Kaohsiung
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Kaohsiung is the second largest city in Taiwan and is at the same time the world's third largest cargo-container seaport. It is located to the southwest of the island.
When in Kaohsiung, do not drink the tap water. This rules applies even after filtering or boiling.
Contents |
Understand
Kaohsiung is Taiwan's second largest city (at 1.5 million inhabitants) and largest port. The city has high concentrations of heavy industry including steel works, shipbuilding, and other exports which have led to Kaohsiung's noticibly higher level of air pollution (though the situation has improved in recent years). Unlike Taipei, Kaohsiung is a planned city with wide streets and slightly less traffic congestion. In recent years the city has made great strides in transforming itself from a primarily industrial city to a modern metropolis with several new city beautification initiatives and new infrastructure. The city is often known as Taiwan's "Harbor Capital" (港é½) because of it's close connection and heavy reliance on the ocean and maritime transportation.
Kaohsiung began in the 17th century as a small fishing village named "Takao" (æÂÂçÂÂ), dervied from the local aboriginal name meaning "bamboo forest". The name was changed to "é«ÂéÂÂ" (meaning: "high hero") by the Japanese in 1895, also pronounced "Takao" in Japanese, as they found the original name of æÂÂç ("beating the dog") to be vulgar. The modern name of "Kaohsiung" is the pronunciation of "é«ÂéÂÂ" in Mandarin.
The city is divided into eleven adminstrative districts, which can be roughly grouped by character:
- The Old City
- Chijin (旗津區)
- Gushan (鼓山區)
- Yancheng (鹽埕區)
- Zuoying (左營區)
- Downtown
- Sinsing (新興區)
- Cianjin (前金區)
- Lingya (苓雅區)
- Other
- Sanmin (三民區)
- Nanzih (楠梓區)
- Cianjhen (前鎮區)
- Siaogang (小港區)
Get in
By plane
Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH) is about twenty minutes by taxi, public bus/airline shuttle, or scooter from the city center.
By train
Kaohsiung is served by the Taiwan Railway Administration's Western Line and Pingtung Line. The city is roughly 4 to 5 hours away from Taipei by express train.
The new Kaohsiung Station will be shared with Taiwan High Speed Rail when the latter begins passenger services in late 2005.
By car
Parking is scarce, but available. The city recognizes this problem, and attempts to make the city more car-friendly by building parking garages and painting designated parking spaces alongside streets.
Many locals prefer to ride scooters for their convenience and ability to park anywhere with little likelihood of citations. As most scooters run two-stroke engines, they are the main culprit for Kaohsiung's traffic-related pollution... another good reason to take public transportation.
By bus
By boat
Get around
Ferry
Inexpensive ferry service is available between different parts of Kaohsiung City as well as between the city and the Chijin District which lies on an island in the harbor.
See
- The Chijin District (æÂÂæ´¥) is located on a slender island in Kaohsiung harbor which serves as a natural breakwater for the harbor. The district is filled with seafood restaurants selling fresh caught seafood which can be prepared right after you pick it out. Chijin is connected to the rest of Kaohsiung City by underwater tunnels, but the transporation of choice is one of the many ferries that traverse the harbor. Fare for the ferry ride is roughly NT$15 per person. The area is especially crowded on weekends with many visitors bringing their entire family along.
Do
- Feast on fresh seafood in the Chijin District.
- Visit the Liouho Night Market.
- See the local night life along the Ai River in the evening.
Learn
Work
Buy
Eat
Budget
Day and night markets have dirt-cheap snacks available at nearly all hours.
The ubiquitous 7-Eleven stores have steamed buns (the ones with a red dot are vegetarian), tea eggs, packaged beverages and junk food.
Mid-range
Bagel Bagel is great for disoriented westerners in search of familiar food. They have a variety of tasty sandwiches for reasonable prices (NT$150-200) with english-language menus. Two locations.
Splurge
An excellent vegetarian buffet-style restaurant is situated in the "crotch" of the Tuntex Sky Tower (the two-legged skyscraper visible from most of the city). Around NT$800 for an all-you-can-eat lunch.
Drink
- DO NOT DRINK the tap water, even after filtering or boiling, as the water contains trace amounts of arsenic that is detrimental to ones health. The locals obtain potable water using pumps that look like gasoline pumps that are strewn throughout the residential areas. Buy bottled water.
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Contact
Stay safe
Cope
Get out
External links
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