Kaohsiung 3-Day Itinerary 2026: Hotels, Food & Night Markets

Kaohsiung offers a lighter burden on accommodation and food costs compared to Taipei, yet it boasts a rich variety of attractions including great restaurants, shopping malls, and night markets, making it perfect for planning a travel itinerary.

Choosing accommodation near Formosa Boulevard Station was incredibly convenient, as Liuhe Night Market was within walking distance and getting there from the airport was a breeze.

Our Kaohsiung adventure was a 3-night, 4-day itinerary, and we arrived on the first afternoon. I've put together our first-day itinerary, highlighting the best restaurants, night markets, and shopping malls that were perfect for a relaxed exploration.

Taiwan Kaohsiung Travel Itinerary Weather Restaurants Hotels Accommodation Review Night Market Liquor Store

1️⃣ Check-in at Kaohsiung Kungsang Design Hotel

2️⃣ Xiang Yuan Beef Noodles

3️⃣ Dream Mall

4️⃣ Liuhe Night Market

5️⃣ Liquor Store

1. Check-in at Kaohsiung Kungsang Design Hotel

We took a T'way direct flight from Incheon International Airport to Kaohsiung International Airport.

Online check-in is mandatory, so make sure to do it before your flight.

Thanks to that, our departure procedures didn't take long at all.

Before our trip, I imagined Kaohsiung to be charming and colorful, and my first impression upon arriving at the airport was exactly as I had pictured it.

The accommodation we chose for our Kaohsiung trip was the Kungsang Design Hotel.

✔️ 5-minute walk from Formosa Boulevard Station

✔️ Walking distance to Liuhe Night Market

✔️ Spacious rooms

✔️ A 4-star hotel, with double rooms costing around ~$73 per night.

Its proximity to Formosa Boulevard Station made it super convenient to get from the airport to the city center and check in quickly.

Since there were 5 of us traveling, we needed both double and triple rooms, and I was really pleased with how well-equipped the triple room was.

The double room I stayed in had some unique decor in front of the bed, which was a bit surprising, but thankfully the mattress was comfortable, perfect for relaxing after a day of walking around.

Being able to walk to Liuhe Night Market and breakfast spots like Laojiang Milk Tea from the hotel made planning our travel route incredibly easy.

#KaohsiungTravel #TaiwanKaohsiung #KaohsiungHotel

2. Xiang Yuan Beef Noodles

After checking in, we headed to Xiang Yuan Beef Noodles for dinner.

They offer dishes like beef noodles and pig trotters noodles, and you can choose between a soup or dry (sauce-based) version for each.

Most noodle dishes were around 140 NT$, which is approximately ~$4.

My beef noodles came with a generous 6-7 large pieces of incredibly tender beef.

The broth was perfectly clean and savory, and the noodles were wonderfully chewy and delicious.

#KaohsiungRestaurants

3. Dream Mall

After dinner, we headed to Dream Mall to ride the Ferris wheel.

We traveled by tram from a station near Xiang Yuan Beef Noodles. In Taiwan, you can use the EasyCard for buses, subways, and trams.

You can also use the EasyCard at convenience stores, drug stores, and ferry terminals, so I highly recommend buying one right at the airport!

📌📌

Our main reason for coming to Dream Mall was the Ferris wheel.

The Ferris wheel is located on the upper floors of the shopping mall, and on our way up, we spotted a milk tea shop and enjoyed one as a sweet treat.

🎡 Dream Mall Ferris Wheel Operating Hours

Mon-Thu 12:00~21:30

Fri 12:00~22:00

Sat-Sun 10:30~22:00

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🎡 Ride Time: Approximately 15 minutes

🎡 Adult: 150 NT$

The Dream Mall Ferris Wheel offers a foreigner discount, so if you show your passport, you can ride for 120 NT$.

The Ferris wheel looked a bit older than I expected, and the night view wasn't as dazzling. So, rather than a must-do, I'd say it's worth a visit if you want to enjoy some shopping and a Ferris wheel ride together.

4. Liuhe Night Market

After returning to Formosa Boulevard Station, we headed straight to Liuhe Night Market.

Liuhe Night Market is a proper night market, operating from 17:00 to 02:00, making it perfect for late-night enjoyment if you have accommodation nearby.

It's not overly large, so if you're expecting a bustling, super crowded night market, you might be a little disappointed. However, I found its peacefulness to be a real advantage.

Among what we ate, I highly recommend the custard apple, grilled king oyster mushrooms, and peanut ice cream.

There were also places selling draft beer and Kavalan Highball, so buying food and enjoying it with these drinks really made it feel like a true night market experience. I also appreciated the relaxed atmosphere compared to other, more crowded night markets.

#KaohsiungNightMarket

5. Liquor Store

If you enjoy alcohol, a liquor store is an essential stop on a Taiwan trip. The one we visited was at the end of Liuhe Night Market, making it easy to incorporate into our itinerary.

It operates until late into the night, so if you find yourself running low on drinks while out, you can easily pop over to buy more.

However, most of the alcohol isn't refrigerated, so I recommend buying any drinks you plan to consume during your trip on the first day and putting them in your hotel fridge.

Kavalan, Taiwan's famous whiskey, was available in various types, and it was significantly cheaper than at the airport duty-free shops.

If you're planning to buy Kavalan as a souvenir, definitely buy it from a liquor store in the city!

#KaohsiungLiquorStore

We wrapped up our day of travel with convenience store snacks and beer~

Even with an afternoon arrival, our first day was quite fulfilling, yet it never felt too tiring or overwhelming.