Kaohsiung is a beautiful city on the south-west coast of Taiwan, lying on the Ai River and facing the Taiwan Strait across the Island of Chijin.
The second largest city in Taiwan, Kaohsiung has a very busy port, founded under the Ming Dynasty as a fishing port. The city is famous today for its wealth of seafood restaurants, especially on the island of Chijin, At night, Liouho Night Market is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kaohsiung, where you can barter for crafts, seafood, clothes and food.
Parts of the city that can be packed with tourists include the Fisherman's Wharf and the Urban Spotlight Arcade, which is famous for its illuminations.

Religious buildings in Kaohsiung include the Holy Rosary Cathedral, originally built in the 19th century and redesigned in the 1920s in a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic styles. It is particularly famous for the Christmas Eve celebrations. The Fo Guang Shan Monastery is a very interesting place to visit, though only part of it is open to the public, in order to protect its monks' need for peace and quiet.
 
The Tuntex Sky Tower is a 85 story building with a nice observation deck that offers panoramas over the city, the harbor and the mountains. The elevators at the Tuntex Sky Tower are among the fastest elevators in the world.

The city's rich history is represented in its museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the National Science and Technology Museum, the Kaohsiung Astronomical Museum and the Kaohsiung Hakka Cultural Museum.  
 
The Ai river has been also named The Love River due to its romantic scenery. On a boat trip on the river, tourists can encounter many species of trees, flowers and wildlife.
Kaohsiung is a beautiful city, with modern architecture, stunning scenery and a vibrant culture.