Things to do
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Cijin Island
A sandbar island across the harbour mouth, reached by a short ferry from Gushan that carries scooters and bicycles alongside walk on passengers. Seafood restaurants line the street from the pier, and a black sand beach, a Qing era lighthouse and an old fort sit at the northern end. The crossing runs late into the evening; swimming is restricted to patrolled sections.
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Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Eight pagodas line an avenue leading to a seated bronze Buddha that rises higher than the halls behind it, part of the Fo Guang Shan monastic complex inland from the city. Galleries below the plaza hold Buddhist relics, calligraphy and a jade tooth relic. Admission is free, shoulders and knees must be covered, and the open avenue offers little shade at midday.
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Liuhe Night Market
Two blocks of Liuhe Second Road close to traffic each evening and fill with seafood stalls, papaya milk stands and game booths, a short walk from Formosa Boulevard metro station. Prawns, grilled squid and steamed crab dominate. Trade is squarely aimed at visitors, so locals tend to favour Ruifeng across town, and stallholders quote in Mandarin and English.
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Lotus Pond
Temples ring a shallow lake in Zuoying, chief among them a pair of seven storey pagodas entered through a dragon's mouth and left through a tiger's, a route said to turn bad luck good. Spring Autumn pavilions and a tall Xuantian Shangdi statue stand further round. A walk or bike ride round the shore takes about an hour, and late afternoon light favours the pagodas.
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Love River
An old industrial waterway cleaned up over decades now runs through the centre with promenades, cafes and cycle paths along both banks. Small boats make loops from the Love Pier in the evening when the bridges are lit. Lantern displays take over the banks around Lunar New Year, and the riverside is a humid walk before sunset.
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Pier-2 Art Center
Disused harbour warehouses at the old wharf have been turned into galleries, studios, bars and a long strip of outdoor sculpture, with a decommissioned railway yard and the light rail running through the middle. Bicycles are the sensible way between the three zones. Most spaces close on Mondays, and the waterfront side is best at dusk when the cranes light up.