Kaohsiung
Travel Guide

Asia - Taiwan, Province of China[a] - Kaohsiung

Located in the middle of Taiwan (Republic of China), it is the second largest city of the country, with a population of 2,7 million. Kaohsiung might not be the most known city within the tourists visiting the region, but it is definetely worth to be discovered for its kept secrets and beautiful and unique culture. The city was founnded in the end of the 17th century and its importance started during the Japanese occupation.... Kaohsiung port is the largest port in Taiwan.In the past, the city name was “Takau”, which means “the beating dog”. If you are planning a trip to the city, you can’t miss the Dome of light, a public artwork in the Formasa Boulevard MRT Station, the largest stained glass installation in the world. The Monkey Mountain (Shoushan) is also a must-see attraction, being a mountain where you can see monkeys all around looking for the best snacks. Finally, you also can visit the Dream Mall, the largest shopping mall in Taiwan, where you can admire the best views to the city from the rooftop of it.

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Kaohsiung Overview

Language

The official language in Kaohsiung (Taiwan) is the Standard Chinese, but there are also the following recognised national and regional languages: Formosan languages, Hakka, Matsu dialect and Taiwanese Hokkien. It’s not very common to find a person who can speak fluently in English in Taiwan and so in Kaohsiung neither, but some young people will know and understand it.

Weather

Kaohsiung has a tropical weather, with temperatures from 19º in January to 29º in July (avarages) and a lot of humidity, between the 70 and the 80%. In general, is a warm city and one of the sunniest areas in Taiwan.

Money

The official currency in Kaohsiung (Taiwan) is the New Taiwan dollar (TWD). More or less, 1$ is 30 TWD. You can exchange your currency either in banks, in big shopping malls or in hotels. In Kaohsiung banks are usually open from 9:00h to 15:30h from Monday to Friday. Don’t forget to take your passport, so it is required for exchanging the currency.

When to go

It is very recommended to go to Kaohsiung in the late Spring or in the Summer, so, from May until September (more or less). If you don’t like the hot weather, then definetely don’t go on July, the hottest month of the year.

Days

It is recommended to spend at least one week in Kaohsiung, because it takes time to understand the culture and to explore its kept secrets, but if you don’t have an entire week, in 3 days you can see the most important and symbolic attractions of the city. If you get to know a local person from Kaohsiung who can show you around, it will be more efficient for sure.

Surroundings

Meinong Hakka
Kenting National Park
Fort Zeelandia
Moon World Kaohsiung

Store Hours

Shops in Kaohsiung are usually open from 10h until 21h, many supermarkets are open 24/7 and the night markets from 18h until the midnight and banks from 9h until 15:30h Monday to Friday.