Kaohsiung

Travelers come to Kaohsiung for harbor walks, converted warehouses and night market dinners, and the MRT links most of the sights.

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Kaohsiung is a working port on the southwest coast of Taiwan, and it is one of the island's busiest harbors. The Love River runs through the center, with walkways along its banks. The Pier-2 Art Center is housed in old harbor warehouses, and Shoushan hill rises behind the city with views over the port. Temples around Lotus Pond, the ferry to Cijin island and the Liuhe Night Market are the usual next stops after the waterfront.

The city suits a two- to three-day stop. The MRT and light rail connect the main sights, so you can cover much of it without a car. October to April is the most comfortable window, with cooler and drier weather. Summer is hot and humid, and typhoon season typically runs from summer into early autumn, so check conditions before you travel.

Kaohsiung in five

Ride the Red Line from the rail stationsThe Red Line links Kaohsiung International Airport (R4), Kaohsiung Main Station (R11) and Zuoying (R16), the stop for high-speed rail. The Orange Line crosses it at Formosa Boulevard (R10/O5).
Take the light rail to the Pier-2 waterfrontLight rail stops include Love Pier (C11), Dayi Pier-2 (C12), Penglai Pier-2 (C13) and Hamasen (C14). Hamasen is also on the Orange Line, so the waterfront connects to both systems.Kaohsiung in 2 days
Catch Sizihwan Bay near sunsetTourism Administration pages describe a swimming beach, a long breakwater and sunsets as the bay's best feature, at the western edge of the city beside Shoushan hill.
Walk to Liuhe Night Market after darkThe tourism site puts it about ten minutes past Kaohsiung Railway Station along Zhongshan Road, then right onto Liuhe Road, with 138 stalls. Daytime, it is just a street.
Choose Tainan or Kenting as the add-onTainan is the history and food stop, Kenting the beach and national park stop. Tainan fits a day trip more easily than Kenting does.Kaohsiung or Tainan

Things to do in Kaohsiung

See all attractions in Kaohsiung

Sight · KaohsiungTaiwan Salt Museum

Landmark · KaohsiungDragon & Tiger PagodaGo early in the morning for fewer people. Tour crowds in the afternoon start to build from about 2:30 pm.

Theater · KaohsiungKaohsiung Film Archive

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to KaohsiungPut the places you like in Kaohsiung on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Kaohsiung International (KHH), MRT Red Line station R4
Getting there: High-speed rail to Zuoying; Taiwan Railways to Kaohsiung Main Station
Getting around: MRT Red and Orange lines, light rail, YouBike
Best base: Formosa Boulevard for two lines, Hamasen for the waterfront
Time needed: 2 days; 3 with Tainan, Kenting or Maolin

Weather by month

Rainy days

Best
Good
Poor

JanuaryClear6 rainy daysHigh23°Low17°Dry, mild
FebruaryClear5 rainy daysHigh24°Low18°Lunar New Year
MarchClear8 rainy daysHigh26°Low20°Warm, dry
AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh28°Low23°Hot
MayRain18 rainy daysHigh30°Low25°Typhoon season
JuneRain23 rainy daysHigh31°Low27°Hot, rain
JulyRain25 rainy daysHigh31°Low27°Hot, typhoon risk
AugustRain26 rainy daysHigh30°Low27°Typhoon risk
SeptemberRain23 rainy daysHigh31°Low26°Typhoon risk
OctoberRain17 rainy daysHigh29°Low25°Warm, clearer
NovemberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh27°Low22°Dry, mild
DecemberPartly cloudy4 rainy daysHigh25°Low19°Dry, mild

Average daily high and low in Kaohsiung, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Kaohsiung

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 29°
Humidity: 79%
Wind: 11 km/h
Chance of rain: 69%

Kaohsiung

04:37 AM

Tuesday, November 3

GMT+8

Today29°24°69%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 69%.
Wed28°24°51%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 28°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 51%.
Thu30°24°6%Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 30°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 6%.
Fri29°24°27%Friday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 27%.
Sat29°24°73%Saturday: Clear. High 29°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 73%.
Sun29°24°67%Sunday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 67%.

Updated 01:01 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 32.64 TWD

Amount

Converted to

TWD · New Taiwan Dollar

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Kaohsiung

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Coming up

Day trips by train

Tainanby high-speed or local train; check timetablesForts, temples and old streets, an easy add-on.Read the guide
Kenting National Parkby bus; check Kaohsiung Bus and Pingtung BusBeaches, the southern cape and Taiwan's only tropical national park.Read the guide
Maolin National Scenic Areaby road; check bus optionsHot springs and indigenous villages in Kaohsiung's mountains.
Penghu Islandsby flight or ferry (listed 4.5 to 6.5 hours); check weatherBasalt coasts and the Great Bridge; flights from Kaohsiung Airport.Read the guide

Before you go to Kaohsiung

Hotels near the MRTCompare four basesCheck availability

Day trips from KaohsiungTainan, Kenting and Maolin toursCompare day trips

eSIM for KaohsiungMaps for MRT and light railRead the guide

Travel insurance for TaiwanCover for typhoon-season delaysRead the guide

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Rules for Kaohsiung, checked

UK passport holders can enter visa-free for up to 90 days and must file a Taiwan Arrival Card online within three days before arrival, per GOV.UK.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source
The Taiwan PASS is for foreign visitors. Per its FAQ, Kaohsiung MRT and light rail can be entered by QR code in the pass app.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source

All Kaohsiung guides

ItineraryKaohsiung in 2 days: waterfront, Shoushan, temples and a night marketChecked Oct 4, 2026

Head to headKaohsiung or Tainan: which southern Taiwan city should you pick?Checked Oct 4, 2026

Where to stayWhere to stay in Kaohsiung: four MRT bases from Zuoying to HamasenChecked Oct 4, 2026

Plan around Kaohsiung

Tainan

Forts, temples and old streets nearby.

Read the guide Kenting National Park

Beaches and the southern tip of Taiwan.

Read the guide Getting around Taiwan

High-speed rail, Taiwan Railways and buses.

Read the guide All of Taiwan

Rail, entry rules and when to go.

Read the guide

Kaohsiung FAQ

How many days do you need in Kaohsiung?

Two days cover the Love River, Hamasen and Pier-2, Shoushan hill and a night market. Add a third day for Tainan, Kenting or the Maolin area, since each one needs most of a day.

Is Kaohsiung worth visiting?

Yes, for a port city with a working MRT, waterfront art districts, harbor sunsets and a night market, without the crowds of Taipei. It suits a relaxed stop on a trip down the west coast.

How do you get from Kaohsiung airport to the city?

By MRT. The airport is station R4 on the Red Line, and Kaohsiung Main Station (R11) and Zuoying (R16) are on the same line. Change at Formosa Boulevard (R10/O5) for the Orange Line to Hamasen.

How do you get from the high-speed rail station to downtown Kaohsiung?

Take the Red Line from Zuoying (R16). Kaohsiung Main Station (R11) is five stops away, and Formosa Boulevard (R10/O5) is one stop beyond, where the Orange Line begins.

Is Kaohsiung or Tainan better for a first trip south?

Tainan for historic sites and food, Kaohsiung for a modern waterfront and MRT convenience. Many trips use Kaohsiung as the base and visit Tainan on a day trip. The comparison page sets out the trade-offs.