Kaohsiung Leisure Tour: 4 Routes, Explore Greater Kaohsiung for Under NT$1,000

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

The Kaohsiung City Tourism Bureau has launched four “Seasonal Leisure Tours” package itineraries. This summer, the focus is on hot air balloons, mountain hot springs, fishing village exploration, and mountain-town trips to Jiaxian and Qishan. Visitors can experience DIY cedarwood crafts, traditional wood-fired bread baking, and Jiaxian’s stir-fried taro ice, among other activities. The minimum price for a one-day tour is NT$450, with daily costs for the four routes ranging from approximately NT$450 to NT$750. Local lunch specialties are also included.

▲ The “Hot Air Balloon Countryside Fun” itinerary in the Kaohsiung Leisure Tour. (Photo / Provided by Kaohsiung City Government Tourism Bureau)

The Tourism Bureau stated that following last year’s “Warm Winter in Kaohsiung” campaign, this summer’s expanded Seasonal Leisure Tours package includes four types of travel itineraries: flying, seaside, mountain exploration, and water activities. Among them, capitalizing on the hot air balloon trend, the bureau’s “Hot Air Balloon Countryside Fun” allows participants to take a hot air balloon ride over sites such as Clearwater Lake, the Dajhong Cultural and Arts Center, the Dashu Zhuangjia Ancient Houses, and the Old Iron Bridge Wetlands Park. However, unlike the other three routes which run until September, the hot air balloon tour ends on August 11.

▲ Visitors can bake bread using a traditional brick oven. (Photo / Provided by Kaohsiung City Government Tourism Bureau)

The “No. 27 Formosan Forest Hot Spring Journey” takes travelers to the renowned BaoLai Hot Springs. The “No. 17 Seaside Fishing Village Fun” route lets visitors explore the Oyster Pavilion Fishing Port and the Laidi Mountain Nature Park for a taste of fishing village life. The “No. 21 Mountain Town Compassion Journey” includes visits to the old streets of Jiaxian and Qishan, the Compassion Park, and artful gourd creations.

The Tourism Bureau noted that the average daily cost for each route is between NT$450 and NT$750, with the highest being the hot air balloon journey at NT$750. Except for the hot air balloon route, which does not include lunch, the other three routes—offered on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays—all feature local lunch specialties. Each route requires a minimum of 15 participants to depart.

First Phase of “Kaohsiung Leisure Tour”: 4 Itinerary Routes
“Flying High: Hot Air Balloon Countryside Fun” Itinerary Route: Kaohsiung MRT Formosa Boulevard Station – Martial Arts Stadium Station – Clearwater Lake Scenic Area – Hot Air Balloon Experience – Tour Clearwater Lake – Dajhong Cultural and Arts Center – Lunch – Dashu Zhuangjia Ancient Houses (Cedarwood Bread DIY) – Old Iron Bridge Wetlands Park – Zhuliao Mountain Sightseeing Winery – Return. [Fee: NT$750 per person.]

“No. 17 Seaside Fishing Village Fun” Itinerary Route: Kaohsiung MRT Formosa Boulevard Station – High-Speed Rail Zuoying Station – Laidi Mountain Nature Park – Taiwan Cedarwood Life Museum (Cedarwood Chopsticks DIY) – Lunch – Oyster Pavilion Fishing Port – Love Oyster Pavilion Shop – High-Speed Rail Zuoying Station – MRT Formosa Boulevard Station. [Fee: NT$499 per person.]

“No. 21 Mountain Town Compassion Journey” Itinerary Route: Kaohsiung MRT Formosa Boulevard Station – High-Speed Rail Zuoying Station – Compassion Park – Gourd Art Innovation – Jiaxian – Taro Ice Experience – Yonglin Organic Farm – Qishan Old Street – High-Speed Rail Zuoying Station – MRT Formosa Boulevard Station. [Fee: NT$450 per person.]

“No. 27 Formosan Forest Hot Spring Journey” Itinerary Route: Kaohsiung MRT Formosa Boulevard Station – High-Speed Rail Zuoying Station – Xinliao Century-Old Trail – Xinwei Forest – Eighteen Arhats Mountain – Xin BaoLai Visitor Center – Pulai Stream Shuoshe Trail – BaoLai Hot Springs – Meinong Zhongzheng Lake – High-Speed Rail Zuoying Station – MRT Formosa Boulevard Station. [Fee: NT$599 per person.]