We drove from Qingjing to Kaohsiung. Again, no rush and stopped by to rest at our own calling. We stopped by Chiayi city (嘉義市) for lunch.
Chiayi City
It was actually pretty hot at about 33-35 degrees C. So we simply took the turn into the first airconditioned restaurant for lunch. Fortunately, the Chiayi Cheng Huang Temple (嘉義城隍廟) was nearby, so we took a short stroll to visit it, which is also a like a cultural museum. I took my son to scale the 8-storeys, to pay respect to deities with increasing rank up the stairs – Jade Emperor at the very top.
Danei (大內) Township
Our next stop was at the township of Danei. Quite interestingly, we have no knowledge of this place but since it came out on the Google maps as a place of interest for the “Danei Totoro Bus Stop (大內龍貓公車站)”, and it was right in along the way to Kaoshiung, we decided we would stop by to have a drink or snacks.
There was nothing much except some cute wall paintings around the village. Not sure why it was so famous. Found some bubble tea shops and took our break.
Kaohsiung – Zuoying (左营)
We arrived at our apartment in the Zuoying district. We chose the place because of its vicinity to the Rueifong Night Market. It was just down the elevator through the backdoor! So after settling down in the apartment, got my car a decent parking space a few blocks from the apartment (yes, parking was offsite, this is probably the only downside for self-drive), we head straight to the Night Market.
So basically this was our base to explore the city of Kaohsiung. Food and shopping were accessible, as the Hanshin Arena shopping complex was also within walking distance.
Kaohsiung – Lotus pond scenic area
We had out to the lotus pond scenic area the next day which is also nearby, but before we do, we had brunch at Minglun self-serve food store (明倫自助餐). We picked our own dishes on what looked like compartmentalised “mesh tins” and then pay for what you picked. Free flow of soup and tea. It was relatively cheap, that was why it’s so popular amongst the locals.
The weather is pretty hot, so we did some modifications to the itinerary. Instead of walking around the area, we drove point-to-point to places of interest instead.
Dragon and Tiger Pagodas 
Spring and Autumn Pavilions 
左營慈濟宮 
左營-啟明堂
Again, it was too hot and we decided to just shop at Hanshin Arena shopping complex for the rest of the mid-afternoon.
Shinkuchan Shopping District
We went into Kaohsiung central region in the evening to visit the famous Shinkuchan (新堀江) Shopping District. the place name sounded like Japanese and somehow the layout and stores presented seemed like it does try to mimic Japanese streets. Not really surprising considering Taiwan was once under Japanese rule, and cultures were somewhat influenced by Japan.
Busy junction at the Central Park
The other observation was that the pictures of Mr Han Guo Yu, Kaoshiung’s Mayor were visible everywhere! All news was also about him. Drove back to Zuoying area for dinner along Minghua road. Another sumptuous steamboat dinner.
Dream Mall
On our day of departure, we had basically wanted to spend our remaining time in Taiwan shopping. We chose the dream mall, first for being on the way to the airport, and it was the largest shopping mall in Taiwan. There was also a theme park and large ferries wheel at the rooftop garden of the mall. My younger kids loved it there.
Lunch at the food court which features lots of Taiwanese delicacies and desserts. Especially the famous “Wooden bucket Ice” (木桶冰).
In general, Kaoshiung is a lot more spacious in terms of road, streets and shopping alleys. We felt Kaohsiungless crowded than Taipei. A truly hidden gem. So concluding this trip. This is a place we definitely will be back again, for the food of course. The home trip was uneventful, return car, check-in and dinner at the only restaurant at Kaohsiung International Airport.
Arrived at Changi Airport without the aerobridge, strange but not a big deal. Home Sweet Home.
gobassky
- Join Airbnb. It is still the best choice for a big family like mine.