The Great Harbor Bridge and the skyline of Kaohsiung
It was 10 years ago when I visited Taiwan for the first time. While Taipei 101 was impressive with its cool architecture evoking a Chinese pagoda, the gloomy skies and rainy weather of the country’s capital were persistent. Luckily the trip also included a short stay on the almost tropical Orchid Island off the southeastern coast of the main island, home to an indigenous Austronesian community with a distinctive culture. A decade later, while a lot of my friends and coworkers have been to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and even China, only a few have ever made it to Taiwan. Despite its many charms, this country doesn’t seem to be in most people’s minds when they think of travel destinations in East Asia.
Taiwan really needs to step up its soft power game. Although the country is a leading global hub for semiconductor production, including some of the most advanced semiconductors to date, compared with its other wealthy East Asian neighbors to the north it is definitely lacking in pop culture icons with a mass following across the globe. Japan’s manga and anime continue to draw people regardless of their age, and everyone knows how Hallyu (“the Korean Wave”) has been taking over the world through its catchy K-pop songs and gripping K-dramas. But how about Taiwan? Undoubtedly, the country is home to a lot of great talent, including the world-acclaimed director Ang Lee whose award-winning films – from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi – have garnered accolades from the Oscars to international film festivals. However, compared to my childhood when Taiwanese dramas (often inspired by famous Chinese folklore and legends) were shown regularly on Indonesian TV channels, these days there are none. My theory is the rise of China has in some ways contributed to this situation.
When I went to Taiwan in 2013, there were 23 countries with formal diplomatic relations with this island nation. A decade later, that number has dwindled to just 13. Everyone knows how tensions have been dangerously high in recent years between the US and China, especially concerning Taiwan. The ever-growing Chinese military has consistently shown its great power through multiple air and naval encirclements of Taiwan, a move many believe to simulate a full-scale invasion of the country which China sees as a renegade province. The US, on the other hand, is obliged by law to provide Taiwan with self-defense capability as well as to resist any force that would jeopardize the people of Taiwan. It sounds like this relatively small country is in a precarious situation where any miscalculation could result in a full-blown war, doesn’t it?
What’s interesting, however, is despite all this Taiwan seems to be thriving. There have been many positive news coming from this nation in recent years in terms of human rights and civil liberties, including the country’s move to legalize same-sex marriage, making it the first country in Asia to do so. And there is one city in the south of the main island that has been making a lot of improvements to transform itself from a once-polluted place into a livable urban area where cultural institutions – as opposed to smoke-belching factories – flourish to the point where they overshadow the ones in Taipei. Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s third largest city by population, as well as the country’s busiest port, and seeing it was one of the main reasons for me to go on a 10-day trip to Taiwan which ended just yesterday. Some of you might think spending more than a week in a city sounds too much, but Kaohsiung really deserves your time. With James leading the way (his ability to speak Mandarin and read Chinese characters helped tremendously during this visit), not only did I learn more about this fascinating city and check out its cool places, I was also inspired by a lot of things I saw and experienced, particularly regarding urban renewal. Trips like this are the kind that make you want to contribute more to your cities, and I certainly came back to Jakarta with a few thoughts of what my city can do to make it more livable.
In the upcoming weeks and months, I will be posting my stories from different parts of Kaohsiung, as well as from Tainan, a city less than an hour’s train ride away that is known for its historic and cultural significance for the country. But now, I think I’ll get some more sleep and dream of Kaohsiung’s harbor area that has now been turned into one contiguous awe-inspiring place.
Kaohsiung’s LRT line is proof that development doesn’t have to come at the expense of nature
Young Kaohsiung residents hanging out at Neiwei Arts Center
Formosa Boulevard MRT station, one of the most beautiful metro stations I’ve seen
It’s not Taiwan without the night markets
One afternoon at Pier-2, a cool and trendy waterfront district in Kaohsiung
The coral-inspired architecture of Kaohsiung Music Center
The 17th-century Confucian Temple of Tainan
The remains of Fort Zeelandia, built by the Dutch East Indies Company (VOC) in the 17th century
Hayashi Department Store dates to the Japanese colonial period in the early 20th century
Inside the restored and refurbished Hayashi
The second building of Tainan Art Museum, by architects Shi Zhao Yong and Shigeru Ban
What an Amazing World! 
I really don’t know much about Taiwan so am looking forward to reading your upcoming posts. I didn’t realize that Ang Lee is Taiwanese! I don’t think I actually ever thought about where he is from. Maggie
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This recent trip made me realize how diverse Taiwan is for its relatively small size. Kaohsiung was so different from Taipei, and Tainan had a completely different vibe compared to Kaohsiung. You should go to Taiwan one day!
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I’m so happy you wrote a post about Taiwan! My family is from Taiwan, and I spent my childhood visiting family there. I haven’t returned since 2016, but I’m due for a return soon! It’s unfortunate about the China-Taiwan tensions, as it makes it difficult for Taiwan to be recognized as a country (which it most definitely is). I’m glad you got to visit my motherland, and I hope you can return soon!
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Oh I had no idea that you have personal ties to Taiwan! How cool! So nice that you’re going back there soon. I already miss that country, and I can’t wait to go back one day in the future. Hopefully the tensions between the two superpowers won’t escalate any further though.
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Bama, it never fails to impress me how quickly you can publish a post so soon after our trips – and less than 24 hours after arriving home in this case! I am thankful that we got so many days of good weather in Taiwan and that Typhoon Koinu didn’t disrupt our travel plans too much. Everything worked out perfectly in the end, including the day trip to Tainan. Hopefully it will only be another year or two before we return again to this beautiful island nation!
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It comes natural for me to write something right after a trip while the memories are still fresh. But of course, the full stories will have to wait as they require further research and fact-checking, as usual. We were really lucky with the weather! Had we arrived a week later, we would probably end up having cloudy skies most of the time. Speaking of the typhoon, I thought I would see the kind of intense downpours and strong gusts like what’s usually shown in the news. But I guess it’s a good thing Kaohsiung didn’t suffer from any heavy damage. I would definitely go back to this city in a heartbeat!
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Bama and James, I do the same when I can. The sooner I publish, the better chance I’ll remember things about the trip, like the funny thing someone said, or the reason we took a photo of that sign, or tree, or whatever. If I wait too long, I lose all that to my sketchy memory. 🙂
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Sometimes, when something really funny, or interesting, or extraordinary happens during a trip, I try to take a note as soon as I get back to my hotel. It really helps to keep the memory ‘fresh’.
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Good idea. I take notes on my phone for the same reason! :o)
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Looks like a cool and interesting place that I must admit, has never been on my radar. I look forward to learning more through your upcoming posts Bama! X
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Seeing how Kaohsiung looks now, most people would be surprised to know that in the past it used to be a very dirty and polluted place. If you like exploring cities, I think you would enjoy Kaohsiung, Anna, as long as you’re okay with the heat and humidity if you go around the same time like I did.
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I’ve never been, but it looks amazing
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And the cool thing about Kaohsiung is the interesting things are not just located in one part of the city. They’re spread out, encouraging visitors to explore many fascinating corners it has to offer.
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So many wonderful places that I will never visit. Thanks for sharing your Taiwan travels.
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Never say never! But I’m glad this post helped you to travel vicariously to this part of Asia.
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How fun and lucky that you and James got to visit and enjoy Taiwan! It’s one of my to-do places when I go back to Asia one day. For me, it’s definitely about the night market and street foods that all look inviting, especially that popcorn chicken deep fried with basil leaves.
I hear you on Taiwan not getting as big of a profile, although in my part of Canada, the culture and cuisine are highly regarded and recognized. They’re progressive politics also get attention over here, including their stance and support of the LGBTQ+ community.
And yes to Ang Lee spreading the Taiwan Pride across the globe.
Welcome back from your trip! Post more food pictures please. 😆🤣
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You definitely should go, Ab! The night markets really are a temptation for foodies. There were so many yummy-looking delicacies I wanted to try. But my stomach could only handle so much food!
It’s good to know that Taiwan has such a positive profile in your part of Canada. The country really deserve more attention apart from the geopolitical issues. We can learn so much from their journey to becoming a thriving democracy, and a place that embraces diversity.
I surely did take a lot of food photos. The hard part is choosing which ones I want to use for my future blog posts! 😋
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I always felt leery of trying street food when I travelled overseas. I’m gonna do it next time. Life’s too short. 😆
Taiwan does make it on the news a lot over here in the context of the US and China tension. But we also have a thriving community here. Asian night markets in the summertime often highlight Taiwanese influence.
Look forward to your future posts!
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You know what people call it these days: YOLO! 😆
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Great post, as always, Bama! Your lovely photos brought the city to life for me, and I enjoyed reading your economic take on what’s going on in Taiwan. I would love to visit there someday.
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Much appreciated, Mike and Kellye! You should visit Taiwan one day. The country is relatively compact, making traveling from one place to another quite easy. However, for its size, it does pack a lot.
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We would absolutely love to, Bama!
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Very interesting. Thank you.
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The pleasure is mine.
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A nice introduction, Bama! I thought you wrote a full post just after one day 😛 Can’t wait to read about Kaoshiung? I was also there 10 years ago (with a tour), and there was hardly anything to see. I remember a lake with a pagoda, but that was it.
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Hahaha, that’s just not possible for me. And I still have some unpublished posts from my trip to Vietnam earlier this year. So, we’ll see how it goes. I bet you’ll be surprised by how much the city has changed since your visit a decade ago. Interestingly, the hotel where we stayed seemed to be very popular among Vietnamese tour groups!
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Still better than me. I have several incomplete posts from last year. In total, there are 50+ drafts 😛
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You should start publishing some of those! 😄
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Haha, I try. But my max writing speed is one post every two weeks. There are a lot of distractions these days. For example, a new episode of Spy X Family 😛
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Too many distractions, indeed. 😆
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This is very cool and certainly appreciate you sharing an awesome trip. I absolutely love the pictures!!!
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Thank you! I was very lucky with the sunny weather during the first half of the trip, which explains the photos.
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It’s always neat to return somewhere you’ve already been and have a completely different experience based on the weather, time of year or who you’re with. It’s interesting to hear that despite everything that’s happening with Taiwan politically, that it’s been making big strides to improve the quality of life. I must say, that is one of the cleanest and colourful looking metro stations I’ve ever seen! Thanks for the sneak peak. Looking forward to hearing more about your trip.
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Absolutely! I generally avoid going to the same place again if my first experience there was very positive, especially because of luck. But Taiwan deserves a second, third, and fourth visits. It was such an interesting and inspiring country. And it was also very safe — the only threat we had during the trip was Typhoon Koinu which made landfall on Taiwan two days before the end of our trip. Luckily in Kaohsiung we only experienced strong wind gusts.
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Great photos Bama. I just recently read Jeff’s post about Kaohsiung, and along with yours, makes me want to go to Taiwan even more. It’s been on my radar for years but I just haven’t managed to get there yet. I look forward to your future posts about your time there.
On another note – do you check your spam folder? Are you getting regular spam as usual? I’ve had my blog with WP for 11 years and have gotten spam comments every day. I always skim through them because occasionally I find a legit comment there. Now suddenly for about 3 weeks I’ve had NO spam comments. I’m checking with you (and a few others) to see if it’s the same for everyone. The Akismet people have not so far been able to help. Thanks so much.
Alison
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Thanks Alison. It was really nice to meet up with Jeff and Kristi, and earlier this year we actually met Len (from lenjourneys.com) when we were in Saigon. I remember you liked Japan, so I think you would enjoy Taiwan as well since there are similarities between the two countries.
On the spam, yes I did notice that there hasn’t been any for weeks. In the past, I used to get dozens every day. Although I don’t know if it’s a good thing or not because, as you said, sometimes legit comments ended up in the spam folder.
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Hi, Alison, the other day I was wondering about the same thing – why my spam folder has been empty for a few weeks now. I find it a bit odd as I’ve always received tons of it. Did you find the reason behind it? Cheers, Aiva xx
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Have not found out why Aiva, but will continue to pursue it. Thanks for your input.
Alison
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Aiva, and Bama, could you go to your dashboard, click on Jetpack, then click on Akismet settings. Your options for filtering are
* Silently discard the worst and most pervasive spam so I never see it.
*Always put spam in the Spam folder for review.
I discovered that mine had been automatically changed to silently discard. And another blogger found the same thing. We certainly didn’t make that change. I’m a bit perturbed that this has been set as the default. I prefer to review spam as sometimes a legit comment gets caught there.
Anyway I’d appreciate it if you’re let me know
Thanks so much
Alison
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Thanks so much for letting us know, Alison as this is very helpful. I know that having to deal with large volumes of comment spam can be annoying, but given how many times I’ve managed to find plausible comments in the spam folder, I prefer to inspect it. I certainly didn’t turn off the settings nor do I have plugins. Thanks again and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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This is very helpful, Alison. Thanks a lot!
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I’ve been there a couple of times but never checked out the waterfront. I’ll have to check out the places you mentioned here and also on James’s blog. I don’t read Chinese (except for some very simple characters) nor can I speak Mandarin. My bf does all the translating for me. He’s been clamoring for a trip to Asia. Seeing some friends travel safely and you guys too makes it a bit more assuring for me.
Looking forward to seeing more posts and pics!
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The waterfront was definitely my favorite part of Kaohsiung, not only because of the cool new buildings and the reused warehouses, but also its proximity to other interesting parts of the city. You definitely have to go back and see it for yourself. Funny thing is, I learned a few Chinese characters from this trip, to the point where on the final day when we took the metro to the airport, I could understand the meaning of one of the stops.
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Aaa I got the shivers reading this! So excited to read your upcoming posts about Taiwan and Kaohsiung especially. It’s been on my wishlist for a long time, too!
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It’s great to know that Kaohsiung is on other people’s wish lists too! If only there was a direct flight from Jakarta to this city. But getting there from Taipei should be quite easy anyway thanks to the high-speed rail — although I decided to fly through Hong Kong.
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I’m guilty! I’d never thought about Taiwan as a place to explore in Asia, until your post! I’m pretty certain you could make the least attractive places feel enchanting through your photos, but I’m intrigued by all that greenery in Kaohsiung, the mix of postmodern and vernacular architecture, that LRT line! Looking forward to seeing a lot more of Taiwan through your perspective.
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Taiwan should really strengthen its brand across the globe because it is such a beautiful and fascinating place to explore. Kaohsiung is an example of how political will and public support can dramatically transform a city to be a better version of itself. Currently I’m writing the draft for a post on this southern Taiwanese city. I hope you’ll eventually make it to Taiwan, Atreyee!
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I´m looking forward to your series of posts on Taiwan, Bama. I lived and worked in a kindergarten in Ilan (or Yilan, as I see it is now spelled) on the east coast in 1999, and I only really explored that part and a bit south of the country. There was nothing modern and I can remember cycling out to a temple surrounded by rice paddies in the morning before school started, so it will be lovely to see modern Taiwan through your eyes.
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I had no idea you once lived in Taiwan. That’s really cool! I imagine the country back in 1999 must have been quite different since it was only years after it fully embraced democracy. On my first trip to Taiwan I actually went to Taitung, further south along the east coast. So, the train I took from Taipei must have traveled through Yilan as well.
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I´m sure Taiwan today is in many ways a different place from the one that still inhabit my memories. It was my first introduction to Asia in general and quite a culture shock.
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This is such a fantastic post and a marvellous read, Bama. I’ve never been to Taiwan nor have I considered visiting any time soon, (although I’ve always had a desire to see the Sun Moon Lake) therefore I read it with great interest. I am in awe of its diverse architecture, especially the largest glass artwork you captured so beautifully in Formosa Boulevard Transfer Station in Kaohsiung, and now I desire to visit Taiwan one day! I only hope that we’ll live to see the day when Taiwan formally declares itself independent of the rest of China and that one day Taiwan is recognized by the international community as being independent of the rest of China. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Much appreciated, Aiva. Ahh yes, the Sun Moon Lake is probably one of the most popular places in Taiwan. I have never managed to get to the mountains though, but I know one day I should after reading about all the beauty this part of the country has to offer. Speaking of Taiwan’s sovereignty, what I understand is although the country is currently ruled by a coalition of parties that are known for their pro-independence stance, they’re not pursuing any formal declaration of independence as it will drastically increase the chance of war. What the country has been doing instead is increasing its global profile through soft power, including establishing world-class cultural venues like what Kaohsiung has today where artists from all over the world perform.
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Yes, from what I gather, or, at least according to President Tsai Ing-wen, they don’t have a need to declare independence, because Taiwan already is an independent country. It’s quite amazing how despite its diplomatic isolation, Taiwan has managed to become one of Asia’s major economic players and one of the world’s top producers of computer technology. Cheers and thanks for the dialogue 🙂 Aiva xx
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Exactly. What I see is Taiwan is trying to open new doors, including forging economic relations with countries like the Baltic states. It also launched an English TV channel and streaming service to counter Beijing’s narratives.
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Wonderful summary of your visit Bama. You are right about Taiwan not being on most people’s travel lists. It made mine thanks to your earlier posts and James’. I just read James’ Kaohsiung post and now your wonderful account of its remarkable urban renewal makes me want to move Taiwan higher. Love your photos. The low light shot of the music centre is brilliant. Look forward to the details.
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I just read your comment on James’ post and thought about how the pandemic had ruined a lot of our travel plans! I hope there will be another wedding or some sort of event in Taiwan where you’re invited. Really, I couldn’t recommend this country enough. But Kaohsiung was very hot during our visit — which reminded me of what Ravi told me and James about Chennai: hot, hotter, hell!
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Haha, we’ll be meeting that couple later this month at a reception in Bangalore. Their new born will be in attendance 🙂
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I appreciate that you put Taiwan on my radar. It sounds like your trip was a good one. You gave a super introduction. I did not realize that the number of countries formally recognizing Taiwan was dropping. I assumed it had been status quo all that time because for me living in the US, the story is always the same. I was curious that President Biden doubled down on US support of Taiwan’s independence a year ago, and I wonder what changes may be rumbling beneath the surface, and how could changes happen safely.
Anyway, anyway!! It’s refreshing to think of this in terms of tourist destination instead. I like your photos so much, but most of all the grassy, tree-lined railroad line. Why can’t we all do that? I liked the mingling of architecture from different eras, especially that the old department store has been preserved and updated. Your voice and perspectives are always appreciated.
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It really was an exciting trip, one that makes me not miss my city too much! The biggest reason why more and more countries switch their diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing is because of China’s massive economy. Although Taiwan is a rich, developed nation, the relatively small country can only give so much economic support and aid to its allies.
That tree-lined tram line made me think of the development of an elevated light-rail line in my city where big trees had to be cut down to make way for concrete pillars. On the one hand, we need that public transit system. But on the other hand, it would have been better if they could find a way to build it without sacrificing too many trees. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts, Crystal!
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Looking forward to reading more. I’ve never been to Taiwan although both it and Korea have been on my radar for a while. Too many places, too little time. 😉
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Too many places, too little time, indeed! If you go to Taiwan one day, you shouldn’t miss Tainan. The city is full of history.
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I completely agree with you about the soft power game. Taiwan doesn’t really have much tourism compared to Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand. It could market itself as the real China – ha, maybe not. You got some outstanding photos. The photo with the light rail, dog, and cool buildings is a gem.
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Ha! I think Taiwan should stick to its own brand. It actually has a rather positive image here in Indonesia. There is a perception that goods manufactured in Taiwan are better than those made in China. That photo is the kind of shot you would take! Although I know yours would be ten times better than mine.
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I’ve always wanted to visit Taiwan, and this post makes me want to jump on a plane tomorrow 🙂
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For a relatively small island, Taiwan has so much to offer. I hope you’ll get to see it sooner than later!
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