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Sightseeing and Attractions

Kaohsiung Country

HOW TO GET THERE
 

Kaohsiung County is situated at the southwestern part of Taiwan. By its northeastern side there stand the Central Mountain Range. Yushan Mountain Range and Alishan Mountain Range. By its northern side there is Chianan Plain, and western side Taiwan Strait. By its southeastern side the Kaoping Stream and Pingtung County are the boundary. The topography extends from the northeast to the southwest. The mountains at the eastern part are at the height of more than 3,000 meters, and they decline to the west to form hills. There appears the topography of plain when the hills extend to below 100 meters. The most western end is the coastling topography of the sea. Because of the topographical and geological changes, there create various kinds of beautiful landforms and landscapes. And as Kaohsiung County is situated at the sub-tropical climatic area, the complicated systems of zoological and botanic ecologies are created. Different natural ecologies also form different tribal cultures.


NATIONAL SCENIC AREA

• The Maolin National Scenic Area
  The Maolin Scenic Area covers the townships of Maolin and Liouguei in Kaohsiung County, as well as parts of the administrative areas of Sandimen Township in Pingdueng County. The Maolin Scenic Area has many scenic spots, such as the Baolai Hot Spring, Forever Young Hot Spring, Duona Hot Spring, Eighteen Monks Mountain, Meiyagu Fall, Dragon Head Mountain, and Maolin Valley. Scenic resources Near the Eighteen Monks Mountain Reservation Area and the Meiya Valley, tourists can often see Formosan Macaque, squirrels, Varicorhinus barbatulus, and Taiwan blue magpies. All of them are precious resources in the Maolin Scenic Area. The state-owned forest in this area is another natural feature.The artistic side of the Maolin Scenic Area includes tunnels, temples, suspension bridges and aborigine cultures. Maolin, Wanshan, and Duona in Maolin Townships are reserved for aborigines. It is the home of the Lukai Tribe. The Lukai Tribe is famous for its slate houses. At present about 30 slate houses are being preserved in the Duona village of the Maolin Township, making it the largest collection of preserved slate houses in Taiwan. The Liouguei Tunnel, consisting of six parts, is the only highway tunnel in southern Taiwan. Because of its views, the Liouguei Tunnel has become a famous scenic spot. The Maolin Scenic Area has beautiful scenery and a lot of well-known Buddhist temples, such as the Miaotong and Miaocueng temples. The Maolin Scenic Area has many suspension bridges, the Duona Suspension Bridge being famous for its length.
   

FOREST PLEASURE GROUND

• Teng Chi Forest Park
  Historical Background : Teng Chi Forest Park has an altitude ranging from 500 to 1804 meters. Hence, the plants in the park are diversified. Average temperature in the park is 10 degrees Celsius lower than that on the ground. There are plenty of cryptomeria trees, maples, and cherry trees. From the outlook balcony, visitors can see the magnificent Yu Shan, Ta Kang Shan, Ta Wu Shan and the clouds. With the forestation, currently, Sub-Montane Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest occupies 50% of the total area and is the best-preserved natural forest in Taiwan.
  Cultural Highlights : The forest track is 4300 meters long. Visitors can appreciate the best-preserved natural forest and the results of forestation. In addition, there are rare wildlife and birds in the park as well. The park also breeds various insects and butterflies.
   

FARM / SCENERY

• Cheng Ching Lake
  Cheng Ching Lake is located in Kaohsiung County's Niaosong Township. It is the largest lake in the Kaohsiung area, developed originally as a reservoir to meet the need for water for industrial use. Later on the lake was improved through environmental landscaping, until today it offers the beauty of a forested park. It was opened to the public as a tourist destination in 1960. The surface of the lake has a water area of more than 300 hectares, and the highway that has been built around it stretches for a total of seven kilometers. The tranquil beauty of the area has led it to be given the sobriquet, "West Lake of Taiwan." The best known of the lake's attractions is probably its Bridge of Nine Turns, which was built in 1960; it is 230 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, and does indeed have nine turns. Under the hill behind the Chuanxizhai is an aquarium that was originally built in 1961 as an anti-nuclear underground bunker. Its winding, 200-meter length was later remodeled into a tourist aquarium with exhibits of all sorts of oceanic organisms divided into eight display areas: special animals, treasures of the sea, shellfish, coral, strange rocks, and sperm whales. It is a place that is perfect for both entertainment and education.
   

• Pu Lao Hot Spring
  Historical Background : Lao-Lao Hot Springs is located in League, Causing. The springhead is the branch of Lao Nun Stream in Sinai village. In early time, the villagers had found the heat and the hot water coming out from the rocks of the stream. Later on the villagers come to take a bath here. They found out that after taking a bath in the springs made their skin more smoothly, just like becoming younger. Baoli Hot Springs is also located in Liouguei, Kaohsiung the limpid fiber of the springs belong to pure natural hot springs. The temperature is about 62 degree C.; containing hydrogen sulfide spring it is not only for bathing but also for drinking. It is also good for beauty and doing away with tiredness, live bone, sickness curing. After the exploitation of the Southern Highway, Baoli Hot Springs attract many tourists for vacation. The Baoli Hot Springs Village is the famous place; it serves many tourists the past thirty years. ,
  Cultural Highlights : There are many hot springs villages near Pu-Lao Hot Springs, but also the camping area, the barbeque area and campfire section. There is a good place, the Double Dragon Waterfalls, to visit in Pu-Lao Hot Springs Village. And nearby there are two hundreds-old banyans with the trunk joining at 15 meters far from the ground, spreading the twigs at the connection forming the valentines hugging. At the edge of the entrance of the Valentine's Tree, you can see the view of the stream. There are not only the hot springs hotels in Baoli Hot Springs area, many wild stream springs with bright and clear scenery such as Chi Ken, Shou Tung, etc., are worth to visit. The land observatory in the bamboo forest has lots of plum trees. You can see the trees of white during the blossom season. Chi Ken, located in one of the branches of the stream, has the temperature about 60-degree C.; the springs pass through the cliff and form a 15-meter tall waterfall.
   

• Yenchao Moon World
  This barren hilltop has been eroded by rain to such a degree that the ruts extending down the hillsides give the area a landscape reminiscent of the surface of the moon. Its unique appearance has made it a popular scenic destination.
   

GENERAL

• Dwo Nah Hot Springs
  Historical Background : Chin Jen Ku and To Na Hot Spring are located in Mao Lin. In 1957, the government renamed the place. The major aboriginal tribe here is Lu Kai. Chin Jen Ku lies on the south of Tzo Kou River and is famous for hot spring, canyons and rivers. It is also a perfect camping site.
  Cultural Highlights : The most famous scene in Chin Jen Ku is Chin Jen Waterfall, which has 5 levels. A suspension bridge leads to the first level. Continue climbing for about 10 minutes and you will find the second level. It is very cool and comfortable around the waterfall, which makes it a perfect summer resort.
   

• Eighteen Lohan Mountain
  Historical Background : Shi Pa Lo Han Shan (Eighteen Arhats' Mountains) lies next to Lao Nung River, Kaohsiung. Shi Pa Lo Han Shan consists of more than 40 mountains. Years of erosion have resulted in its rough geography. Legend says that the eighteen arhats will safeguard local people and their wealth, but the people will be punished if they spend the money elsewhere.
  Cultural Highlights : Shi Pa Lo Han Shan has very special geography and geology. The best positions to appreciate the mountains are the outlook point on Lin Pan track and the other one next to 185 highway. With Lao Nung River running by, the mountains present spectacular scenery. There are macaques in the mountains as well.
   

• Meinong
  Meinong is the hometown of paper umbrellas. According to the Hakka?s custom, paper umbrella is the symbol of a circle and represents a meaning that all family members are getting together. Furthermore, in Chinese pronunciation, the sounds of "paper" and "son" are so similar that they take paper umbrellas as a dowry. Recently, the paper umbrellas are considered as an art, and as many teahouses use them as a decoration, a fashion to restore the ancient ways has helped spreading the fame of the Meinong paper umbrellas. Besides the Hakka culture, delicious food and paper umbrellas, handmade pottery has become another popular industry. Yong-An Old Street is the place you can never miss. It was developed in the earliest stage, and with a lot of traditional houses built on it, the street is very abundant in historical cultures. Among all ancient buildings on the Yong-An Street, the house of Mr. Chuen-Yu, Lin is the most famous one, since it successfully preserves the characteristics of red bricks buildings. In Meinong, the three most well-known kilns are Meinong, Shi-Chao and Dong-Men, and they all have different styles. The beautiful scenery of Chung-Cheng Lake, the living circumstances of Taiwan Yellow butterflies in Yellow Butterflies Green Valley have made these places worth paying a visit. And besides, Mr. Chung-Li-Ho Memorial Museum, which was built up to memorize the pioneer of Taiwanese folk literatures, Mr. Chung-Li-Ho, has collected the original manuscripts and works of Mr. Chung-Li-Ho and other significant writers. This is the first non-government museum established to memorize the folk literature writers in Taiwan.
   

• Takangshan Cold Spring
  This clear-water spring is about the same temperature as average water, but because it contains special minerals, bathing here is believed to be benefcial to one's health. The most con- venient place to enjoy its waters is the Takungshan Spring Hotel, where all necessities are close at hand.
   

HERITAGE / TEMPLE

• Fo Guang Shan
  At the north-east of Tashu village in Kaohsiung county on the left bank of the Kaoping river, a famous tourist destination is located. Here you will find the Buddhist center of South Taiwan, established my Master Hsing Yun and his disciples. The architecture of the temples is very characteristic, and at the southeastern side of Fokuang Mountain the most prominent landmark of the region is found: a huge golden statue of Buddha Amitaabha which measures some 120 meters. The main square is surrounded by 480 standing Buddha's, while water and mountains form the magnificent scenery. The main structures consist of four temples, namely the Tahsiungpao, the Tapei , the Tachih and the Dashu shrines. The Tahsiungpao shrine covers a large area and is the most imposing of all four shrines. The main god of worship here is Sakyamuni, while statues of Amitaabha is placed on the left and right sides. More than 10,000 Kuanyin statues surround the temple. Buddha statues and lanterns of light rest in the 14,800 holes in the walls of the four shrines. The site counts more than a thousand buddha statues, large and small.

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