The 14 Best Kaohsiung Tours & Day Trips

1.Kenting, Taiwan｜PADI Basic Diving License Course｜Taiwan Diving Open Water Course

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 151 reviews · from $83Our pick

Learn scuba skills at Taiwan Dive Center’s Hengchun shop in a three-day PADI Open Water course. Expect small classes of up to three students per coach, English instruction on request, Suunto ZOOP computers, lunch, four marine sessions, and underwater photos. Coaches named by past participants include Alan, Octopus, Paul, Ryan, Caty, Japon, and Vincent.

“The hostel was clean and the staff is friendly, my friend and I came here to take AOW lesson, and we had a great time learning. 住宿乾淨舒適使用的洗沐用品是茶籽堂的，也有提供防曬用品的試用，早餐好吃，教練人很好也很用心教學，還會幫忙用專業相機拍照！”

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2.Private Custom Kaohsiung Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 81 reviews

Spend about eight hours exploring Kaohsiung in a private air-conditioned vehicle with a driver-guide. Build your day around temples, art, local food, harbor sights, or sunset. Guides such as Charlie, Aaron, Robin, and Ting Ting are praised for friendly service, local tips, photography, and flexible pacing.

“Richard was a fine tour guide. His Kaohsiung was beautiful and despite some language challenges, we felt touched by some uniquely personal experiences. Thanks for Lotus Lake, the glass dome subway station, the observatory lookout, ice cream, the old warehouse district turned art scene, and sunset beach. We would do it all over again!”

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3.Kaohsiung Private Tour – Discover Local Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · 3 hours · from $44

Join Grace, a local English-speaking guide, for a private three-hour Kaohsiung walk tailored to your interests. See Pier-2 Art Center, Glory Pier, Sizihwan, Formosa Boulevard Station, and Liuhe Night Market while sampling one pastry and one drink. The route can use walking, Metro, tram, or city bike connections.

“It was a great experience. Our guide Grace was the best part of our tour. She loves her town and shared it with us personally.”

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4.Private City Tour with Fo Guang Shan Museum

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · 8 hours · from $104

Spend eight hours exploring Kaohsiung with a private driver-guide such as Aaron, Charlie, Bruce, or Mr. Huang. Visit Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, Lotus Pond, Pier-2 Art Center, and the Fine Arts Museum, with time to adjust the day to your interests. Hotel pickup, parking, tolls, and air-conditioned transport are included.

“Aaron was an excellent guide, we learnt a lot about the culture and history of Taiwan and Buddhism We highly recommend the tour - great experience”

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5.Private Classic Kaohsiung Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews

Spend eight hours exploring Kaohsiung with a private guide and vehicle. Visit Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, Dragon Tiger Tower, the Dome of Light, and Xiziwan. Guides such as Ben, Bruce Lee, TinTin, Ann, and Arthur have adapted the day to guests’ pace and interests. The tour suits first-time visitors with limited time.

“We enjoyed our day, packed with itineraries which i prepared myself and consulted with Vincent before we set off. Would have given him a 5 stars if he had better spoken English. Lucky for us (from Hong Kong originally) we can understRead more”

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6.Food and Culture Walking Tour in Tainan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $78

Start with breakfast at Shuixian Gong Market, then follow a guide such as Siewhong or Jenny through temples, Quanmei Movie Theater, old craft shops, pastry stalls, Snail Alley, and Hayashi Department Store. The four-hour walk includes cultural guidance, while food, drinks, transport, and gratuities cost extra.

“This was a very fun experience; Jenny is a great guide, willing to answer all of our questions and mindful of our tastes and requests. This walking tour has a good balance of “big” attractions, like the grand Mazu temple, and smaller and morRead more”

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7.Full-Day Private Guided Tour in Kaohsiung Port Shore

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 12 reviews

Spend about eight hours with a private driver-guide in Kaohsiung, visiting Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, Lotus Pond, Pier-2 Art Centre, Formosa Boulevard, Sizihwan, and the British Consulate. Andy, Samuel, and Liu Zhaogu are among the guides named in guest feedback, but English ability and vehicle type can vary.

“Samuel did a wonderful job of showing us the most interesting and beautiful parts of Kaohsiung and area. We learned a great deal and saw amazing sights. Samuel's English is excellent and he got us back to our ship at exactly the time we said we wanted to return. He found us monkeys to see, which was really fun for us. I would strongly recommend this tour with Samuel for anyone looking for a great shore excursion in this port.”

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8.Private Walking Tour with a Local

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 10 reviews · 2 - 6 hours · from $48

Explore Kaohsiung with a Lokafyer, a local guide who shapes a private two to six hour walk around your interests. Jason has helped visitors learn the MRT, rent a bike, find good views, and understand daily life in Taiwan. Pickup is available near the city center, and groups are limited to six.

“Jason was awesome! I'm in Kaohsiung for business for 2 weeks from the U.S. and really wanted to learn more about the area and how to get around. Jason showed me the basics of taking the subway and renting a bike. I got to see some amazing views and understand more things about Taiwan. I highly recommend this tour! Jason is great to talk with and a lot of fun.”

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9.Kenting, Taiwan｜Snorkeling Free underwater photography One-on-one with instructor｜Taiwan Diving Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $28Best value

Meet at Taiwan Dive Center in Hengchun for a short safety lesson, equipment fitting, and 30 to 40 minutes in the water near Kenting National Park. A coach leads you through the basics, points out fish and coral, and takes underwater photos. Bring a swimsuit and towel. Pickup is free from the Kenting Avenue and Chuanfan Rock area.

“My guy had a lot of patience to me, showing me how to breathe well after a while I was gliding, and he really enjoyed the amazing views of the coral. He was very informative.”

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10.Kaohsiung Private Walking Tour with a Local

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 7 reviews · from $48

Meet a local Lokafyer host in Kaohsiung for a private two to six hour walking tour built around your interests. A pre-tour phone chat helps shape the plan. Guide Yu has taken visitors from the cruise port to Monkey Mountain and Shoushan Nature Park, using light rail along the way.

“Yu was most helpful, meeting us at the cruise port and bringing us to monkey mountain via the light rail. The Shoushan Nature Park is an enchanting experience. After visiting multiple tea houses at lookout points, Yu had us speaking TaiwanRead more”

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11.Kaohsiung’s Cruiseship Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews

This private Kaohsiung shore excursion uses an air-conditioned vehicle for up to six people and lasts about four to five hours. You can visit Lotus Pond, Chijin Island, Formosa Boulevard Station, and Pier-2, or request food stops, tea tasting, cycling, or a foot massage in advance. Guides such as Maggie and Young have led the tour, though English ability may vary.

“Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and was able to share the rich history of each place visited. And she was an EXCEELENT TOUR GUIDE!!”

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12.Private Tour Shore Excursion in Kaohsiung City

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $199

Spend 6 to 8 hours exploring Kaohsiung with a Chinese and English-speaking driver guide. Visit Lotus Pond, Pier-2 Art Center, Formosa Boulevard Station, and Qijin Island, with private air-conditioned transport, cruise-terminal pickup, round-trip ferry tickets, and travel insurance included.

“We created our own agenda. (My son lived in Taiwan a short time ago and made a list for me.) Overall, we accomplished everything we set out to do. Chin communicated well before the trip and as we arrived by cruise ship where he met us. He made it easy to find him!”

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13.Tainan Ancient Capital & Wushantou Reservoir One Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews

Start at 8:00 am with a private guide and air-conditioned vehicle from Kaohsiung. Visit Anping Tree House, Anping Fort, and Anping Old Street, then take a boat across Wushantou Reservoir. Guides such as Richard or Maggie explain Tainan’s past and water system, while driver Song is noted for careful driving.

“Easy booking. The guide showed up on time and had no issue finding our place. Richard knows history well and was explained to us. I’d tour with him again.”

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14.Discover Scuba Diving With Sea Turtles – Xiaoliuqiu, Taiwan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $83

Spend about two hours learning basic scuba skills, then explore Xiaoliuqiu’s turtle-filled waters with a dedicated instructor. No swimming skills or certification are required. Snap Dive supplies the equipment, cylinder, and underwater photography, while you bring a swimsuit and meet at No. 90-2, Lane 1, Zhongzheng Road.

“A magical experience! We had zero diving experience, but it was no problem. The staff is amazing and took great care of us. We saw so many turtles and have awesome pictures to remember our time underwater. One of the best things to do in Taiwan.”

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