully designed home goods. Every store feels like stepping into someone’s imagination. Taiwan can really make anything cute, and Pier2’s many shops and stalls prove it. There’s been so many times where I promised myself I am just browsing, but I end up leaving with something so adorable I didn’t even know I needed. That is why this area is such a must visit spot.

Fo Guang San Buddha Museum 佛光山佛陀紀念館

A free spot I love to visit is Fo Guang San Buddha Museum 佛光山佛陀紀念館. This is both a traditional temple and monastery and a museum. Being here honestly feels like you stepped into another world. You walk through these beautiful courtyards lined with eight symmetrical pagodas. At the very end is one of the tallest Buddha statues in the world. Showing it in photos and videos honestly doesn’t do this place justice. It is so peaceful, so grand, and so stunning in person.

Inside, you can visit the museum to learn more about the history of Buddhism and its practices, from its history to holidays. There’s different exhibits like calligraphy, statues, even a tooth relic. After a ton of exploring and admiring the view, we headed to their food court for some snacks. Everything here is fully vegetarian, even their on-site Starbucks!

Sinbin Pier Ferry to Qijin

If you’re in Kaohsiung, you’ll have to take the ferry to Qijin Island 旗津 from Sinbin Pier 新濱碼頭. Qijin Island is a barrier island first settled by fishermen. Now, it’s a popular day-trip spot for locals and tourists alike, known for its seafood, the temples, and art installations. There’s a whole street lined with seafood vendors selling super fresh, reasonably priced dishes.

Sinbin pier used to be an old industrial harbor area, but now it’s a tourist hotpot. The ferry ride itself takes only less than 10 minutes, and is only about$1 (30 NTD) for a ticket. The sea breeze, the views, and the slow movement of the ferry made everything feel so peaceful. The ferry comes every 10-15 minutes, so you won’t miss it. It’s a must do for a quick evening trip!

Dragon and Tiger Pagoda

Another spot I really love is the Dragon and Tiger Pagoda 龍虎塔, sitting right along the Lotus Pond. This might be the most identifiable landmark in Kaohsiung. The whole lakefront is actually packed with temples, pagodas, sculptures, little bridges, and scenic spots. These two pagodas have a super colorful, hollow tiger and dragon statue at the base of each tower. You enter through the dragon’s mouth, and exit through the tiger’s mouth for good luck.

Honestly, it feels like a huge open air cultural park. There’s different paintings of Confucius’s 24 Filial Exemplars as well as imageries of Heaven and Hell throughout the structure. Plus, there’s several colorful statues of various gods. At the top of the pagodas, you can get a clear view of the lake and all the different little installations around. I highly recommend spending an afternoon here just walking around, biking, exploring, taking photos, and soaking in the views.

Must Try Foods

Beef Hotpot 牛老大涮牛肉

Tonight’s dinner was at Niu Lao Da Beef hotpot 牛老大涮牛肉 , one of Kaohsiung’s most popular hot pot spots. They combine the concept of Japanese shabu-shabu with southern Taiwan’s love for room-temperature beef. They’re famous for their ultra fresh, locally sourced beef, sliced right before serving. We arrived at 5 PM, right when they open, and within 30 minutes, the whole place was packed and two items were already sold out.

This spot is so special because their doesn’t focus on a ton of variety, but rather key quality cuts. The menu consists of a short list of beef cuts, a mixed veggie plate, and a fish ball paste. They offer two types of broth, a spicy one and a veggie based one, both made with beef bone stock. There’s also a few stir fry and soup options.

Their signature room temperature beef goes straight from farm to table. The beef only takes a few seconds to cook, and literally melts in your mouth. Honestly, you can taste the freshness. The beef stays so tender and almost melts the moment it hits the broth. The flavor is so clean, naturally sweet, and not fatty at all. It made me question, “Wow, is this what good beef tastes like?” So good, Dom was literally speechless.

As the meal goes on and the beef cooks, the broth becomes deeper, richer, and even more comforting. Make sure you dip the beef into their house-made sauce. It is savory, slightly spicy, and the perfect pairing.

It was my first time coming here, and it’s genuinely one of the best hot pot experiences I have ever had. If you’re planning a trip to Taiwan, please add this to your Kaohsiung itinerary. You will definitely remember this meal long after the trip is over.

Traditional Taiwanese Breakfast 興隆居

If there’s one meal you could absolutely not skip in Taiwan, it is breakfast. It’s simply on another level. So of course while we’re here in Kaohsiung, we have to visit Xing Long Ju 興隆居. This old school breakfast shop has been around for generations and is one of my all-time favorite spots. Their breakfast make me fall in love with Taiwan all over again. This is truly one of those meals that you have to have to try in Kaohsiung.

They have all the Taiwanese classics, from steamed buns to freshly ground soy milk. Don’t get me started on their handmade buns here. I love watching them come out in those giant steamers. They’re pillowy soft, steaming hot, and filled with juicy, savory pork fillings.

Of course, there’s the iconic 燒餅油條, which is the flaky fried doughnuts sandwich. Shaobing (燒餅) is a flaky, sesame-covered baked flatbread that is crispy on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside. Imagine warm toasted layers of dough that’s gently crackles in every bite. Inside, they tuck a piece of freshly fried crispy dough 油條, with the option to add toppings like fried egg and pickled cabbage. Together it is crispy, warm, soft, and just the right amount of savory all at once. Truly the perfect bite.

They’re open from 4 am to 11 am, and there’s always a line. But, it moves pretty fast. You grab a platter, and grab what you’d like to eat, and pay at the cashier at the end. If you come to Kaohsiung, absolutely do not miss this breakfast place.

Craft Matcha Ice Cream 鹽埕茶町 Matcha City

We’ve also discovered hidden gems like Matcha City 鹽埕茶町. We randomly stumbled across this tiny little dessert shop while strolling around. Their menu includes various desserts and ice cream flavors in Japanese-inspired flavors, with a particular focus on Matcha.

Their specialty is their ice cream ($80-120 NTD per scoop, depending on flavor), with 7 different levels of matcha concentration, as well as a few other teas and seasonal fruit-based flavors. The owner was so passionate about perfecting his flavors that he made us try every single one before ordering. It was actually so hard to decide! He even showed us some of his handmade toppings, like salted sakura flowers. Honestly, every scoop was delicious.

If you’re a big dessert person, they also have a dessert set that comes with 3 scoops of ice cream of your choice and a matcha crepe cake. This is definitely one of those places where you can feel the passion of the owner. You know it’s a good sign when you’re standing there taste testing and already planning what flavors you’re going to get next time.

Duck Zhen 鴨肉珍

Then we made our way to Duck Zhen 鴨肉珍, another must try here in Kaohsiung. This unassuming shop is actually Michelin-recommended, and they serve everything duck related. The menu is packed with everything from duck organ vermicilli soup, to sliced roasted duck. They’re most well known for their roasted duck. Siced and plated with thinly sliced ginger and their sweet dipping sauce, it is smoky, slightly sweet, and super juicy. You can choose between different portion sizes ranging from personal size to a full duck, or you can simply get the duck thigh and legs sliced.

The real star here? The duck braised pork rice bowl ($60 NTD). It is the classic braised pork rice, plus thin slices of their signature roasted duck and that rich duck essence that soaks into every grain of rice. It just hits different after a long day of walking around. If you’re adventurous, you can also try their duck organs, which are available in soup, with vermicelli, or as a cold plate.

Super Fresh Seafood 旗津海產店

Of course, if you’re in Qijin, you have to have seafood. We picked Qijin Seafood 旗津海產店 on this trip. Many of the restaurants here change their menu based on what is in season. Most of them will have their fresh catches displayed on ice in front, so you can pick and choose what you’d like to eat. My dad actually used to be so good at doing this! He always knew what was fresh and what to order. Honestly, the best way to order is just to pick your seafood and let the owners tell you how they recommend cooking it.

We ordered a little of everything! We got some fish served 2 different ways, cooked in soup and steamed. There was also spicy basil stir-fried clams, blanched squid, and fried oysters. We rounded out our meal with some fried rice, noodles, and veggies. It is very fun, very interactive, but a little bit intimidating. I am still learning how to order properly myself. Regardless of the chaos, it was still such a fun and memorable experience that we definitely checked off our bucket list.

Beef Noodle Soup 三牛牛肉麵

After all that walking around the pagodas, you know we had to eat. We went straight to San Niu Beef Noodle Soup 三牛牛肉麵, a super popular spot among locals that have been serving authentic Taiwanese beef noodle soup for 20+ years. It’s almost always packed during meal time, but so good. There’s a ton of different cold dish options here. You can grab your own from what’s available at the counter, and they will chop it up and prepare it for you.

For the beef noodle soup, you can choose between clear herbal broth, or a savory soy tomato based soup. Then, you choose if you want meat, tendon, or offal in your noodles. You could also choose dried noodles, or just beef soup instead. The beef here is incredibly tender and the noodles were perfectly chewy. It’s honestly a kind of comfort meal that hits the spot every single time. This was the perfect last meal with my sister and brother in law before dropping them off at the train station.

Handmade Dumplings 果貿吳家媽餃子

果貿吳家媽餃子 Mama Wu’s Dumplings is one of those restaurants that we randomly stumbled across, but somehow it became a highlight of our trip. Well, this place was that for me. We were craving dumplings and this restaurant was on our drive to the highway, so we decided to grab a quick bite with zero expectations. The menu includes a ranges of dumplings, soups, and noodles that all looked so delicious, at a fairly affordable price.

They’re known for their freshly wrapped homemade dumplings. Their frozen dumplings are also popular online. The skin was perfectly balanced, not too thick, not too thin, with a chewy, soft bite. My personal combo was their shrimp and cabbage, but their chives and pork dumplings were delicious as well. Also, make sure to order their hot and sour soup. Together with the dumplings, it’s the perfect combo.

This ended up being one of my favorite meals from the trip. When you’re traveling for a long time, sometimes all you crave is simple, clean, but yummy food. It reminded me of home-cooked food, simple but done perfectly.