Getting there and choosing your base
- Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH): South of the centre on the red metro line, roughly a 20-minute ride from downtown. Most international flights come from elsewhere in Asia; domestic services are mainly to the outlying islands, since travellers from Taipei usually take the high-speed train.
- Zuoying station (high-speed rail): High-speed trains from Taipei arrive here, on the northern edge of the city. The red line continues to the centre, so after an evening arrival a hotel near a red-line station saves a taxi.
- Kaohsiung main station: Conventional Taiwan Railway trains stop here, in the city centre and on the red metro line, which helps if you are arriving from Tainan or the east coast by ordinary train.
Areas to consider
Yancheng and Hamasen
Suits art, food and harbour walks around the Pier-2 warehouses and the west bank of the Love River. Check the walk to Yanchengpu or Hamasen metro station, as the orange line is your link to the rest of the city.
Formosa Boulevard and Central Park
Suits travellers who want both metro lines close by, plus the department stores and night markets of the commercial centre. Stations with several exits often have a lift at only one of them, so with a wheeled case, check which exit is closest to the hotel and whether it has a lift.
Zuoying
Suits early high-speed trains and visits to the temples and pavilions around Lotus Lake. The lake and the high-speed rail station are some distance apart, so check which part of Zuoying the hotel is actually in.
Cijin Island
Suits a quiet night or two near the beach and seafood restaurants, reached by a short ferry from Gushan pier. Check the last ferry back if you plan to eat or go out on the city side in the evening.
When to go
Kaohsiung is warmer and drier than northern Taiwan, with most rain from June to August and a long dry spell from about October to April. At the end of Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival along the Love River and the harbour brings nightly fireworks and crowds, so book riverside rooms early for those dates.
Before choosing a room
- Even 50cc scooters need a licence or International Driving Permit, and scooter theft is common; if you plan to ride, ask whether the hotel has secure parking.
- The metro stops around midnight, earlier on the orange line than the red, so for late nights out, a hotel within walking distance of the bars or night markets saves a taxi fare.
- Air-conditioning runs for much of the year; in older budget hotels, check whether rooms have their own controls and what recent guests say about noise from the units.
Sources and planning resources
- Wikivoyage: Kaohsiung
- Taiwan Tourism Administration
- Kaohsiung Metro (KRTC)
- How Hotel Unfiltered uses guest reviews
Facts checked on . Transport services, taxes and hotel offers can change. Confirm the details for your trip before booking.