visiting Kaohsiung -- what to do?

[downtownandrew]

Going to Kaohsiung this weekend for a wedding party.
Can anyone recommend a good website that is full of details about this city?
Looking for some fun places to visit, must sees, must do's, etc.

[tommy525]

Ktown is just a hotter version of Taipei city for the most part. Ktown people like to visit monkey mountain (shoushan) and also hsitsiwan beach (MRT goes there).

And also take the ferry from hsitsiwan beach a short distance to chitsin island for seafood.

And of course if u can make the time ,head over to Kending. Another 2 hours bus ride away further south.

Ktown has a nice MRT . Mini version of Taipei's.

Dont feed the monkeys tho, New law just passed can get you a 3000nt ticket.

Oh yeah theres tons of dept stores, including one at the 75 story Tuntex tower. And people like to visit the big night market at Lio Ho.

[grandfeller]

Excellent suggestions from tommy.

If you're into history and old buildings, visit the old fort on Qijing island. It's a ~10min ferry ride from the old downtown harbor. If I remember right, the fort was built in response to the Japanese invasion and occupation of southern Taiwan in the 1870s.

Around 1870 a group of Japanese castaways were killed by aborigine Formosans on the south coast. Japan asked China to do something about it. China said, sorry, that area is out of our jurisdiction. Japan decided to do something themselves. Launched a military campaign and subdued all the tribes in the very south and (according to the biased account by a pro-Japanese American diplomat of the time), even won the respect and admiration of most the inhabitants. China became alarmed at Japan's might, harnessed international pressure to get them to leave by reimbursing the cost of the expedition and agreeing to govern the southern tribes area benignly. They didn't. But they did build a fort on Qijing to beef up security, which the Japanese later used when they governed the entire island.

[Enigma]

Tommy really meant that you should find a 7-11 with outdoor tables, a bottle of Johnny and a bag of ice. The cup is free. Been to Ktown and that's about the long and short of it. Tommy was just being nice. (unusual though - dude? you ok?)

[Adflob Sales]

The Lighthouse is the top hotspot in KS.

[shengou]

Ktown is just a hotter version of Taipei city for the most part.

I hear this a lot but is this really true? I haven't been up to Taipei yet, but it seems every time I check the weather during the summer, Taipei is a degree or two hotter. The wiki for both cities states that Taipei is on average hotter in the summer months (and colder in the winter. Sucks for you northerners). I've seen this on several other websites as well.

I second, or third, Qijin and Xiziwan.

[tommy525]

Yes I was waiting for that. Taipei is actually hotter then Ktown in the summer months but Ktown has dry , sunny , mild winters (outside of a few cold fronts). Whereas Taipei winters suck ass.

So in general, for the most part of the year, except summer, Ktown is hotter. I used to go to Ktown nearly every week for a night or two for biz. Iv grown to really like the place. If and when I can return to live on the rock, Id pick Ktown. OF course, Taipei actually has a lot more activities going for it. Many scenic spots are closer. Whereas Ktown spots are far away, similar to the Chungle.

I like the "feel" of Ktown. And like that captain on the sub with denzel heading out smoking that cigar. "I don't trust air i cant see" pretty much sums up the air there . SO you cant breathe the air there (or if you did you should be able to identify the various elements ) and you certainly can not drink the water there. But outside of that, its awesome.

And yeah once you did monkey mountain once and the beach and went to the small local airport to watch a few planes take off and land, its really like previously said, beach yourself somewhere with a nice bottle and pleasant (female) scenery.

I say, Ktown people are a few smidges nicer then TAipei people (even if most TAipei people are imported from the various parts of the rock). Its easy to chat up sexy and cute girls working at cafes there !

There was this one cafe that was an awesome, very avant garde place with awesome coffees and chee-cha. Made from a small tiny local orange like fruit.

You pay for the drink, which was all like 150 to 180 but they would bring out cookies and cakes and you can help yourself to any of that.

And for lunch and dinner, even more novel. They provided a free bento box (you can choose one from made at their sister store nearby, priced at bout 120nt).

THis must be the only place in the world that provides a free meal with a drink.

A nice meal too, I couldnt believe it. But then like all things , it had to end.

It became some sort of big pub and then it was just another pub.

But Ktown? Nice weather, esxy and friendly girls working in coffee shops (and I don't mean the sex kinds). Whats not to love?

[StevenCrook]

Details of a few attractions here, listed in order of interest (interest to me, anyway):

• Former British Consular Residence
• Qihou (busiest part of Qijin Island)
• Kaohsiung Hakka Culture Park
• Kaohsiung Fine Arts Museum
• National Science & Technology Museum
• Holy Rosary Cathedral

[Abacus]

Let's be honest. Kaohsiung is a nice place to live but boring to visit.

This weekend I would check out the Brickyard Beer Garden in Central Park. They are having their summer music festival. I'm a little disappointed that the lineup mostly consists of DJ's but it should be packed with a mix of foreigners and locals including a lot of cute girls.

The places mentioned above are nice to visit if you're in town but not really worth making the trip.

[downtownandrew]

Thanks for the suggestions!