Southern Taiwan is underrated, bar-none. And not just because many travelers get stuck in Taipei and its environs, although this does prevent a good number of them from seeing what they’re missing further south.
Rather, it’s that even within the southern Taiwan conversation, there simply isn’t much nuance. In most cases, spending a night of two in Kenting National Park is the extent of it. In the event that cities enter the chat, it’s almost always Tainan or Kaohsiung. Which is fine—I love both these places.
Today, however, I want to expand the conversation to include the Kaohsiung vs Taitung. Because in spite of the latter being significantly more cumbersome to access than the former, it does make a compelling base for exploring Taiwan’s far south.
Understanding the Geography of Southern Taiwan
If you look at a map of Taiwan without understanding the infrastructure of the country, let alone its topography, choosing between Kaohsiung or Taitung might seem like a one-to-one binary. After all, the cities are virtually at the same latitude, just on opposite sides of the coast. The first difference? While Kaohsiung sits in the southern part of the long and highly populated plain that extends basically all the way from Taipei, mountains and rift valleys surround Taitung.
Infrastructural realities mirrors natural ones. You can reach Kaohsiung from Taipei or from Taoyuan Airport in less than two hours, since the Taiwan High-Speed Rail (THSR) connects both directly with Kaohsiung’s Zuoying Station. Reaching Taitung, meanwhile, requires a domestic flight from Taipei’s Songshan Airport, or up to five hours on a Limited Express train from Taipei. It’s twice as far away as Kaohsiung, in terms of time, even though the distance isn’t dissimilar.
Ways to Compare Kaohsiung with Taitung
Access from Taipei
As I outlined in the previous section, it’s simply easier to get from Taipei to Kaohsiung than it is to reach Taitung. Riding the THSR from Taipei Main Station to Zuoying can see you in central Kaohsiung in less than two hours, even keeping in mind the short MRT journey. This is less than half as long as similar journeys to Taitung will take, even if you fly: You’ll need to get to Songshan Airport at least 30 minutes before departure; it’ll take that long to reach the city on the backend.
Getting around
This is an area where there is a lot of daylight between Kaohsiung and Taitung. Kaohsiung has a two-line MRT, and one LRT line as well; while this isn’t as extensive as what you find in Taipei, it can still facilitate most tourist sightseeing. In Taitung, by contrast, you have to make do with local buses and your own two feet in the city center. Since most things to do in Taitung are outside of town, however, you really need to rent a car to experience the city fully.
Things to do
Kaohsiung, at least in its city center, is much more replete with tourist attractions than Taitung, even if you just visit the “big ones” like the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, Liouhe Street Tourist Night Market and Cijin Island. Of course, there are some attractions in the heart of Taitung, such as the Liyu Mountain viewpoint, and also the Taitung Tourism Night Market.
TIP: If you happen to be in Taitung in July, check to see if you’re there when the annual Taiwan International Balloon Festival in the nearby Luye Highlands is taking place.
Natural surroundings
To me, comparing Taitung or Kaohsiung in this category isn’t a fair fight. Many day trips from Taitung take you into some of Taiwan’s most beautiful countryside, be that the wild hike down to Lisong Hot Spring, or the comparatively easy Huayuen Viewing Deck, which overlooks Taimali Beach. You do get some sense of natural day-tripping inland from Kaohsiung to Fo Guang Shan monastery, or to the aforementioned Cijin, though it just doesn’t compare.
Onward excursions
Kenting National Park is a logical next step from both Kaohsiung and Taitung, though it’s not the only one. Heading south from Kaohsiung, you can stop in Donggang and ride a boat to Xiaoliuqiu island, or stop for lunch in Hengchun. Leaving Taitung, meanwhile, you can fly out to the remote islands of Lanyu and Lyudao, or continue north via the Eastern Rift Valley to Hualien and Taroko Gorge.
How to Visit Both Kaohsiung and Taitung on the Same Trip
My favorite way to resolve this debate? Go to both cities, and judge for yourself. This actually isn’t a heavy lift, particularly if you plan to rent a car during your stay in Taiwan. You can drive directly between the cities in less than three hours; even if you decide to stop en route in Kenting National Park, the one-way journey is unlikely to take you more than five hours, presuming you don’t stay there overnight.
The direct train connecting Taitung with Kaohsiung, meanwhile, can take as little as two hours one-way, presuming you take the Puyama Limited Express, and keeping in mind that while Kaohsiung Main Station is in the city center, Taitung Station is quiet a bit outside it. Still, it’s a testament to how amazing Taiwan’s rail system is that you can travel by train, even through inhospitable topography, and arrive faster than you would in your own car.
Other FAQ About Kaohsiung and Taitung
How long is it from Kaohsiung to Taitung?
It will take you about 2-3 hours to travel from Kaohsiung to Taitung, depending upon how you go. Frequent Puyama Limited Express trains make the journey from Kaohsiung Station to Taitung Station in around two hours, while driving your own vehicle will require a door-to-door travel time of just under three hours.
Is there a train from Kaohsiung to Taitung?
Yes, frequent trains travel between Kaohsiung Station and Taitung Station. While many of these are slower local trains, I recommend riding one of the super-fast Puyama Limited Express trains, which can whisk you between the two stations in as little as two hours one-way.
Is it better to visit Kaohsiung or Taitung?
I personally love Kaohsiung more as a self-contained destination. On the other hand, I feel that the array of day-trip and excursion destinations in the vicinity of Taitung makes it a better base for exploring, even if the city itself leaves something to be desired.
The Bottom Line
I might be the first person to formally raise a debate about Kaohsiung vs Taitung, but I promise this is not without merit. I’ve extensively exploring both of these cities, and can see arguments for why each makes a better southern Taiwan base, the former because of how full of attractions and eclectic it is, the latter for being both uncrowded and surrounded by some of Taiwan’s wildest nature. Both cities also have some of the most mispronounced names of any in Taiwan, though this of course isn’t material to our discussion. Need personalized assistance putting your Taiwan trip together? Consider hiring me to plan it!
