A Day Trip Out Discovering Cijin Island in Taiwan

Taiwan is often thought of as a destination of metropolises. Visit Taichung or Kaohsiung in the south, and you’d find that hard to argue. Sprawling and home to wide avenues carving between ultra-modern skyscrapers, the centre of Kaohsiung is very much an urban jungle. But it’s also possible to escape the city atmosphere of Kaohsiung quite easily by journeying out to Cijin Island.

Just off the coast of Kaohsiung, Cijin Island trades in skyscrapers and neon lights for beaches and seaside vibes. It’s one of many spots ideal for outdoor adventures in Taiwan. Alternatively spelt Qijin and Cijin, this long skinny island stretches for kilometres along the coast and honestly needs to be on any good Kaohsiung itinerary. Read on to learn what you can expect to see on a day trip from Kaohsiung while away in the tranquil embrace of Cijin Island.

Visiting Cijin Island for a Day Trip

Before we get to the island itself, let’s talk about getting there. Although there is a tunnel at its southern end, the easiest and most likely way to reach Cijin is by ferry. Departing from the Gushan Ferry Pier, it’s a gentle cruise across the harbour to Qijin Town at the island’s northern tip. Costing just TWD$40 each way for passengers and taking a little over 5 minutes, this ferry also takes cars and bikes.

Qijin Town

Once off the ferry, you’ll find yourself pretty much in the centre of Qijin Town. The look and feel of the town immediately seems different from that of Kaohsiung. Qijin Town is the oldest part of Kaohsiung, having been founded by fishermen in the 17th century. One of the oldest sights in Cijin and all of Kaohsiung is the Cihou Tianhou Temple at the heart of the town. Dedicated to Mazu, a sea goddess quite popular in Taiwan, the humble temple was built in 1673.

Besides the temple, exploring Qijin Town involves taking in the various market stalls, plus the simple, traditional houses around its edges.

Qihou Fort

Head west out of town and you’ll soon find yourself at the foot of a hill of nature and a fork in the road. There’s no wrong path here, but if you head left you’ll arrive at the entrance to Qihou Fort. This hilltop battery from the 18th century once protected the harbour entrance of Kaohsiung.

The interior of the fort is quite bare and nothing special, but climb up onto its walls and be rewarded with stellar views to everywhere. From different sides, you can see down along Cijin Island, along the coast to the north and best of all the full cityscape of Kaohsiung.

Venturing along the trails outside the fort, you get to appreciate some unkempt nature before appearing at the Kaohsiung Lighthouse.

Again going by many names, the Japanese-built lighthouse looks less like a typical-looking lighthouse and more like a quaint house with a short lighthouse attached. Still, decked out in white it offers a cute little sight, with more awesome views across the harbour too.

Qijin Beaches

While there are plenty of beaches in Taiwan, the closest beaches near Kaohsiung are here on Cijin Island. Starting below Qihou Fort, the beaches seem to just stretch along the entire island. Decked out with the typical grey sand of the region, they may not like a tropical paradise, but they’re still very inviting. Visiting on a sweltering October day, quite a few people were making the most of the sun and cooling off in the water.

Running behind the beach is the vibrant Cijin Seaside Park, crisscrossed with walking paths and cycling trails. After a while of walking, I seriously regretted not hiring a bike and exploring the area that way. Over the road from the park at one point you’ll see a huge multi-coloured building that houses a large indoor market. This kind of thing is not really for me, but I could see the right person spending quite a while here.

Sea Shell Museum

Much further down the beachfront is one of Cijin’s most popular attractions, the Sea Shell Museum. While the museum home to all sorts of sea shells is free to visit, that’s not why people come here. Instead, it’s the various art installations scattered around the museum and park that draw people in. This is the kind of place where everyone wants to get their photo taken.

Exploring about the area you’ll find several features, but there are two main ones. Firstly, there’s the prismatic geometry of the Rainbow Church, which is sure to make for a good profile pic. Then there’s the obvious choice of installation by a sea shell museum, a giant conch shell. With other installations about, this was where I ran into by far the most people throughout the park,

Other Sights of Cijin Island

Under the beating sun, I eventually had to admit defeat and work my way back to the ferry. Having only covered several kilometres of the island’s beachfront, I know there are parts I missed. Look at a Cijin Island map and you’ll see attractions like the Qijin Windmill Park even further south, plus museums and landmarks. If you’re short on time, however, the above sights ought to show you what to expect from the laid-back island during a Kaohsiung trip.

Would you choose to make a day trip to Cijin Island when visiting Kaohsiung? Did you expect to see such a place in Taiwan? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.