If you had 1 day and 1 night in Kaoshiung, how would you spend it? I could visit Kaoshiung again and again, even if it's for 1 day and even if it's on the other end of the peninsular from Taipei and costs over 800NT one-way. It's just a more laidback, and charming younger sister of Taipei.
I'm pretty boring, but I'm happy like that (previous posts on Kaoshiung, Cijin Island, Rueifang Night Market). Here's a list of some things I recommend to do in Kaoshiung given 1 day (and 1 night), and if you are crazy enough to start early, you definitely can fit Sizihwan and Cijin in your day (I wasn't so it'll be in the next post):
1. To start your day right, grab a typical Taiwanese breakfast from the humble breakfast shops. This stall was beside our hostel. To be fair, you can have this breakfast anywhere in Taiwan, just look out for these breakfast shops (may be part of a franchise).
2. Take the train to visit train stations and go places
The Kaoshiung MRT is pretty new and swanky and some of the stations are themed. The artwork can also be quite quirky.
My must-visit definitely has to be the Central Train Station, you can't miss it because it's an interchange. Hello, it's the Central Train Station afterall. There's even a grand piano. And if you are lucky, there's a pianist playing.
When you take the train, the ticket is actually a token
Some key places the MRT will get you to (must-visits in bold):
1) Dream Mall - R6 Kaisyuan Station
2) Hanshin, New Jyuejiang - R9 Central Park Station (I think the station is the highlight)
3) Hanshin Arena, Rueifong Market - R14 Kaoshiung Arena Station
4) THSR, Yida World - R16 Zuoying Station
5) Chashan, Zoo, Pier-2 Art Center - O2 Yanchengpu Station
6) Love River - O2 Yanchengpu, O4 City Council Station
Another plus point is that the signs for the station exits are also super clear (also has maps of the vicinity):
3. Visit Dream Mall (at R6 Kaisyuan Station), the largest shopping mall in Taiwan and East Asia. There's an amusement park and Kaoshiung Eye Ferris Wheel on the rooftop. Why the mall? Well, in June, Kaoshiung is unbearably hot and humid (especially when you've just visited Cingjing and Alishan), so we had to go to the mall to escape from the heat.
Why walk, when you can wait for the shuttle bus? (It's really within walking distance!)
OPEN and friends were pretty popular when we visited in June 2013, whether it's on the bus, on the stage...
Or all over the amusement park
Up on the Kaoshiung Eye (comes with free photo keychain)
Other attractions include fishing, plucking out Spongebob's teeth, and making your very own candy floss!
Oh and we tried screaming at the Monsters University Booth outside the cinema
Get a drink from Starbucks and have a meal at Chunshuitang (oh, because we didn't try proper food at the Taichung outlet)
4. Drop by Central Park Station for the Park and the Shopping District (only because it's the most happening shopping street). Eh there's even a photoshoot going on at night!
I didn't do much shopping, except for food! Anything fried (shrimp and mushrooms are da bomb) downed with papaya milkshake please~
5. Visit Rueifong Market - R14 Kaoshiung Arena Station. We like that's it's so systematic, rows and rows of organized chaos, with tons of things to eat, buy (I bought some customised teacher stamps) and play. This is kind of my favourite night market, but again, I don't go to many.
Time for food
Time for play (there are some new games after 1 year, and I vowed to play all the games if I return, but I wasn't feeling well after basking in the heat, so I'll be back!)
And this post is all about the regular stuff I did for my 2 trips to Kaoshiung. Of all, 1 and 5 are worth returning over and over.
More about Sizihwan area and Cijin coming up next. Yes, I believe it's possible to fit them in the same day as these 5. Perhaps just not in summer. And aren't you supposed to be on vacation?
More pictures are available on my Flickr (simply click any photo).
Related Posts:
Taiwan Day 6 - Alishan, Day 2, Kaoshiung, Day 1:
- Chiayi to Kaoshiung
- Dream Mall
- Ruohe Night Market
Taiwan Day 7 - Kaoshiung, Day 2:
