Since social distancing guidelines have interrupted normal day to day activities, we offer some activities that are social distancing friendly.
Taiwan is a world benchmark for proper handling of a pandemic. With its relatively low number of Coronavirus cases, it has been recognized around the world as a bright spot in a world burdened by virus. One of the keys to success in its response to the Coronavirus was the Taiwanese government early and measured policies on international travel, hygiene, and social distancing guidelines.
The guidelines have altered the daily activities of many people. For the most part, people have avoided highly dense gatherings. Some places that were bustling with people have seen the number of patrons go down. Nightlife has also seen a decline in patronage. Despite the increasingly restrictive measures, there are fun things to do in Kaohsiung. If there is a bright side to the measures, it’s a chance to get in touch with nature and your inner self.
1. Hike in the Mountains
Kaohsiung is blessed with an incredible landscape. It is a harbor city with mountains easily accessible from city center. If you haven’t hiked these mountain trails, you don’t know what you’ve been missing. Now is a great chance to see the breathtaking views that have drawn many hikers every week to the trails.
Most of the popular trails are around the Chaishan Mountain.
At the base of the trails you will find two iconic attractions of Kaohsiung: the Love Lookout and the Martyr’s Shrine. Nearby is also the Kaohsiung City Shoushan Zoo, which is a great attraction for kids.
Along the hiking trails are scenic viewing areas, as well as places to rest with chairs and picnic tables. A word of warning, you may encounter some monkeys. They are known to be bandits. So, be sure to protect your valuables. If you’ve never been up close to a monkey, this would be a unique experience.
In addition to the Chaisan Mountain in the Gushan District, there are a few other great hiking spots. The first is Banpingshan in the Zuoyiung District. It is located behind the Zuoying High Speed Rail.
The other is the Guanyingshan Trail. It is located between Kaohsiung City and the E-DA Mall.
2. Go for a Walk
One of the allures of Kaohsiung is the city parks. There are parks in almost every neighborhood. But, walking isn’t just limited to the city parks. Kaohsiung has a couple of large lakes and even a reservoir that are great for walking and taking in the scenery, and landscape photography.
The park at the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts is one of the biggest parks in Kaohsiung. It covers many blocks and offers many attractions. In addition to the museum, there’s also the Children’s Museum of Art that offers a great place for the family to spend the day. Parks that are more centrally located are the Aozihdi Park and Central Park. Both are easily accessible by the MRT and buses.
There’s also a little known wetland park just across the Yuanjing Bridge, the Jhongdou Wetlands Park. It has a walking path around the park as well as bridges to cross the pond. There are many grassy areas great for picnics.
On the theme of water, the Lotus Pond and Chengching Lake are also great places to go for a walk.
If you want to venture our further, the Agongdian Reservoir is a popular place for locals. Once at the Agongdian Reservoir, you can take a shuttle or a taxi to the Xiaogangshan Lookout. Kaohsiung’s first skywalk was designed with the theme of music. Thus, the main support beam and the suspension cables resemble a string instrument. It is definitely one of the most popular photo spots in Kaohsiung.
3. Go Fishing
As Kaohsiung is a harbor city, it has abundant fishing spots. It is a relatively cheap hobby to get into, even for the whole family. To find a a tackle store, search for “漁具店.” Once you’re set with the gear, the hard part comes next: finding “the” fishing spot. Basically, you will see people fishing all along the coast, from beaches to the seawalls. But if you want to ease into the hobby, the Sizihwan Lookout provides a convenient spot near the city.
4. Go Cycling
While it may not be so obvious with the busy streets jammed with cars and scooters, Kaohsiung has bike lanes throughout the city and county. This pdf map shows all the bike routes and even itineraries to see the Kaohsiung’s attractions by bike. If you don’t own a bike, not to worry. Kaohsiung has city bikes for rental at this link. There are also bike rentals at the MRT stations.
5. Take up Drawing and Painting
Kaohsiung’s unique landscape frames a great opportunity to capture its beautiful on canvas. It features Moon-like craters at the Moon World Landscape Park to flat farmlands and rocky cliffs to a sandy beach at Cijin. Drawing and painting landscapes is an enriching way of coping with social distancing guidelines.
Cover Photo Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay
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