Looking for Street Art in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Just a year ago, I had no idea this city in southern Taiwan even existed. Today, I’m looking for an excuse to go back and stay longer. Two days in Kaohsiung only made me want to explore this part of the island even more.

My visit to Kaohsiung happened more or less by accident. Ever since I watched a 20-minute Netflix show about Taipei’s nightlife, Taiwan has been popping up in my travel daydreams on a regular basis. And when cheap flights finally took me to Hong Kong, I just couldn’t resist extending the trip to Taiwan. And given the current geopolitical situation, I wanted to see as much of the island as possible, from north to south.

That’s how I ended up in Kaohsiung. A port city once known for its heavy industry, now an example of how art and ecology can improve the quality of life, and give a city a bit of a reputation makeover along the way.

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Street Art in Kaohsiung: What to See in Two Days

I had one full day to explore Kaohsiung, plus the afternoon and evening of the day before. So, obviously, I spent that time hunting for street art. The hunt was successful, but it also left me wanting more. If I could do it all over again, I’d definitely plan a longer stay. There’s just too much to see here for such a short visit.

But hey, we’re not here to cry over the time we didn’t have! I did manage to see a few AWESOME things, so let’s get to it. Here are three places worth adding to your Kaohsiung itinerary. And yes, they’re all about the kind of art we like around here. 😉

Street Art in Kaohsiung: The Pier-2 Art Center

First stop: Pier-2 Art Center. And we’re talking about more than just a bunch of buildings here. There’s plenty to discover between the former port warehouses, which have been given a new life and new purposes. And here’s the best part: not everything here is about making money. Some of these buildings are now cultural spaces. And I’m always happy to see that.

You could wander around here from morning till evening and still miss some of the murals, sculptures, little art pieces or exhibitions. There’s a lot of good stuff here.

Based on my short but pretty intense visit, I’d start at… the Information Counter. Didn’t see that coming, did you? But seriously, it’s a good place to start. You can find out which exhibitions are on and where to find them across the complex. And before you definitely leave the area, drop by again to check out the souvenirs made in collaboration with artists.

There’s a good chance you’ll end up at the Warehouses of Contemporary Art (WOCA) first, as they’re in the same building as the Information Counter. At least, that’s what happened to us (me & my travel-and-life companion). The exhibition we stumbled upon was quite unexpected. A big part of it seemed to be making a very convincing case for doing nothing and just relaxing. Not a bad way to start exploring Kaohsiung.

Pier-2 is a pretty big place, divided into three areas: Dayong, Penglai and Dayi. So, depending on what you find out at the Information Counter, you can plan where to wander next. After WOCA, we headed to Dayi (about a 10-minute walk) to check out an exhibition about the history of Pier-2 Art Center. And, of course, we found murals and street art along the way. Later, we went in the opposite direction, towards the Penglai area, where we stumbled upon plenty more art.

About Pier-2 history exhibition – I won’t bore you with a lengthy analysis of everything Pier-2 has done as a cultural institution. I realise not all of you have spent two years studying cultural management. But take my word for it: it feels like this place has a mission, and it actually delivers.

Back to the touristy stuff. Besides everything I mentioned above, Pier-2 is also home to a TINY STEAM TRAIN with a TINY PLATFORM 8 AND 2/5 that you can actually ride. Even as an adult. How cool is that? Unfortunately, we got there after it had closed, so riding this little train is now one of my main reasons to come back. There’s also a museum dedicated to Taiwan’s railways, but can it really beat a tiny steam train? I’m not convinced. Guess I’ll have to check it out one day.

Sorry for going on and on about Pier-2, but I haven’t been this impressed by a cultural institution in a long time. Okay, three deep breaths. Now let’s head to a neighbourhood full of murals.

Street Art in Kaohsiung: Weiwu Mimi Village

This place is commonly known as Weiwuying Street Art Village. It’s a whole block of old residential buildings that have become a canvas for mural artists from Taiwan and all over the world.

These murals are HUGE. They cover massive stretches of wall, often spanning several connected buildings. Sometimes, it’s hard to take them in from the ground, not just because of their size, but also because there’s so much going on. Unlike the apartment blocks we’re used to in Europe, these buildings aren’t exactly flat. The whole experience feels different, as if there’s stuff happening all around you.

Looking at these pieces, I also found myself wondering how much thought and physical effort the artists must have put into creating them. The murals were genuinely original, with all sorts of shapes and loads of details.

Unfortunately, we left exploring the neighbourhood until the afternoon (we’d spent the morning hiking in the mountains with wild monkeys), not realising that it would get dark ridiculously fast. Well, looks like I’ll have to come back. Not that I need much convincing.

Street Art in Kaohsiung: Cijin Island

I’ve left Cijin for last. It’s a narrow island separating the harbour from the Taiwan Strait, just a few minutes away by ferry. The place has a proper seaside vibe, and a walk along the coast will take you past all sorts of artworks. Some better than others, let’s put it that way.

I really wanted to see Rainbow Church. And let’s just say that if I could do that day all over again, I’d swap Rainbow Church for more time at Weiwuying Street Art Village. And that’s the thing about the internet: sometimes, the place you’ve been reading about just doesn’t live up to the real thing.

WOW, you made it this far!

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So, if you have to choose between Pier-2, Weiwuying Street Art Village and Cijin, I’d go for the other two. But if you’re not short on time, hop on that ferry and check out Cijin. There’s a long coastal walk with views of the cliffs and the ocean waiting for you.

Street Art in Kaohsiung: Final Thoughts

Is this everything Kaohsiung has to offer? Absolutely not. There’s so much more to see, not to mention the surrounding areas and nearby towns.

We also managed to see the famous pagodas, visit a one-of-a-kind metro station, eat our way through night markets, get lost a couple of times, take a ridiculous number of photos and stroll along Love River (which used to be an open sewer and is now… well, quite the glow-up).

All in all, I managed to squeeze a ridiculous number of lovely memories into a pretty short visit.

And if two days in Kaohsiung taught me anything, it’s that Taiwan has way more up its sleeve than I can fit into one trip. So, yeah, I guess I’ll have to come back. Let’s just hope the world behaves itself until then.

再见

Karolajn