One goal of many people during travelling is to avoid crowds if they can help it. There’s nothing like being shoulder-to-shoulder with other tourists and fighting the crowds for a good photo spot to make one wish that everyone else was still at work. However, in some rare but delightful instances, certain tourist hotspots are better with more people! Be it the location’s status of not quite featured on the map or the atmosphere that a sea of people brings, some places are just better to go to on a weekend.

Kaohsiung is a city in Taiwan along the southwestern coast of this sweet potato-shaped island. It’s not particularly a hot destination. Its international airport flies in airlines predominantly from major cities throughout East and Southeast Asia. The need to transfer is probably the reason it isn’t as popular as more famous cities such as foodie heaven Tainan or the capital, Taipei.

Still, Kaohsiung has many of its own perks, including its own MRT lines in addition to the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) and the High Speed Rail (HSR). These lines also run through each city but have fewer stops and lower accessibility, which the MRT fills in the gaps for. In addition to this are the public bikes, which requires a credit card but is free for the first 30 minutes of each rental. With numerous stations throughout the city, cheating the system becomes an easy possibility – but we won’t admit to that.

In any case, Taiwan’s obsession with art and Kaohsiung’s coastal location combines together to create a unique little city with its own vibrant flair. Start with Qijin Island, then return to the mainland to tour Hamsen Railway Cultural Park, Pier 2 Arts Centre, and then to the Pier 2 night market, open only on Saturday evenings every week. A short trip to the western end of Kaohsiung will yield a whole day of activities.

A quick breakfast: Xiao long tang bao (小籠湯包) steamed soup dumplings

Near Sizihwan Station (西子灣站) on the western end of Kaohsiung is a little restaurant that specialises in soup dumplings. Also known as xiao long bao or xiao long tang bao (小籠湯包), these steamed dumplings have a gelatine stock in them which melt during cooking to produce a flavourful soup, hence the name. Though originating in Shanghai, China, Taiwan revamped the skin to become thinner and more dumpling-like than its original version. As such, one should definitely try this local dish when in Taiwan.

This shop really only sells one thing, and that’s soup dumplings by the steamer basket. One portion of 7 large dumplings costs NTD50 (US$1.60). As with many Taiwanese restaurants, the utensils, tableware, and dipping sauce. We recommend getting some of the soy sauce on the self-service table as well as the julienned ginger. Eat the dumplings by biting a hole in the skin, sucking out all the soup (being careful not to burn yourself from the scalding temperature), topping it up with ginger and sauce and downing the rest in one.

The savoury soup goes down well with a smooth mouthfeel. The ginger isn’t as spicy or pungent as we’d expected, and instead adds the fragrance to the meat that rounds out the greasiness. A delicious dish, and a great place to start for the land of soup dumplings.

Qijin (Cijin) Island 旗津島

How to get there

Despite its name as an island Qijin is actually a district connected to the mainland at its southern end by a bridge. But that’s a much longer and more complicated route often reserved for tour buses. The most common method of reaching the island is by ferry, which departs from Gushan Ferry Terminal (鼓山輪渡站) a few minutes’ walk from Sizihwan Station (西子灣站).

The ferry is leaves often enough that you won’t need to plan your trip around its schedule. It differs in weekdays and weekends, and its frequency depends on the time of day. For the most part, you shouldn’t have to wait more than 10-15 minutes between ferries.

It costs NTD40 (US$1.30) per passenger per direction, and for a little extra you can also take a bicycle or motorbike across. The ride is short, between 5-10 minutes, and the terminal on the Qijin end is directly outside the Old Street and many attractions, so it’s hard to miss.

Getting around and bike rentals

If you’re planning only on staying to try the food in Old Street or take a walk on Qijin Beach, it’s within a small walking distance area that it’s easy to wander around by foot. However, on the instance you’d like to see a little more of the island, such as in visiting the Seaside Park Visitor Centre, a great way of getting around is to rent a bike.

Just outside the Qijin Ferry terminal is a strip of bicycle rental shops that allow you to rent a bike at almost the same rate of about NTD100 (US$3.25) for a typical 2-wheeler. Other bikes such as tandems or electric bicycles are available, though you’ll need your driver’s license for an electric bicycle. These must be returned by the end of the day, and they’ll take either a form of ID or your accommodation keys as a deposit. These need to be returned before closing time, which is by around 5pm.

What to do

Having been under Dutch, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese rule in the last five centuries, Taiwan has rich history and culture which is demonstrated well in many of the landmarks. Furthermore, with Kaohsiung acting as a port city, the little coastal town saw a lot of trade from many foreigners, opening them up to influences from many cultures. At the northernmost end of Qijin Island, you’ll find Cihou Fort (旗後砲台) and Kaohsiung (Qijin) Lighthouse (高雄燈塔), the former built to guard the harbour. The lighthouse is a Chinese-style brickhouse built by British engineers to improve navigation for the increasing activity in the area.

Both are located on Mount Cihou (旗後山), which is less so a mountain than a large hill. Even if you’re not keen on history, it’s a nice walk up (bikes and other vehicles are not allowed access) with an excellent view of the ocean and the harbour.

Near the beach is Cihou Market (旗后觀光市場), full of snacks and dried goods with plenty of samples for you to find something to take home with you. It isn’t the cleanest place in the world, nor necessarily the cheapest, but it does offer something a little into the food culture of the humble little country.

Besides that, down the length of the island there are plenty more things to see that showcase the country’s love for arts. The Rainbow church located halfway down the coast is a popular colourful spot in the Seaside Park Visitor Centre, and while we never got to visit, we did have a great time just biking down Qijin Third and Second Road and coming back up Zhongzhou Third Road. There are a myriad of local shops and restaurants that are fun to look at, even if you don’t stop for a visit.

In the Old Street (旗津老街), at least on the Saturday we visited, shops are packed shoulder-to-shoulder as densely as a night market. Vendors sell a variety of street food, cold drinks, souvenirs, and trinkets, waving down passers-by and in some cases offering samples to entice you to purchase their goods. If anything, just wandering (or cycling) your way through the vibrant little village is fulfilling.

Qijin Eats

There are a huge number of choices in both the Old Street and throughout the island, some of which will definitely tickle your fancy. We started with a refresher of aloe vera honey lemon juice (NTD40; US$1.30), whose sweet-sour juice went down a treat. The slimy, chewy fresh aloe vera wasn’t what we expected, especially not with a slight bitterness that was matched well by the juice, but it was still delicious.

We tried an oyster bun (蚵仔包; NTD35; US$1.15) which consisted of a filled pocket constructed in the bowl of a ladle. Seasoned with pepper, the steaming-hot vegetable filling still retained some crunch, and the oysters were flavourful. These are available throughout many places in Taiwan, but a fresh one is unbeatable.

Next we stopped off for some taro cakes (芋頭餅; NTD15; US$0.50). Less a cake than a weird mish-mash of carbohydrates, it consists of taro paste sandwiched between two crackers, battered, and deep-fried. It’s definitely for all those sweet-potato lovers out there.

The black cuttlefish grilled sausage (墨鱼香腸) caught our eye (NTD40; US$1.30). The Taiwanese are very fond of their grilled sausages, which have a sweeter, less savoury flavour than western counterparts. This one is a little salty, but with the addition of the chewy cuttlefish, it made for great texture and flavour, and one of our favourite eats on the island.

Cijin Homemade Soda (旗津手工汽水) has a great place in our hearts. Fresh apple pulp or a juice of your choice is combined with soda water for a refreshing, sweet, tart drink. The fizz is delicate, almost a flavour on the tongue, and at NTD30 (US$1) it’s a must-try.

Our last stop is also a Taiwanese favourite. You can’t say you’ve visited this little island country without having a taste of QQ balls, made of glutinous rice flour and sweet potatoes, deep fried until they are crispy and chewy, neither quite sweet or savoury. Taiwanese people are obsessed with this “QQ” texture (thus, the name). Fan shu peng (蕃薯椪) is a variety of the QQ ball, which comes with a molten filling of sugar and finely crushed peanuts.

Though you can find it in many places in southern Taiwan, Peng Sao (椪嫂蕃薯椪) is a stall on Qijin Island that is famous for this treat. At only NTD10 (US$0.30) per ball, it’s hard not to indulge in one each – or even more! The queue moves quick, and it’s difficult to find someone who buys just one of these each. Crunchy, satisfyingly chewy, and bursting with sweet syrup, this is a moreish sweet that you’ll be thinking about for a while after. A great end to our snacking.

Back on the Mainland: Arts and Eats in Kaohsiung

Hamasen Railway Cultural Park 哈瑪星鐵道文化園區

Originally Kaohsiung’s first railway station, this area has now been repurposed into a recreational park. In celebration of Taiwan’s love of arts, you can find several sculptures that add life and makes a great backdrop for all your Instagram needs.

Besides the art is also the Takao Railway Museum, whose exhibitions focus on the history of the railway’s role in connecting land and sea transport, as well as the last century of rail transport in Taiwan. There, you’ll find models of trains from different eras, great for anyone with an interest in history and machines.

Pier 2 Art Center 駁二藝術特區

A couple minutes’ walk from the Hamasen Cultural Park is Pier 2 Arts Center, home of all things colourful and artsy in Kaohsiung. Once a row of abandoned warehouses, it became a project for a group of artists to restore it into something worth visiting.

Besides another stunning display of sculptures and art, weekends also see the operation of a huge flea market with artists selling their works in all forms. It’s a recommended place to visit for those who love art, or those keen to purchase unique souvenirs straight from the creators.

Sunny Hills Pineapple Cakes 微熱山丘 高雄駁二特區門市

One of Taiwan’s most famous desserts is the pineapple cake. Not quite the same as a western-style cake, the Taiwanese version is sometimes described as a tart. Cuboidal in shape, it consists of a crumbly shortcrust pastry filled with a sticky pineapple jam. It was first created to put to use Taiwan’s larger production of pineapple to prevent wastage.

Inevitably, many bakeries in Taiwan produce their own version of this cake. Everyone will have their own favourite shop or brand, but many will point to Sunny Hills as one of the superior producers of pineapple cake. As a premium brand it certainly presents itself as such. The shop we visited in Kaohsiung is much more like a café, with rows of tables. Once seated, waistaff will serve each visitor a pineapple cake and a cup of tea free of charge. These are samplers, so you can taste the product and know you’re getting a high-quality sweet.

Once you’ve finished the cake, you can then approach the front to view the products they have on offer. If you’re only to eat one pineapple cake in Taiwan, it may as well be this one. It’s not crumbly nor as sweet as some other pineapple cakes, making for a refined dessert or a great souvenir for a taste of Taiwan.

Kaohsiung is a coastal city with a huge variety of activities that can entertain tourists from all walks of life. Within the western end of Kaohsiung is also the Pier 2 Night Market which operates once a week on Saturday evenings. You can check out our visit to that, as well as other night markets in Kaohsiung in this video.