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Kaohsiung · 11/13 → 11/16 · Suggested course of 9 · Flying into Kaohsiung · 2 adults · 1 room
Kaohsiung: where should you sleep for the shortest travel?
Stay in Yancheng (Love River)
Over 3 nights the travel adds up to 4 h 45 min. That is 1 h 12 min less than the farthest base.
- 3 nights, 2 adults, no flights
- About $355 to $840
Estimates leave flights out and use regional averages.
01 · Base
If you stayed somewhere else
Central Park (Xinjuejiang)#24 h 46 min in total · 1 min more · airport 3 min nearer
4 h 46 min of round trips in total · 22 h 46 min with visits · 7 h 35 min a day on average · 32 min one way to Kaohsiung
- Day 1base 16 min → 85 Sky Tower 21 min → Cijin Island 14 min → Former British Consulate at Takao 22 min → base7 h 13 min (1 h 13 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
- Day 2base 18 min → Pier-2 Art Center 27 min → Ruifeng Night Market 17 min → Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas 29 min → base7 h 31 min (1 h 31 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
- Day 3base 14 min → Dome of Light 12 min → Liuhe Night Market 17 min → Love River 15 min → base6 h 58 min (58 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
Sanduo Shopping District#34 h 47 min in total · 2 min more · airport 6 min nearer
4 h 47 min of round trips in total · 22 h 47 min with visits · 7 h 36 min a day on average · 29 min one way to Kaohsiung
- Day 1base 13 min → 85 Sky Tower 21 min → Cijin Island 14 min → Former British Consulate at Takao 23 min → base7 h 11 min (1 h 11 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
- Day 2base 19 min → Pier-2 Art Center 27 min → Ruifeng Night Market 17 min → Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas 32 min → base7 h 35 min (1 h 35 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
- Day 3base 17 min → Dome of Light 12 min → Liuhe Night Market 17 min → Love River 17 min → base7 h 3 min (1 h 3 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
The other 3
Formosa Boulevard#44 h 48 min in total · 3 min more · airport 2 min nearer
4 h 48 min of round trips in total · 22 h 48 min with visits · 7 h 36 min a day on average · 33 min one way to Kaohsiung
- Day 1base 18 min → 85 Sky Tower 21 min → Cijin Island 14 min → Former British Consulate at Takao 23 min → base7 h 16 min (1 h 16 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
- Day 2base 19 min → Pier-2 Art Center 27 min → Ruifeng Night Market 17 min → Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas 27 min → base7 h 30 min (1 h 30 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
- Day 3base 12 min → Liuhe Night Market 12 min → Dome of Light 16 min → Love River 16 min → base6 h 56 min (56 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
Kaohsiung Main Station#54 h 57 min in total · 12 min more
4 h 57 min of round trips in total · 22 h 57 min with visits · 7 h 39 min a day on average · 35 min one way to Kaohsiung
- Day 1base 20 min → 85 Sky Tower 21 min → Cijin Island 14 min → Former British Consulate at Takao 24 min → base7 h 19 min (1 h 19 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
- Day 2base 20 min → Ruifeng Night Market 17 min → Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas 31 min → Pier-2 Art Center 20 min → base7 h 28 min (1 h 28 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
- Day 3base 14 min → Liuhe Night Market 12 min → Dome of Light 16 min → Love River 18 min → base7 h (1 h travelling + 6 h at the spots)
Zuoying HSR Station#65 h 57 min in total · 1 h 12 min more · airport 11 min farther
5 h 57 min of round trips in total · 23 h 57 min with visits · 7 h 59 min a day on average · 46 min one way to Kaohsiung
- Day 1base 31 min → Former British Consulate at Takao 14 min → Cijin Island 21 min → 85 Sky Tower 31 min → base7 h 37 min (1 h 37 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
- Day 2base 14 min → Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas 17 min → Ruifeng Night Market 27 min → Pier-2 Art Center 29 min → base7 h 27 min (1 h 27 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
- Day 3base 25 min → Liuhe Night Market 12 min → Dome of Light 16 min → Love River 28 min → base7 h 21 min (1 h 21 min travelling + 6 h at the spots)
Change the places9 selected
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Ready-made courses2 nights, 3 days · 3 nights, 4 days · 4 nights, 5 days · 6 nights, 7 days
- Day 1Dome of Light, Pier-2 Art Center, Cijin Island
- Day 2Liuhe Night Market, Ruifeng Night Market, Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas
- Day 185 Sky Tower, Cijin Island, Former British Consulate at Takao
- Day 2Pier-2 Art Center, Ruifeng Night Market, Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas
- Day 3Love River, Dome of Light, Liuhe Night Market
- Day 1Pier-2 Art Center, Cijin Island, Former British Consulate at Takao
- Day 2Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Ruifeng Night Market, Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas
- Day 3Dome of Light, 85 Sky Tower, Weiwuying Center for the Arts
- Day 4Liuhe Night Market, Love River, Kaohsiung Music Center
- Day 1Cijin Island, Former British Consulate at Takao, Sizihwan Bay
- Day 2Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum (day trip)
- Day 3Pier-2 Art Center, Weiwuying Center for the Arts, Chengcing Lake
- Day 4Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Ruifeng Night Market, Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas
- Day 5Love River, Dome of Light, Liuhe Night Market
- Day 6Kaohsiung Music Center, 85 Sky Tower, Dream Mall
02 · Route
3 nights, 4 days
- Day 1 · 11/131 h 10 min travelling · 6 h at the spots
85 Sky Tower17 min from your base
Cijin Island21 min
Former British Consulate at Takao14 min · 18 min back to base
- Day 2 · 11/141 h 27 min travelling · 6 h at the spots
Pier-2 Art Center14 min from your base
Ruifeng Night Market27 min
Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas17 min · 29 min back to base
- Day 3 · 11/1558 min travelling · 6 h at the spots
Love River13 min from your base
Dome of Light16 min
Liuhe Night Market12 min · 17 min back to base
Travel times are estimates from straight-line distance and the city's average transit speed. Use them to compare bases. Each place counts as 2 hours.
03 · Booking
Where to book
Same room, a different price by channel
We compare hotels around Formosa Boulevard, your base, down to the per-channel hidden price, tax included.
How to book Kaohsiung for less
Paste an Agoda hotel link and we compare card channels and other sites by the total with tax.
Also check these sites
See all 25 other sites
These are partner links. You pay the same price; the site earns a commission that keeps it running.
04 · Before you go
Before you go
Estimated trip cost$355 ~ $840
3 nights, 2 travelers
- Hotel$135 ~ $300
- Food and getting around$150 ~ $330
- Sights and entry$70 ~ $210
A regional estimate, not a quote. Compare real hotel prices below.
Compare flight pricesAirport transferKaohsiung → Yancheng (Love River) 35 min
Currency estimate
A rough estimate at approximate rates. Actual charges may differ.
What this itinerary needsViator · GetYourGuide · Klook · Airalo eSIM
05 · Eat
Where to eat in Kaohsiung
- marketLiuhe Night MarketPapaya milk and seafood skewers
- marketRuifeng Night MarketThe locals' night market: fried dumplings and night-market steak
- food streetCijin seafood streetGrilled squid and stir-fries right off the ferry
- food streetPier-2 Art Center cafesWarehouse cafes and snacks with the harbour breeze
See 4 more
- food streetYancheng duck alley (night market)Duck rice and duck noodles
- restaurantHai Zhi Bing (Cijin)A mountain of fruit shaved ice
- marketFongshan Zhonghua Street night marketCheap late-night local food
- food streetGushan ferry pier snacksHeilun fishcake and milk tea by the pier
Our own picks. Check hours and closing days before you go.
06 · Good to know
Know before you book in Kaohsiung
Currency and card payments
The currency is the New Taiwan dollar. Hotels, department stores and convenience stores take cards, but night markets such as Liuhe and Ruifeng and small eateries are often cash only, so carry more cash than you would in Taipei. Both iPASS, the transit card that started in Kaohsiung, and Taipei's EasyCard work on the metro, the light rail and in convenience stores. Pay hotels in local currency and decline conversion to your home currency. Taiwan has no separate hotel tax, so the headline rate is close to the total, though some hotels add a 10 percent service charge.
Traveler tax refund
Tax free shopping and VAT refunds
In Taiwan authorised stores refund small amounts on the spot, and otherwise you take a refund claim slip and reclaim the sales tax at the airport tax refund counter or kiosk with your passport as you leave. A minimum purchase and a time limit for taking the goods out apply.
Where booking pays off
Rooms in Kaohsiung cost less than in Taipei and much of the demand is domestic, so local hotels often show a breakfast inclusive rate on Trip.com or on their own site that is worth comparing. International chains and the larger hotels along the Love River show a spread of a few percent between Agoda's card issuer channels, which is worth checking before you pay. Klook and KKday are strong for Kenting buses and high speed rail deals, but Tripdify does not read their prices. Paste the Agoda link into Tripdify to sort the channels by total including tax, then open the same dates on Trip.com and Expedia.
Where to stay
For a first stay, the area around Formosa Boulevard, where the metro Red and Orange lines cross, is the easiest: one line to the airport and Liuhe Night Market on foot. Central Park and Xinjuejiang put the shopping streets close by, while Yancheng along the Love River has Pier-2 Art Center and the riverside walks. Sanduo, around 85 Sky Tower and the department stores, holds many of the larger hotels. If you are arriving by high speed rail from Taipei or Tainan, or want Lotus Pond nearby, Zuoying HSR Station is convenient but sits some way north of the centre.
Airport to the city
Kaohsiung airport is close to town and has its own station on the metro Red Line, which reaches Formosa Boulevard in about 15 minutes for a small fare. A metered taxi to the centre takes 20 to 30 minutes and is reasonable with luggage or late at night. The same Red Line runs on to Zuoying, so you can change straight onto the high speed rail from the airport. Buses to Kenting leave from the airport area and Zuoying but take over two hours, so leave slack on the first day if you head straight south.
Local essentials
A, B · 110V
- Plug
- A, B
- Voltage
- 110V, 60Hz
- Currency
- TWD
- Police
- 110
- Ambulance
- 119
- Fire
- 119
Questions
Where should I stay in Kaohsiung on a first visit?
Formosa Boulevard for 5 places, 3 nights
5 popular sights, 3 nights
Chosen: Pier-2 Art Center, Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, Cijin Island, Liuhe Night Market, Ruifeng Night Market. Over 3 nights, sleeping in Formosa Boulevard gives the shortest travel. Return trips add up to 2 h 29 min, which is 24 min less than Zuoying HSR Station, the longest base for the same choice. Next shortest are Kaohsiung Main Station and Yancheng (Love River).
- #1Formosa Boulevard2 h 29 min of round trips in totalOne way from Formosa Boulevard: Pier-2 Art Center 19 min, Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas 27 min, Cijin Island 23 min, Liuhe Night Market 12 min, Ruifeng Night Market 23 min
- #2Kaohsiung Main Station2 h 30 min of round trips in total
- #3Yancheng (Love River)2 h 33 min of round trips in total
Where to stay in Kaohsiung if I only see the main sights?
Zuoying HSR Station for 3 places, 2 nights
The 3 essentials, 2 nights
Chosen: Pier-2 Art Center, Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, Cijin Island. Over 2 nights, sleeping in Zuoying HSR Station gives the shortest travel. Return trips add up to 1 h 45 min, which is 16 min less than Sanduo Shopping District, the longest base for the same choice. Next shortest are Yancheng (Love River) and Kaohsiung Main Station.
- #1Zuoying HSR Station1 h 45 min of round trips in totalOne way from Zuoying HSR Station: Pier-2 Art Center 29 min, Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas 14 min, Cijin Island 32 min
- #2Yancheng (Love River)1 h 46 min of round trips in total
- #3Kaohsiung Main Station1 h 50 min of round trips in total
Where should I stay in Kaohsiung when I fly into Kaohsiung?
Formosa Boulevard for 5 places, 3 nights
Arriving at Kaohsiung, 5 popular sights, 3 nights
Chosen: Pier-2 Art Center, Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, Cijin Island, Liuhe Night Market, Ruifeng Night Market. Over 3 nights, sleeping in Formosa Boulevard gives the shortest travel. Return trips add up to 3 h 35 min, which is 50 min less than Zuoying HSR Station, the longest base for the same choice. Next shortest are Kaohsiung Main Station and Central Park (Xinjuejiang). The transfer to and from Kaohsiung is counted in both directions.
- #1Formosa Boulevard3 h 35 min of round trips in totalOne way from Formosa Boulevard: Pier-2 Art Center 19 min, Lotus Pond Dragon and Tiger Pagodas 27 min, Cijin Island 23 min, Liuhe Night Market 12 min, Ruifeng Night Market 23 min
- #2Kaohsiung Main Station3 h 40 min of round trips in total
- #3Central Park (Xinjuejiang)3 h 41 min of round trips in total
When are Kaohsiung hotels cheapest?
Weeknights in the typhoon season from July to September are the cheapest. Lunar New Year, the October national holiday, the year end and weekend nights cost the most.
Where should I stay in Kaohsiung?
Formosa Boulevard for a first visit, Yancheng by the Love River for atmosphere, and Zuoying if you are travelling on by high speed rail.
How do I get from Kaohsiung airport to the city?
The metro Red Line reaches Formosa Boulevard in about 15 minutes and is the cheapest and quickest. A taxi takes 20 to 30 minutes.
Compiled from public sources with AI assistance. Taxes and fee rules change, so confirm them on the booking screen before you pay.
07 · Next trip
