Cijin Island: The Ferry, the Food, and the Best Sunset in Kaohsiung

Cijin is a long sandbar across the mouth of Kaohsiung harbour, and it is the oldest settled part of the city. It is also the cheapest good afternoon you will have in Taiwan.

The ferry

Take the Orange Line to Sizihwan (O1), walk about ten minutes to Gushan Ferry Pier. Ferries run roughly every 10–15 minutes from early morning until around 2am, and the crossing takes five minutes.

Pay with an EasyCard or iPass at the gate. It costs about NT$30 each way for a foot passenger — less than a bottle of water. Scooters ride on the same deck, which is half the fun.

Stand at the back on the way over. The view of the container terminal is the whole story of Kaohsiung in one frame.

Cihou Lighthouse

Built by the British in 1883 in a slightly improbable colonial-baroque style, white and octagonal, on the hill above the harbour entrance. The climb takes ten minutes and the view from the terrace — harbour on one side, open strait on the other — is the best in the city.

Check opening hours before you go; it closes earlier than you would expect and on Mondays.

Cihou Fort

On the neighbouring hilltop, a Qing coastal fort from 1875 with an arched gate, gun emplacements and a very good view down onto the shipping channel. British and Japanese forces both shelled it. The damage is still visible.

Between the two hills there is a sky walk with glass floor sections along the cliff — short, breezy, worth it.

Cijin Tianhou Temple

The oldest temple in Kaohsiung, founded in 1673 by fishermen who survived a storm. It sits at the head of the old street, blackened with three centuries of incense. Ten minutes inside will tell you what mattered to the people who built this island.

Seafood street: how to order

The main street from the pier is lined with seafood restaurants, and they work in a way that confuses first-timers.

You look at the tanks and trays out front, point at what you want, and tell them how you want it cooked — steamed, garlic, salt-and-pepper, stir-fried with basil. They weigh it, cook it, and bring it to your table with rice.

Two rules that save money: ask the price per unit before you agree, especially for anything sold by weight, and be careful with the very large shellfish and lobster, which are priced accordingly. Everything else is cheap.

Off the street, look for grilled squid on a stick, fried milkfish, and the fruit ice stalls near the beach entrance.

The sunset

Walk through to Cijin Beach on the ocean side. The sand is dark volcanic grit, there is a wind coming off the strait, and the sun goes down over open water with ships queuing on the horizon.

The prettiest spot is south of the Rainbow Church installation, where the beach curves and you get the water, the sky and the shipping lane in the same shot. Arrive about 30 minutes before sunset.

Swimming is not really the point here — the currents are strong and the lifeguarded area is small and seasonal.

Practicalities

• Rent a bike near the pier if you want to see the whole island. It is long and flat.
• Bring cash. Many stalls do not take cards.
• The last ferries run late, so there is no rush to leave after sunset.
• On summer weekends the island is busy with domestic visitors. Weekday afternoons are calm.

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Our Cijin free walking tour crosses on the ferry at 3pm and finishes on the beach at sunset.