In the society we live in today, social media such as Instagram plays a vital role in our daily lives. In order to update our Instagram accounts with gorgeous pictures, we need the help of nice backdrops to take our selfies and pictures with, and someone on a vacation is more likely than ever to feel the urge of taking insta-worthy pictures in order to collect those wonderful memories of the country they went to. Thus, if on a holiday in Kaohsiung, refer to this compiled list of scenic spots and start clicking away on that camera button.
Love River
A visit to Kaohsiung cannot be complete without stopping by at the prominent Love River. Similar to how the River Thames in London serves as the setting of literary works, the Love River of Kaohsiung serves as the setting of modern romance in the midst of a bustling city. Being the focal point of the city, the 12km long river meanders through the South of Kaohsiung up to the North. The river was once polluted, but after undergoing urban development largely funded by the city council, the river is now cleaner than ever.
While you take a boat ride or river cruise along the Love River, you will be presented with tons of photo-taking opportunities. At night, the Love River will blossom into a fresh new scenic view aided by the beautiful lighting decorations of buildings on both sides of the river.
Formosa Boulevard Station
Ranked as the world’s second-most beautiful metro station, the Formosa Boulevard Station is a must-see attraction site if you are in Kaohsiung. The station is well-known for the “Dome of Light”, the world’s largest glass artwork. With the key message of love and tolerance, the panels depict the history of human life, with sections dedicated to the elements of water, earth, light and fire. Unmistakably, you will fall in love with the spectrum of beautiful colours that you see.
Address: 800, Taiwan, Kaohsiung City, Xinxing District, Zhongshan 1st Road, 115號地下一樓
Cijin Rainbow Church
Do not be confused by its name! The Rainbow Church on Cijin Island is not a place of worship, but merely a simple quirky piece of architecture. However, the reason people flock there is because of its stunning visuals. It is deemed as an iconic attraction site and tourists will be often seen queuing up for their turn to have some photo-fun at the super-instagrammable spot.
Address: No. 990, Qijin 3rd Road, Qijin District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 805
Opening Hours (Qijin Coastal Park):
Monday - Sunday: 6am - 4pm
Pier-2 Art Center
It doesn't matter if you fancy art exhibitions or not, the Pier-2 Art Center is easily a must-visit due to its insta-worthy value. Upon arriving at the place, you will be captivated by colorful wall murals and quirky art installations everywhere. Pier 2 Art Center used to be a forgotten place filled with abandoned warehouses, but today, this area has transformed into one of the most vibrant and crowded places in Kaohsiung city due to the persistence of a group of hugely talented artists who plan to revamp the neighbourhood through their innovation and artistic skills.
There’s plenty of insta-worthy contemporary fine arts at every corner within Pier-2 Art Center. Also, here’s some good news for fans of Transformers: you can take your long-awaited selfie with the iconic character of the franchise: the adorable, brave and loyal Bumblebee!
After you are done exploring the warehouses with murals, you will start to see larger wall murals appearing on buildings instead and they become more colourful as each one goes by. I can assure you that it will be pointless to decide on the best picture as they are all equally great. So, save yourself the trouble of deciding and just get down to the objective: snap a picture of every single wall mural you see in the area! Take note that you need to wait in the queue for your turn to take pictures.
Before bidding farewell to Pier 2 Art Centre, your final photo-taking stop will be at the Takao Railway Museum, a fine display of old trains. The museum was the first ever railway station in Kaohsiung, built during WWII.
Address: No. 1號, Dayong Road, Yancheng District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 803
Opening Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 10am - 6pm
Friday - Sunday: 10am - 8pm
Lotus Pond
Lotus Pond is a beautiful man-made lake situated in the suburbs of Kaohsiung. Numerous temples, pavilions and statues surround the pond. The main highlight here, which will also be the main source of your photos, are the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas. The breathtaking sight of those pagodas is more than enough to justify your time spent here.
lotu
For the uninitiated, Chinese culture believes that dragons are a symbol of auspicious power and they have the supernatural ability to manipulate waters: rains, floods etc. On the other hand, tigers are believed by Taoists to be the most feared and worst animal among the 12 Chinese zodiacs. These are great knowledge to grasp in case you need to hashtag something related to your insta-photos taken here. By the way, if you are wondering about the appropriate way to tour the pagodas, you should be entering through the dragon’s mouth and exiting from the tiger’s mouth. In Chinese culture, that way is believed to bring you the best of luck by ridding you of all bad luck.
Address (Dragon and Tiger Pagodas): No. 9號, Liantan Road, Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 813
All in all, these beautiful scenic spots prove that Kaohsiung is able to provide even the most insta-crazed with the best photo-taking experiences. Do follow this guide and nothing can go wrong on your quest to stock up those insta-worthy photos!
_-_panoramio.jpg){kind=link}