Kaohsiung has long played second fiddle to Taiwan's capital city -- Taipei. That's because Taipei has a larger population, and is home to Taiwan's government. But in recent years, Kaohsiung has come to the fore as a cultural and business center at the opposite end of the island. And these days, with a high-speed rail system connecting the two cities, inter-city travel is more convenient than ever: just an 80 minute ride.
The original village where Kaohsiung sits today was founded in the 17th century. The name of Kaohsiung can be traced back to "Makatao" an aboriginal word for "bamboo forest". That was translated into "Takao" by the Chinese, who used the characters "da gou" or "beating a dog". The Japanese kept the sound "takao" but gave it new characters -- the words for "high" and "hero." Those words, pronounced in Mandarin are "gao" and "hsiung" which make up the current name of the city.
Kaohsiung is known as Taiwan's "port city", a reference to its massive harbor. It boasts the country's largest container port, which is the sixth largest in the world. Kaohsiung is also a major center for shipbuilding, manufacturing and refining.
Visitors to Kaohsiung will find a modern city with southern-Taiwan hospitality. The scenic love river which winds in between the skyscrapers has been beautified in recent years, adding character to the seaside city's skyline. There's plenty to see even for daytrippers; highlights include seafood dinners on the island of Cijin, the bustling Liuhe Night Market, some of Taiwan's best museums, and one of the most modern and environmentally sport stadiums in the world -- the highlight of the 2009 World Games.