Cycling Around the Island of Cijin in Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung, being the 2^nd largest city in Taiwan, has a lot of wonderful places and beautiful sceneries to offer and we’ve already blogged about 2 of the places that you should visit in Kaohsiung, the Fo Guang Shan Monastery and Lotus Pond. Now, If you’re already in Kaoshiung, you should not miss visiting the beautiful island of Cijin. The island is only a 15-minute ferry boat ride from Kaoshiung Harbor which would only cost around 20NTD. You might be shocked by the long queues going to this island, but once you’re there, it will all be worth it.

Though the island is quite small, it has a lot of tourist destinations and is a perfect place for seafood lovers since most restaurants in the area sell fresh seafood. Once the ferry boat docked, you will be welcomed by stores and people that are renting bicycles which you can use for a day for only 100NTD. You will also be given a map of the whole island that will serve as your guide in going to its tourist spots.

You can actually tour around the whole Island for a day with your bicycle while visiting these places:

1. Cihou Lighthouse

This white stunning lighthouse is situated at the top of Cihou Mountain that was built way back in 1883 during the Qing Dynasty by the Chinese customs to guide boats in the Taiwan Strait. At present, the Baroque-style Lighthouse is one of the renowned tourist destinations in Cijin Island because of its majestic structure with a whitewashed façade and stylish portal.

2. Cihou Fort

The Cihou Fort was originally built in 1876 by the Chinese yet in 1895, the Japanese destroyed the Fort during the battle of Yiwei. It was in 1991 that the Kaohsiung Government began the restoration of the Fort that currently serves as Historical Site. The Cihou Fort is such an interesting place to visit especially from a historical and cultural perspective that serves as a defense against the Mudan tribe, the Japanese, and the Chinese during the ancient times.

3. The Star Tunnel

This tunnel was the very first tunnel that is constructed in Kaohsiung. What makes this tunnel unique are the 12 constellations on its wall made out of natural materials such as fluorescent paints, drifted woods, and luminous stones that will give a starry sky and romantic feeling along with the cool breeze which passes through the cave.

4. Kaohsiung Harbor

After passing through the Star Tunnel, it will take you through the center of the Longevity Mountain to the Kaohsiung Harbor Entrance. The harbor welcomes naval ships in entering the area and you can see the stunning view of the sea and the mountains. There is also a viewing platform to have a closer look of the ships passing by. Usually, tourists take turns on taking their own shots at the Kaohsiung Harbor sign board and we took one as well.

5. Cijin Beach

Cijin Island’s weather is hot and the beach that lies in the island is very attracting with its very fine sand. It is no wonder that the beach is always jam-packed especially in the afternoon. After that refreshing swim in the beach, you can grab some snacks of fresh seafood from the restaurants around the beach that offers reasonable prices.

6. Cijin Windmill Park

This windmill park is consisting of 7 three-blade wind turbines that can generate enough power to provide the whole park a 4-hour illumination at night. There are a lot of food vendors scattered around the park that offer their local delicacies. The park is a great place to end your Cijin Island trip with a sea-viewing platform that is very therapeutic to the eyes. For girls out there, be sure to have your hair clipped because no one can escape the windy atmosphere in this park.

7. The Giant Golden Shell

This massive shell is around 10-meter-high, 16-meter-wide, and 9-meter-deep. It was built around 2014 to symbolize the warmth and sound of the sea. When entering, you can actually hear the rumbling sound of the sea and It’s a spectacular landscape to watch on. It is a popular place for tourists and when we went there, there was even a wedding photoshoot.

These are just few of the highlights we stumbled upon in Cijin and there are other attractions worth mentioning like The Cijin Shell Museum, Old streets, Kuangchi Palace, and etc. We just deliberately took those which catches more of our attention. The island has a lot of colorful parks as well. Undeniably, our Cijin Day Trip was amazingly worth it! With just a bicycle, we were able to tour the whole island, capture Instagram-worthy photos, and gain some cultural and historical experiences. One should definitely complete its Kaohsiung Trip with a Cijin Island Tour!