South Korea & Taiwan Blog 12: Kaohsiung
Day 23 – Saturday, 29 April Kaohsiung
Fine, hazy, 32ºC
Got up at 8:00, headed downstairs to 2F ( all floors in Taiwan are 1F, 2F, 3F etc ) for breakfast ( which is included in the hotel price; a mixed buffet with cereals, toast, eggs, curry, fried rice and other things that weren’t written in English and therefore weren't for us! ), then back to the room, got organised and left the Hotel at 9:30am.
Walked to the MRT at Main Station ( topped up another T$200 each on Ipass ) then to Formosa station then Orange Line to Sizihwan Station at the port. We walked down to the ferry pier at 10:00am and caught ferry across to Cijin at 10:15am ( the ferry is included in the transport which Ipass could be used on ). A short 10 minute trip across the harbour ( dodging the incoming cargo ships ).
Bought drinks then walked down Cijin Old Street to the beach. We hired an electric ‘ dragon bike ‘ ( 2 hours for T$400/$20 ) at 11am, and drove along the beach paths to some of the art installations in the park that runs along the coast ( Rainbow Arch, Giant Shell etc) then past a glamping site ( with air con in the tents), then back along beach past an elaborate temple.
The battery ran out on our bike so we pushed it 100m or so back to the people we hired it from, they replaced the battery then noticed that the bike had a flat tire so got a new bike instead. Drove to the Tunnel of Stars ( old colonial era tunnel to gun emplacements with light instalation), then parked the bike, and walked up to the Lighthouse at 12:15pm (slow walk in the heat ). Got drinks / iceblocks at the top then walked back down and returned the bike at 1pm.
We walked back along old street ( much busier now ) to ferry and back to Sizihwan / Hamasen Station. Caught the LRT ( tram ) along the waterfront past lots of new development and new buildings to Dream Mall again. Down to the basement and grabbed a couple of pasties for lunch/afternoon tea at 2:15pm.
Back onto LRT and on to Kaisyuan MRT station and subway back to hotel at 3:30pm. We rested.
Out again at 6:15pm, walked to Formosa Boulevard ( about 20 minutes ) and through Luihe Night Market ( lots of food stalls and side shows ), then to “Beast Bar and Grill” for burgers for tea (T$1000/$50 for 2 burgers and beers ).
Walked back to through the streets of Formosa to Formosa Blvd Station, then MRT back to hotel at 8:30pm
Icecream and coffee in the lobby/café ( free ) then up to the room.
Day 24 – Sunday, 30 April Kaohsiung
Fine, hazy, 32ºC
Up at 8:30am, then down for breakfast, then got organised and out at 9:45am. We walked to Anning St near the hotel to see umbrellas hung over the street then subway to Zouying MRT, then up to Zouying HSR ( high speed rail ) station and collected our tickets for the train on Tuesday ( Zouying to Taipei ,10:55am arr 12:30, T$2980/$150 ). Zouying is the current terminus of the HSR in Kaohsiung, but the plan is to extend the line into the new Kaohsiung Main Station.
Back out of the station into the heat, and walked south and west to Lotus Pond at 11am. We walked across the bridge near the north end of the pond ( lake ), past a temple then south along the western shore. This shore has many temples and sites to see, and being a Sunday it was quite busy.
We stopped at the Yuandi Temple, then on south. Stopped for coffee and a cake at 12pm, then to Dragon and Tiger Pagoda to complete the temples on this side of the lake.
Caught a bus back to Ecological District Station at 1pm, then subway to Aozidi Station and got onto the LRT a short distance away ( this station is the end of the line at the "Heart of Love River Station” ). We travelled around on the LRT to Hamasen Station ( where we got onto the LRT yesterday ), got off then on the Orange Line subway to Formosa Blvd, then to Main Station and back to hotel at 3pm ( after a stop for snacks ).
Rested; a very hot today. We did some laundry ( free ) etc
Out again at 6:45pm, subway to Formosa Blvd, tea at a noodle restaurant in station ( T$390/$20 for 2 noodle dishes and 2 beers ), watched Dome of Light show in the station and then back to hotel at 8:00pm
Day 25 – Monday, 1 May Kaohsiung
Fine, hazy, 29ºC
Up at 8:30am, downstairs for breakfast at 9am, and then back up to the room, and left at 10am. We walked over to Anning Street again for some more photos of umbrellas then through to Main station, and caught a metro to Formosa Blvd, then Wukuaicao Station, and walked 5 minutes and jumped on LRT tram at 10:30am. The LRT is a single line ( it will eventually be a loop ) so today we decided to travel on it from end to end, and get off and see the sights along the way. The LRT is part of the redevelopment of the harbourside area, with theatres, exhibition halls, markets, etc all connected with a boardwalk.
We stayed on tram until Love Pier on the waterfront, walked along to Pier 2 with old warehouses now with quirky shops / art installations etc. Grabbed a fizzy pineapple drink and pineapple custard millefeuille at a cafe.. Liz bought a wooden elephant from Wooderful (T$150/$7.50 ), then we walked over the Great Harbor Bridge ( a swing bridge over part of the harbour ) and looked around the shops on the other side. AC bought new sandals (T$1280/$70 ). Walked back to Pier 2 and looked through the market that was opening up at 1pm ( the Resorts World One cruise ship had just come in ).
We carried on walking to the Penglai area of Pier 2, had a look around then back on the LRT and around to Gushan Station looking for food; there was none to be found so back on LRT to the end at Heart of Love River at 2:30pm, and walked to Starbucks ( more coffee and baked cheese cakes ).
Back to the Aozidi Station and caught the MRT to Kaohsiung Main Station, and back to the hotel at 3:30pm. The MRT etc have a variable payment system based on time of day and distance, but costs around T$20/$1 per trip
Out again at 5:45pm, MRT to Formosa Blvd, photographed the circle/roundabout with the lit up station entrances, then to an Izakaya Restaurant for tea ( meat skewers, Yukisoba noodles and big beers: T$950 / $50 ), then subway back to hotel.
This was our last full day of 3 in Kaohsiung, and apart from the heat, we really enjoyed it as a place to visit. Good transport, lots of things to explore and see, and it has a feel of a city that is reinventing itself as a tourist destination. We probably enjoyed it more than Taipei.