01

Getting there from KL: the AirAsia red-eye

AirAsia is the only airline flying non-stop between Kuala Lumpur and Kaohsiung at the time of writing. Kaohsiung airport's published schedule for October 2026 shows AK170 leaving KL nightly at 2.55am and landing at 7.30am, and the return AK171 departing at 5pm to reach KL at 9.25pm. AirAsia uses KLIA Terminal 2. That is about four and a half hours in the air, on Malaysian time at both ends. That published schedule runs only to 24 October, so check the times for later dates when you book.

Sleep before the small-hours departure and plan a gentle first morning, as hotels rarely give rooms before the afternoon.

Our own KL fare scan, last refreshed on 21 September 2026, puts AirAsia's cheapest one-way seat at about RM 363 at the time of writing, with most November and January dates at about RM 386. December departures, during the Malaysian school holidays, rose to RM 563 to RM 639. Bags and meals are extra.

One-stop options in the same scan all cost more: Vietjet via Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi from about RM 563, Thai via Bangkok near RM 1,040 and Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong near RM 1,366. Prefer a full-service airline? Fly to Taipei and take the high-speed rail south (see the last section).

02

Kaohsiung Airport to the city

Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH) sits inside the city, about 20 minutes south of downtown. Ringgit figures use roughly NT$7.8 to RM 1 and are indicative.

• Metro (Red Line): Kaohsiung International Airport station (R4) connects to the international terminal via Exit 6, with trains from about 6am to midnight. The operator's journey planner lists 16 minutes and NT$30 (about RM 4) to Formosa Boulevard, 18 minutes and NT$35 to Kaohsiung Main Station, and 28 minutes and NT$50 (about RM 6.50) to Zuoying for the high-speed rail. Tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard, JCB or UnionPay credit card, iPASS or EasyCard, or buy a token.
• Taxi: the rank is at the ground-floor exits. You pay the meter plus a NT$50 airport surcharge, roughly NT$300 to NT$400 (RM 40 to RM 50) to the centre. The airport taxi rank has taken cards since December 2024.
• Uber: works in Kaohsiung, with airport pickups. Grab does not run in Taiwan.
• Buses: the 9117 series stops here on its way to Kenting, with tickets at the Pingtung Bus counter near Gate 5 in the arrival hall, and route 111 heads north to Tainan.

When AK170 lands at 7.30am the metro is already running. The Chunghwa Telecom SIM counter opens at 8am and the tourist information desk in arrivals at 9am.

03

Where to stay in Kaohsiung

Two metro lines and a light rail loop tie this spread-out city together, so stay within a short walk of a station.

• Formosa Boulevard to the Main Station (Xinxing, Qianjin, Sanmin): the Red and Orange lines cross here, 16 minutes from the airport, near Liuhe Night Market and plenty of budget and mid-range hotels. The railway station itself has a prayer room. The easy choice for first-timers and families.
• Yancheng and Hamasen: the old harbour, with Pier-2, the Love River mouth, the Cijin ferry and the light rail close by. Suits couples, photographers and cafe lovers who prefer quiet evenings.
• Lingya and Weiwuying: walking distance to Kaohsiung Mosque, its Muslim-run eateries and the Weiwuying arts centre, nine minutes by Orange Line from Formosa Boulevard. Ideal for Muslim families wanting Friday prayers and halal meals on foot.
• Zuoying: next to the high-speed rail station, Lotus Pond and Ruifeng Night Market. Best if you arrive from Taipei by train or plan day trips to Tainan and Kenting.

Taiwan's official Muslim-friendly list names dozens of Kaohsiung hotels, hostels and homestays, many of them in the first two areas.

04

Things to do in Kaohsiung

Most sights line the harbour and the Love River.

• Pier-2 Art Center: old port warehouses in Yancheng reborn as galleries, outdoor installations and design shops, served by two light rail stops.
• Cijin Island: a short ferry from Gushan pier. Cycle to Cihou Fort, the lighthouse and the Rainbow Church by the beach.
• Lotus Pond: zigzag bridges lead into the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas in Zuoying, with the Spring and Autumn Pavilions on the same lake.
• Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum: free entry in Dashu, crowned by a colossal seated Buddha. Malaysians who know Dong Zen Temple in Jenjarom will recognise the order, headquartered here.
• Former British Consulate at Takao: a red-brick hilltop residence over the harbour mouth, best at sunset above Sizihwan beach.
• Shoushan: the forested hill above the city, with trails and wild macaques. Keep snacks hidden.
• Dome of Light: a vast stained-glass ceiling inside Formosa Boulevard station, free to view from the concourse.
• Love River: lit paths and boat rides at night, plus Lantern Festival displays in the Lunar New Year season and the city's Dragon Boat Festival races.
• Weiwuying: the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, a huge performance venue set in parkland near the mosque.

05

What to eat in Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung eats like a port town: seafood first, then night-market snacks and sweet drinks. Pork and lard are common in Taiwanese cooking, so Muslim readers should read the halal section first.

• Cijin seafood: restaurants on the island's old street lay fish, prawns and shellfish on ice and cook your pick to order, typically NT$100 to NT$200 (RM 13 to RM 26) a dish.
• Night markets: Ruifeng in Zuoying is the locals' favourite (closed Mondays and Wednesdays), while Liuhe beside Formosa Boulevard station is the easy tourist stop. Try grilled squid, oyster omelette, scallion pancakes and fresh fruit juices.
• Milk tea street: Sinle Street in Yancheng is known locally as Milk Tea Street, with cups from about NT$35.
• Papaya milk and mango shaved ice: Taiwanese classics for the southern heat.
• Bian dang lunchboxes: rice plus a few dishes from the counter, a cheap and filling lunch near offices and stations.

Night markets plus a casual sit-down meal each day come to roughly RM 60 to RM 120.

06

Halal food and prayer spaces

Halal restaurants are far scarcer than in KL or Taipei, so plan meals around a few anchors. The Taiwan Tourism Administration's official Dining for Muslim search lists certified places with a code such as MR or MFR and the certifying body. The main certifier, the Chinese Muslim Association, covers both Muslim-owned restaurants and Muslim-friendly ones run by non-Muslims. A hotel's certificate may cover only one of its restaurants, and a "no pork" sign proves nothing.

• Kaohsiung Mosque: first built in 1949 and one of Taiwan's oldest mosques, at 11 Jianjun Road, Lingya, about five minutes on foot north of Weiwuying station. Jumaat prayers are held here.
• Next door: a Muslim-owned Chinese noodle restaurant on the official list (code MR, certified by the Chinese Muslim Association), with other Muslim eateries nearby.
• Xinxing: an Indonesian restaurant on Nanhua Road, also listed as MR. The list is not dated, so check it is still open.
• Hotels: several big hotels have a certified Muslim-friendly buffet or restaurant.
• Prayer rooms: at the airport in the international terminal's third-floor east and west waiting lounges, and in Kaohsiung railway station (ask station staff, as the station has been rebuilt).
• Apps: the Taiwan Halal directory app lists mosques, prayer rooms and restaurants.

Danzai noodles, braised dishes and many snacks use pork or lard. Buddhist vegetarian places are a fallback, but some may use cooking wine, so ask.

07

Getting around Kaohsiung

The Red Line runs north to south from the airport through Zuoying, and the Orange Line west to east from Hamasen, crossing at Formosa Boulevard. A 38-stop light rail loop links the harbour, Pier-2, Dream Mall and the Love River. Metro fares run NT$20 to NT$60 by distance (about RM 2.50 to RM 8), and light rail rides NT$20 to NT$35.

• Cards: iPASS, Kaohsiung's home-grown stored-value card, and EasyCard both work on the metro, light rail and buses and in convenience stores. Contactless Visa, Mastercard, JCB and UnionPay credit cards also work at metro gates.
• Ride-hailing: no Grab in Taiwan. Uber operates here, including UberX and Uber Taxi, and saves explaining addresses in Mandarin.
• Taxis: metered and plentiful; a cross-city ride should rarely top NT$400 (about RM 50). Drivers do not accept tips.
• Ferry: the Gushan to Cijin boat takes minutes, for roughly NT$30.
• YouBike: docked public bikes, cheap for short rides along the river and harbour.
• Buses: useful for Shoushan and Fo Guang Shan.

Scooters swarm the roads, so check both ways even on a green light.

08

Sample itinerary: 4 days in Kaohsiung

Timed for AirAsia's 7.30am arrival and 5pm departure.

• Day 1: Red Line into town and drop your bags. After a late breakfast, see the Dome of Light at Formosa Boulevard and rest. In the afternoon, light rail to Pier-2 for the warehouses and waterfront, then walk the lit Love River after dark.
• Day 2: Morning ferry to Cijin. Cycle to Cihou Fort, the lighthouse and the Rainbow Church, then a seafood lunch on the old street. Back on the mainland, catch sunset from the Former British Consulate above Sizihwan and finish at a night market.
• Day 3: Lotus Pond and the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas early, before the heat. Afternoon at Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, then Ruifeng Night Market if it is open, Liuhe if not.
• Day 4: Weiwuying in the morning and, on a Friday, prayers at Kaohsiung Mosque with lunch next door. Last shopping around Sanduo or Dream Mall, then the metro back, reaching the airport by about 2.30pm.

A fifth day suits Tainan for food and history or Kenting for beaches.

09

Money, SIM and practical tips

• Currency: Taiwan uses the NT$. At the end of September 2026 one ringgit fetched about NT$7.8, so NT$100 is around RM 13. Bank of Taiwan and Mega Bank have counters in the international terminal arrival hall (Mega opens early enough for the 7.30am AirAsia arrival), but there is no exchange airside, so change leftover cash before immigration on the way home.
• Cash or card: hotels, malls, chain restaurants and the metro take cards; night-market stalls and small eateries want cash.
• DuitNow QR: not usable in Taiwan at the time of writing. PayNet's cross-border QR covers Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia.
• SIM and eSIM: set up an eSIM before flying, or buy a SIM at the airport's Chunghwa Telecom counter (8am to 8pm).
• Plugs: 110 volts and US-style flat pins, so bring an adaptor for Malaysian three-pin plugs and check hair dryers.
• Tipping: not expected.
• Customs: bringing in pork products means a NT$200,000 fine (over RM 25,000), and other meat products are generally not allowed either. Leave rendang, serunding, bak kwa and instant noodles with meat bits at home.
• Scams: the TWAC arrival card is free on the National Immigration Agency site; copycat sites that charge are not official.
• Safety: Kaohsiung is generally safe, but watch your bag in crowded night markets and heed summer typhoon alerts.
• Emergencies: 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance.

10

Day trips to Tainan and Kenting, or on to Taipei

Kaohsiung makes a good base for the south, with fast trains north.

• Tainan: Taiwan's old capital is about an hour or less away by Taiwan Railway, for roughly NT$70 to NT$100 (RM 9 to RM 13). Anping Fort, Chihkan Tower and the Confucius Temple fill a day, with Tainan's famous snacks in between. The 111 airport express bus also runs there.
• Kenting: beaches, Eluanbi Lighthouse and a nightly market strip at Taiwan's southern tip, about two and a half hours by express bus for roughly NT$350 (about RM 45). Beaches close when typhoon swells arrive.
• Taipei: high-speed trains from Zuoying reach Taipei in under two hours on the faster services. A standard adult ticket costs roughly NT$1,500 (about RM 190); confirm the current fare on the THSR website.

That makes an open-jaw trip easy: fly into Kaohsiung, head north by rail and fly home from Taipei Taoyuan, which has several non-stop links to KLIA, AirAsia X among them. Compare fares with a simple Kaohsiung return first.