3 Days in Kaohsiung, Taiwan: Sunsets, Street Food & Lunar New Year Magic
- leannv88
- Mar 2
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 8
Over the Lunar New Year, I was able to take Charlie, and my good Peace Corps friend, to a seaside vacation in Taiwan! It was so nice to reminisce about our time in Benin and make new memories, like playing every claw machine and having bubble tea at 9 pm.
Kaohsiung is Taiwan's chill southern cousin — warmer weather, slower pace, ocean air, and significantly fewer people speed-walking into you while holding bubble tea.
If Taipei feels like caffeine, Kaohsiung feels like iced tea by the sea.
And if you visit during the Lunar New Year? The city quietly levels up.
Suddenly, there are bonus markets, lanterns everywhere, families out walking at midnight, and the harbor turns into one long golden-hour photo opportunity.
Here's how to spend a perfect long weekend in Kaohsiung.
Getting There
From Taipei or Hsinchu (my home), getting south is incredibly easy. You DO NOT need to book train tickets ahead of time. I was worried it would be sold out completely due to the holiday, but we were still able to sit down. You buy the tickets at a kiosk, and either choose non-reserved or reserved seats.
🚄 Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR) to Zuoying
~1 hour 23 minutes -
About $35–45 USD
Fast, smooth, few stops, the last stop is where we go
Estimated round-trip transport budget: ~TWD 2,500
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Where to Stay
Kaohsiung is wonderfully affordable compared to northern Taiwan — especially if you split rooms with friends.
Cheapest Options ( really, how is it this cheap??!)
Master Chitow Hostel - Honestly incredible value. Cheap, clean, and perfectly located in the city center. No drama, just good sleep. It is super highly reviewed.
河畔文旅 (Riverside Hotel)Double rooms around TWD 2,400 for the weekend (~TWD 1,200 per person split).
Uno青年旅舍 Around TWD 1,200 per bed with a social hostel vibe.Trip GG HostelRight next to the MRT — which means zero navigation stress after night markets.About TWD 1,200 per night.
🧧 Visiting During Lunar New Year (Highly Recommended)
Kaohsiung during Lunar New Year feels like the city decided to throw a relaxed festival instead of a chaotic one.
Things you'll notice immediately:
Lantern displays everywhere, Families strolling along the harbor late into the evening, Street performances are popping up randomly, Seasonal food stalls you won't find the rest of the year!
The best surprise? Temporary holiday markets near Pier-2 Art Center.
The whole harbor area transforms:
pop-up food vendors
craft stalls
light installations
live music drifting across the water
You walk five minutes, planning to "just look around," and suddenly it's three hours later, and you're holding grilled squid, wondering how life got this good.
Bonus: Winter weather in southern Taiwan is basically perfect walking temperature.
Day 1 — Culture, Harbour Views & Night Market Chaos
Morning / Early Afternoon
Start at Pier-2 Art Center, a former warehouse district turned creative playground.
Expect:
giant murals
weird sculptures (some adorable, some confusing)
indie shops
cafés perfect for recovering from travel fatigue
During Lunar New Year, this area becomes even better thanks to festival markets and decorations.
Walk toward the Love River afterward — one of Taiwan's nicest urban waterfronts.
Sunlight + harbor breeze + zero urgency = peak vacation mood.
Evening Options
Option 1: Sunset Ferry Adventure. Take the ferry to Cijin Island for sunset views. Watching the sky change colors over the harbor feels suspiciously cinematic.
Option 2: Night Market Time. Head to Liuhe Night Market (六合夜市) — touristy, yes, but fun and easy.
Nearby stop: Urban Spotlight — glowing light installations that look like someone gave a city block RGB lighting.
Day 2 — Island Life & Iconic Kaohsiung Sights
Morning: Cijin Island
Take the short ferry ride across the harbor.
Things to do:
Walk Cijin Old Street
Snack aggressively on seafood and
Rent bikes or wander aimlessly
Explore beaches and historic forts
Don't miss:
Qihou Fort - really nice high-up views of the island and ocean
Coral Reef Cliff
Cactus area (仙人掌叢) — unreal sunset spot
Seashell Museum
Cijin feels like a tiny coastal vacation inside your vacation.
Afternoon: Temples & Photo Spots
Head to Lotus Pond, home of Kaohsiung's most iconic landmarks:
Dragon and Tiger Pagodas https://share.google/TPiVO8L9gMRatcWCh
Giant Statue of Xuantian God
Yes, you really do enter through a dragon's mouth and exit a tiger. Taiwan does symbolism with confidence.
Optional adventure: Thailand Valley hike (seriously, look at the photos—it's like an ancient seafloor)—cool rock formations and a quieter nature escape.
🍜 Foods You Absolutely Should Not Skip
Local Specialty Dishes
🐍 Eel Noodles — 鱔魚意麵 (Shàn Yú Yì Miàn)
A Kaohsiung classic made with:
wok-fried eel, garlic, soy sauce, slightly sweet thick gravy, chewy egg noodles
Southern Taiwan loves sweet-savory flavors, and this dish represents that perfectly.
🍜 Danzai Noodles — 擔仔麵 (Dàn Zǎi Miàn)
Small bowl noodles originally sold by street vendors carrying shoulder poles.
Usually includes:
minced pork, shrimp, garlic, broth
Perfect "I want to try everything" portion size.
🐟 Milkfish Soup — 虱目魚湯 (Shī Mù Yú Tāng)
Milkfish is a southern Taiwan staple.
Light, clean fish soup is often eaten for breakfast. Extremely local experience.
🦆 Duck Rice — The Local Religion
If Taipei worships beef noodles, Kaohsiung worships duck rice.
Rice topped with sliced duck, sauce, and sometimes pickled vegetables.
Best Duck Rice Restaurants
鴨肉珍 (Yā Ròu Zhēn)👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=鴨肉珍+高雄
Legendary local institution.
鴨肉本 (Yā Ròu Běn)👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=鴨肉本+高雄
Classic traditional flavor.
七賢鴨肉飯 (Qixian Duck Rice)👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=七賢鴨肉飯+高雄
Popular late-night stop.
侯記鴨肉飯 (Hou Ji Duck Rice)👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=侯記鴨肉飯+高雄
Local favorite, generous portions.
正宗鴨肉飯 (Authentic Duck Rice)👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=正宗鴨肉飯+高雄Exactly what the name promises.
🦐 Seafood (Especially on Cijin Island)
Fresh harbor seafood is mandatory in Kaohsiung.
海濱海產 — Seaside Seafood Restaurant👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=海濱海產+高雄Casual, fresh, local vibe.
金聖春海產 — Jin Sheng Chun Seafood👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=金聖春海產+高雄Very popular Cijin stop.
旗后海產 — Qihou Seafood👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=旗后海產+高雄 Near the old fort area.
海慶澎湖海鮮 — Hai Qing Penghu Seafood👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=海慶澎湖海鮮+高雄 Known for Penghu-style seafood dishes.
🐑 Gangshan Lamb District
Gangshan area is famous across Taiwan for lamb cuisine.
You'll find: lamb stir-fry, lamb hotpot, lamb fried rice, lamb soup
Top Pick: 舊市羊肉 (Old Market Lamb Restaurant)👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=舊市羊肉+高雄
A must-visit if you want something uniquely southern Taiwanese.
🍰 Dessert Stops
呷百二 — Jia Bai Er Pineapple Cakes👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=呷百二+高雄
Famous local bakery known for excellent pineapple cakes — great souvenir gifts.
澎湖陳 八寶冰紅豆湯 — Penghu Chen Dessert Shop👉 https://maps.google.com/?q=澎湖陳八寶冰紅豆湯+高雄
Absolute comfort food. Kaohsiung is secretly one of Taiwan's best food cities.
Day 3 — Slow Morning & One Last Adventure
Choose your ending:
🛕 Peaceful Cultural Stop
Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum: Huge, serene, and surprisingly calming before traveling home.
🎨 Hidden City Corner
WeiWu Mi Mi Village — colorful murals and artsy photo spots.
🌿 Nature Escape (Far but Amazing)
Maolin Butterfly Trail — millions of butterflies in winter
Baolai Hot Spring — mountain hot springs and fresh air
Final Thoughts
Kaohsiung doesn't try to impress you loudly.
It wins you over slowly: a harbor sunset, a perfect bowl of duck rice, a ferry ride with ocean wind, a random holiday market you didn't plan for.
Especially during Lunar New Year, the city feels warm in every sense — the weather, the food, and the people included.
Pack comfortable shoes, arrive hungry, and leave extra time for wandering. Kaohsiung rewards curiosity more than strict itineraries.
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