According to Andyeducation, Kaohsiung (Kaohsiung) is called the southern capital of Taiwan. It is the largest port, ranked 5th in the world in terms of turnover, as well as an advanced industrial and commercial center.
There are few excursions directly in Kaohsiung. The most majestic Temple of the Three Phoenixes in the city makes a great impression.(Sanfengong), a place of worship for a deity named Li Nazha. Powerful stone lions stand guard at the base of the steps leading up to the carved stone façade. In the central memorial hall there are exquisite gilded altar tables and ten large cones – “Mountains of the Buddha”. Behind and above the main hall, steps lead to a smaller memorial with three altars. This is the Buddha Hall: three of his gilded images – sitting on a lotus flower, on an elephant and a lion, are here surrounded by armed guards and students.
Another 3-storey Taoist temple called the Sacred Hall of Martial and Literary Arts (Wen Wu) is dedicated to the warrior god Guan Gong and his literary brother Confucius. On the first floor there is a memorial in honor of the warrior deities with several altar tables covered with beautiful carvings. The second floor is dedicated to Confucius, the patron saint of literary craft. His name is simply carved on majestic stone steles. The third floor is the residence of the Jade Emperor and his divine entourage. It is the most magnificent, with wall frescoes and a painted ceiling. Three small icons are draped with rich brocade. The dragons on the lacquered table in front of the memorial are encrusted with precious stones. Hundreds of thousands of Guan Gong devotees from all over the island visit this temple all year round.
And, finally, the third and last temple of the Kings of the Three Mountains that deserves the attention of travelers (Sanshan Guowang), located right in the center of Kaohsiung city. Its history spans over three hundred years. The original building was built on the same site. But the only legacy of those days is the three wooden statues of the king brothers, placed behind the main altar. Every year, on the birthdays of three rulers according to the lunar calendar, festive ceremonies and celebrations are held in the Temple of the Kings of the Three Mountains.
In the urban area of Zuoying, an ancient fortification has been preserved – the city wall of Fengshan. It was first built in 1722 in the form of an earthen rampart, and then was rebuilt from stone. At its North Gate, sculptures of the gate deities Shen Du and Yu Lei are installed and painted on the ground, which is a rarity in Taiwan.. The main attractions of Kaohsiung are excellent shopping, dining and vibrant nightlife.
On one of the city hills, the building of the British Consulate has been preserved. The building is designed in the British colonial style: one-story in front and two-story at the back. The covered arcades on its outer wall are very beautiful. In one of the halls of the former consulate there is an exposition telling about the history of this remarkable building.
In the heart of Kaohsiung, an 85-story skyscraper rises , which houses the Grand Formosa Kaohsiung Hotel. This is the tallest hotel in Taiwan. On the 75th floor of the building there is an observation deck that offers stunning views of the city and the harbor.
There are many parks in Kaohsiung. In Central Park, vast meadows are interspersed with forested areas. It has a swimming pool, playrooms for children, an environmental exhibition and a library. 10 minutes from the city center there is a water amusement park “Blue Lagoon”, built in the Caribbean style. Almost all major cities have a picturesque river crossing them. There is one in Kaohsiung. The name of the city’s main waterway is Ai-he (Ai-He), which means “river of love”. After the restoration of Taiwan The banks of the river were landscaped and turned into parks. On Ai-he you can ride on a sightseeing boat. It runs daily from 16:00 to 23:00.
You will not fully experience the flavor of Kaohsiung if you do not visit the night market Liu-Ho (Liu-Ho). He began his work in 1950, but was then called Ta Kan Pu. In the daytime, only a straight street can be seen at the site of the market, but at nightfall it turns into a busy trading place. Liu Ho has 138 stalls, most of which sell a variety of snacks and drinks. It is recommended to try papaya milk and steamed shrimp.
The surroundings of the city are rich in interesting places.
On the southwestern outskirts of Kaohsiung , Mount Shoushan risesor Mount Longevity. From its top, located at an altitude of 328 m, offers a view of the entire city and the Taiwan Bay. The slopes of the mountain are richly built up with picturesque terraces, temples and pavilions. About 1000 Taiwanese macaques live in this place. The locals feed them fruit and other food, which is why they are so accustomed to people that they surround tourist groups, begging for food. There is also a memorial to Taiwanese national heroes and a zoo on the mountain. The zoo has collected 100 rare animals from different parts of the world. If you follow the path through the zoo, you can come to limestone caves.
North of Kaohsiung is the picturesque Chengqing Lake. (Cheng Ching), whose name translates as “crystal clear”. It is also called Lotus Lake. On the territory of the lake there are several islands connected to the shore by zigzag bridges. Near one of the islands, the Pavilions of Spring and Autumn (Chunqiuge) protrude from the water, and on a solid surface stands the Xiushan Temple, built in honor of the God of Medicine more than 100 years ago. In a small lagoon, not far from the temple, many different species of fish, frogs and turtles live, and in season marvelous lotuses bloom on the lake, the beauty of which has been sung by Chinese poetry for many centuries. At the other end of the lake, also in the water, stands the seven-tiered Dragon and Tiger Pagoda (Lunhuta), connected to the shore by a winding nine-angled bridge. And nearby is the Temple of Confucius (Kunzimyao). The temple was built in a style typical of the Song Dynasty. Taiwan. Chengqing is surrounded by a vast park with numerous pagodas, pavilions and two aquariums. This artificial reservoir, which supplies fresh water to the entire city, has become one of the favorite vacation spots for the people of Kaohsiung. Here you can ride boats and horseback riding, fish in the lake, walk in the park under the spreading shady trees or in the orchid garden, roam the mountains, play golf and swim in the pools.
At the foot of the mountain Fokuangshan (Fokuangshan) is a huge Buddhist complex Fokuangshan with a monastery. It was built in 1967 and has become a recognized center for the study of Buddhism, as in Taiwan and throughout Asia. It has its own University, where they study the Buddhist doctrine. Fokuangshan consists of 4 temples. In the center of one of them stands a giant statue of a seated Buddha. In another temple dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, more than a thousand statuettes of the goddess Kuanyun are placed along the walls. The main place in the complex is occupied by a 120-meter golden Buddha statue. It is surrounded by 480 other life-sized Buddha figures. Next to Fokuangshan is another Buddhist temple – Big Buddha City, where you can find thousands of Buddha figurines of various sizes. There is a zoo between Chengqing Lake and Fokungshan Mountain. With the exception of tigers, lions and bears, all other animals roam freely on its territory. For the entertainment of visitors, shows are held here with the participation of animals, they show the process of feeding them, arrange lunch with chimpanzees, tug of war with buffaloes, races on ostriches and show traditional African dances.
An hour’s drive from Kaohsiung is the city of Maoling, which is famous for its mountains with untouched nature. In its vicinity there are a lot of rivers with bizarre bridges and paths along which it is very pleasant to walk. Not far from the city is the small village of Tona.. Its locals live mainly on the production of stone products – tables, chair seats and decorative items that they sell to tourists. There are hot springs near Tona. Akungtien Reservoir is located north of Kaohsiung. Its length is 2 km and it is one of the largest reservoirs in Asia. The banks of the reservoir are very picturesque. There are winding paths for walking along them. However, this place is not very well known among tourists, as there is no direct public transport to it. Those wishing to come here will have to rent a motorcycle or walk from the nearby village of Yenchao. In Pingtung County, in an area called Santimen, there are the villages of Shuimen, Santimen and Baye. Many tribal traditions and lifestyles are still preserved here: stone slab houses, stone tables, stone and wood carvings, which are of great interest to tourists. In Beie, which is within walking distance from Santimen, there is an ethnographic park of Taiwanese aboriginal culture. This is one of the few places in Taiwan where traditional aboriginal dwellings and their way of life can be observed at any time of the year. The restored buildings represent all types of dwellings, both the houses of chiefs and ordinary members of the tribe. There are thick-walled, stone-built houses of the Lukai tribe, and thatched stone houses of the Taiwan people, as well as completely different, but also very curiously made of straw and reeds and zuu. The houses themselves and the explanatory plaques will provide very useful information about the social structure and lifestyle of all Taiwanese aborigines. Twice a day you can listen and watch traditional songs and dances of the natives and even participate in them. Beach holidays in Kaohsiung. Among the locals, the beaches of Xizu Bay near Shushan Mountain or the black sands of Qijin Beach on a narrow island near the port are very popular.