Filipinos think of Taipei when they go to Taiwan. I love Taipei, but I have never been anywhere else in Taiwan.
Now that Cebu Pacific flies to Kaohsiung, I finally was able to check out Southern Taiwan. There was a simple ceremony at NAIA 3 where we were served Taiwanese chicken chops and bubble tea before we rode the inaugural flight of Cebu Pacific to Kaohsiung. The plane, as in other maiden voyages, was greeted with a water cannon welcome upon arrival in Kaohsiung but unfortunately, it was raining.
We went straight to dinner from the airport and headed to Shantou Chuan Cheng Hotpot, a hotpot restaurant that had been there since the 1950s. This is where one can enjoy lots of meat and seafood for dinner at a reasonable price! After dinner, we had a quick stop at the Formosa Boulevard metro station, dubbed one of the most beautiful underground stations in the world. The station is known for its “dome of light,” the largest glass work of its kind in the world. Designed by Italian artist Narcissus Quagliata, the dome is 30 meters in diameter and covers an area of 2,180 square meters. It is made up of 4,500 glass panels by the German glass studio Derix and original glass rondels from Murano, Italy. There are four glass pedestrian entrances on the street level designed by Japanese architecture firm Shin Takamatsu Architect & Associates.'
We headed to Tainan, the first place we explored in Southern Taiwan. Tainan, the oldest city on the island, was the capital of Taiwan for over 260 years and was under colonial rule by the Dutch Republic from 1624 to around 1668. Among the signs of this era is Fort Zeelandia (now more known as the Anping Old Fort), a fortress built over 10 years, from 1624 to 1634 by the Dutch East India Company in the town of Anping (now Anping District of Tainan). Do shop at Hayashi Department Store, a five-story building completed in 1932 during the Japanese rule. It offers a lot of unique local products and features exhibitions on local farming culture and handicraft on the top floor. Also try to catch the popular Ten Drum art percussion show at the Ten Drum Culture Village, a former sugarcane factory now transformed into a bustling venue with stores, cafes, and lots of outdoor activities, such as bungee jumping or even drum lessons! Another attraction here is the Chimei Museum, a private museum established in 1992 in Tainan. The museum’s collection is divided into five categories: fine arts (including painting, sculpture, decorative arts, and period furniture); musical instruments; natural history and fossils; arms and armor; antiquities and artifacts. The museum is known for housing the world’s largest violin collection and for its significant collections of ancient weapons and sculptures.
Next few days were to be spent in Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s third most populous city and largest city in Southern Taiwan.
I enjoyed street food in Taipei and one can get the same stuff in Kaohsiung. There’s a lot of the delicious street food in two night markets: Liu He (walking distance from our first hotel, Fullon Poshtel) and Rui Feng (a few minutes away from our second hotel, the luxurious Kaohsiung Marriott). Expect the fried chicken, Taiwanese sausages, grilled seafood, stinky tofu, and more in these two night markets. There is a bit of shopping for gadgets, clothes and souvenirs as well. Rui Feng even has game booths, such as those found in provincial carnivals here in the Philippines!
Do visit the Kaohsiung Martyr’s Shrine, completed in 1978 and was modeled after the National Revolutionary Martyr’s Shrine in Taipei. Great views of the city can be seen from this high spot. Also explore The Pier-2 Art Center, originally abandoned warehouses built in 1973. Due to the persistence of local artists, the area was remade to be an arts center. In 2006, the Bureau of Cultural Affairs of the Kaohsiung City Government and under management of the Kaohsiung Pier-2 Art Development Association and Shu-Te University’s art development workshop took over the center, starting a series of exhibitions. It is a unique open art space with stores and cafés and is one of Kaohsiung’s most popular cultural spots.
Others may be enlightened by visiting the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, a Mah?y?na Buddhist cultural, religious, and educational museum. The museum is affiliated with Fo Guang Shan, one of Taiwan’s largest Buddhist organizations. The museum houses one of Sakyamuni Buddha’s tooth relics. There are eight pagodas, each representing different ideas or precepts. The 1,800-ton metal statue of Fo Guang Big Buddha was completed after more than a year of casting metal. The statue itself measures 40 meters high with the seat 10 meters high. Altogether, the total height is 108 meters (an auspicious number in Buddhism).
We were lucky enough to catch an ice cream festival held in the city. The Daken Ice Festival features 45 local ice cream shops and food trucks offering a variety of delicious frozen delights. This is usually during the summer, but if you can’t catch it, have Taiwan’s famous and refreshing shaved ice dessert instead!
For shoppers, there is an E-Da Outlet Mall next to the E-Da Theme park and E-DA Royal Hotel. Stores include Armani (which carries Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani, and Armani Exchange), Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Coach, Lacoste, Samsonite, Onitsuka Tiger, and more.
Enticing enough? Book to nearby Kaohsiung now and have a great time!
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Cebu Pacific has a turnaround flight to Kaohsiung, Taiwan every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If you want to experience a similar tour such as this, get in touch with Travel Warehouse, Inc. at 8687-2490 to 92 or email info@twi.com.ph . Check out https://twi.com.ph/.
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