Driving Permit, Temples, Night Markets & Hidden Gems

Many travelers visit Taiwan for Taipei… but after spending a full day in Kaohsiung, I realized this southern city deserves way more attention.

Kaohsiung surprised me with how affordable, modern, peaceful, and underrated it felt — all in one day.

From getting legal permission to drive in Taiwan 🚗 to exploring temples, eating amazing food, and visiting one of the best night markets, this became one of my favorite Taiwan travel days.

🚗 Morning: How I Got Ready to Drive in Taiwan

One of my main goals was preparing to drive in Taiwan for the first time.

Many Japanese travelers don’t realize that to drive in Taiwan, you need an official Chinese translation of your Japanese driver’s license.

The best part?

I handled it in Kaohsiung, and it was:

✅ Faster

✅ Cheaper

✅ Same-day processing

Perfect if you’re planning a Taiwan road trip.

☕ Breakfast at My Hotel (Kaohsiung Stay)

I started the day with breakfast at my hotel.

The buffet was simple but really satisfying — a mix of Taiwanese and international options, perfect for a relaxed travel morning.

Fresh fruit, warm dishes, and light local flavors gave me just the energy I needed before heading out.

Sometimes hotel breakfasts don’t look exciting on paper, but they quietly become one of the most comforting parts of travel days.

🚋 Kaohsiung Tram Surprise

I used the Kaohsiung tram and learned something useful:

Unlike the metro, not all tram lines accept credit card tap payment.

So I had to buy a physical ticket 🎫

Small detail, but very useful for travelers.

🍜 Lunch: Amazing Value Meal

Later I found a local noodle shop where my meal cost only NT$220 (about $7 USD).

For that price, I got:

🍜 Super chewy noodles

🥣 Rich but light broth

🥩 Soft flavorful offal

🥟 Huge meat-filled wontons

Honestly, the wontons were so full they felt like dumplings.

Taiwan food value is unreal.

🌿 Afternoon: Lotus Pond

After lunch, I took Uber to Lotus Pond.

This place felt so underrated.

There were:

🌊 Peaceful lakes

🏯 Giant temples

🎨 Colorful Chinese architecture

😌 Almost no crowds

A perfect relaxing spot.

📚 Kaohsiung City Temple of Confucius

I also visited Kaohsiung City Temple of Confucius.

The atmosphere was calm, elegant, and thoughtful.

If you want a quieter side of Taiwan travel, this is a great stop.

🙏 Yuan Di Temple & Fortune Telling

Another highlight was Yuan Di Temple, where I found a giant deity statue.

Many locals come here to pray for:

🍀 Luck

🛡️ Protection

💰 Success

☮️ Peace

I even tried fortune telling.

🐉 Spring and Autumn Pavilions

Then I visited the famous Spring and Autumn Pavilions.

Legend says:

Enter through the dragon 🐉

Exit through the tiger 🐅

…for good luck.

Fun, symbolic, and very photogenic.

🏃 Gym Time

After eating so much Taiwanese food…

Emergency gym session 😅

And wow.

The equipment was modern, clean, and even connected to smartwatches.

Taiwan gym tech is seriously impressive.

🍲 Dinner with Locals

That night I had hotpot with locals.

And yes…

Duck blood is commonly eaten here 😳

Trying local foods like this makes travel way more interesting.

🌃 Ruifeng Night Market > Liuhe?

To finish the day, I visited Ruifeng Night Market.

Locals told me:

“You have to go here.”

And honestly… they were right.

Compared with Liuhe Night Market, it felt:

🔥 Bigger

🔥 More energetic

🔥 More local

🔥 More fun

I also tried stinky tofu.

Smelled scary… tasted surprisingly fine 😂

🍸 Tea Cocktails to End the Night

I finished the night with tea-based cocktails.

A perfect reminder that Taiwan blends tradition and creativity beautifully.

✨ Final Thoughts

Kaohsiung gave me everything in one day:

🚗 Travel progress

🍜 Amazing food

🏯 Beautiful temples

🌿 Peaceful scenery

🌃 Fun nightlife

😌 Relaxed lifestyle

If Taipei is Taiwan’s headline city… Kaohsiung might be its hidden favorite.

Tomorrow?

I drive in Taiwan for the first time.

Wish me luck 🚗🇹🇼