Kaisyuan Night Market

Visiting Dragon-Tiger Pagodas, Kaohsiung.

13 July 2019travelingpersecond

My trip when going back from Fo Guang Shan ended at Kaohsiung Main Station and was greeted by little drizzle which began to fall.

My time began to be counted down during 2 hours from that time because the next destination would close precisely at 5 pm.

I took my KPP Taiwan Pass out. I got it at Kaohsiung International Airport MRT Station a day before. I immediately moved towards Ecological District Station.

KPP Pass is a cloud-based pass card which used in three regions i.e Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Penghu (three major cities in southern Taiwan)

Finding a bus shelter and waiting for bus no. R35A to get access towards Lotus Lake would be my next step. I waved my hand when bus was fastly running at Bo’ai 3rd Road towards me. Maybe the driver thought that there wasn’t passenger at bus shelter. Nimbly stepping aside, finally bus stopped in front of me.

Apparently the driver was a woman, asking me about where is my destination in Taiwan language made me speechless.

I: “Dragon-Tiger Pagodas, Mam”

Driver: shake her head, her eyes were closed and raised her hand as surrender sign that she didn’t understand my words.

I: “Hahahaha …….”

Driver: looked like a little annoyed when I laugh.

I: “Wait … wait”. I took my smartphone out, I looked for the pagoda image which I meant and I showed it to her.

Driver: “A little shouted excitedly….yeah….yeah….while thumbing up.

After paying USD 0,5 by entering my coin into the fare box, I stood behind.

It took 10 minutes only to arrive at Lotus Lake and finally the twin pagodas were clearly visible.

Kaohsiung bear doll like its image in my KPP Taiwan Pass

Panda is an iconic animal in Taiwan, so you will often meet its profile in public places. I found it at this pagoda also.

If you want buy souvenirs, enter that building!

Entering pagodas area, clearly seen the Dragon statue and the Tiger one:

According to the myth, I must enter from dragon mouth and come out from tiger mouth….And I would luck.

This seven-story pagodas with yellow floors and red pillars emit a solemn aura in the middle of Lotus Lake.

Opposite in front of Pagodas stand the magnificent Tzu Chi Palace

I left Lotus Lake on 16:45 to looking for dinner at Kaisyuan Night Market.

My confusion was started here, I didn’t know which bus number must I take and where I must go. At that time, I just used map and compass when traveling there, I didn’t use Google Maps just for save my budget because I didn’t need to buy internet quota. So as long as I don’t get WiFi, then my presence in a country willn’t be detected … It’s cool, I am like CIA agent….Hahaha

If I am confused, I will randomly take a city bus….wherever. Then I will stop near famous spots which I’ve learned before visiting that country. Finally, I randomly took a bus that afternoon. And in confusion, I finally saw Kaohsiung Arena (the biggest soccer stadium in Kaohsiung). I stopped at its nearest bus stop. Either it was free or driver didn’t know, I never tap my KPP pass on automatic fare machine.

There is Kaohsiung Arena MRT Station near it.

From this station, I finally managed to find Kaisyuan Night Market.

It was a little crazy adventure, bro …

Peeking 3 Night Markets in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

2 June 201930 June 2019travelingpersecond

Guys.…It’s about Taiwan again.

Taiwan was nicknamed as the land of a thousand night markets. So if you want to be crazy there, you don’t need to go to a pub or a bar. And it doesn’t need to be drunk to spend a night in Taiwan.

You only need to come to night market and enjoy cheap culinary and other unique goods.

When I visited for two nights in Kaohsiung, I tried to visit several markets which generally open on afternoon.

This is it:

1.Shinkuchan Commercial District.

Guys … if you want to find Taiwanese beautiful girls or handsome boys, this place can facilitate your desires. Enchanting 18-20 years old Taiwanese usually gather here from 3pm to 10pm.

To got here, I just needed to take Red Line MRT (Siaogang-Gangshan corridor) from Houyi Station where my hostel was located to Central Park Station.

From Central Park Station, I only needed to walk 250 meters to find it. Its strategic location is flanked by two very busy arterial roads (Wufu street dan Zhong Shan street)

Some stall owners who greeted me said that I arrived too early, I should come a bit more night to feel Shinkuchan crowd.

I had plan to visit other culinary market when night fell, so I didn’t have any choice and sacrifice it.

Just tasting some octopus skewers in this place, I started to leaving Shinkuchan at 5pm.

2. Liouhe Night Market

Still using Red Line MRT, I left Central Park Station towards Formosa Boulevard Station. This station is very popular throughout Kaohsiung … but I’ll tell you about it later, guys.

Because of his fame, I was held for 40 minutes at this station.

Well, one of many exit gates of this station, There was a gate which leads to Liouhe Night Market. Here:

You must look for Exit No 9,10 and 11 to get there.

9 degrees Celsius temperature instantly made me cold and starved. Entering this market as far as eye can see, as if all kinds of food were sold, I wanted to taste

Well … back to my backpacker’s instinct again.…I bought the cheapest food. The dinner was only worth USD 1,7 with a fish soup noodles menu.

After dinner, I immediately left this market to go to next destination, Love River.

3. Kaisyuan Night Market

For this market, I visited it on my second night in Kaohsiung. All you need to know, Kaisyuan Night Market is closed on Tuesday and Thursday. So You must come there besides that day between 6pm and 11pm.

To get there, you only need to take Red Line MRT and get off at Kaisyuan Station. Luckily, I was there when Kaohsiung LRT trial. So I got a free LRT fare.

Just need to a little walk out from Kaisyuan MRT Station to Chianjhen Star LRT Station. Then take the LRT and get off at Rueitian LRT Station.

I didn’t visit this culinary market for a long time. Because in the same night, I had to go to Kaohsiung International Airport which would be “a free hotel” for my second night in Kaohsiung. Staying in airport is certainly warmer than this market, right guys …

Well, this story only tells about Kaohsiung’s night market, guys.… I don’t tell yet about their place of worship … be patient, wait for my next article.

Wisata Dragon-Tiger Pagodas, Kaohsiung.

20 May 201930 June 2019travelingpersecond

Perjalananku kembali dari Fo Guang Shan berakhir di Kaohsiung Main Station dan disambut dengan gerimis kecil yang mulai turun.

Waktuku mulai dihitung mundur 2 jam dari saat itu karena destinasi berikutnya akan ditutup tepat pukul 5 sore.

Kukeluarkan KPP Taiwan Pass yang kudapatkan di Kaohsiung International Airport MRT Station sehari sebelumnya. Aku segera bergerak menuju Ecological District Station.

KPP Pass adalah kartu pass berbasis cloud yg digunakan didaerah Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Penghu (Tiga kota besar di selatan Taiwan)

Menemukan halte dan menunggu bus bernomor R35A untuk mendapatkan akses menuju Lotus Lake menjadi tahapan berikutnya. Kulambaikan tangan ketika bus itu berjalan lumayan kencang di Bo’ai 3^rd Road menuju kearahku. Mungkin si sopir mengira di halte tak ada penumpang. Menepi dengan gesit, akhirnya bus berhenti sedikit melewatiku.

Ternyata sopir itu perempuan, menanyakan tujuanku dalam bahasa Taiwan membuatku menjadi speechless.

Aku: “Dragon-Tiger Pagodas, Mam”

Doi: geleng-geleng kepala, matanya terpejam dan sembari mengangkat tangah pertanda menyerah tak mengerti dengan ucapanku.

Aku: “hahahaha…….”

Doi : terlihat sedikit sebal ketika Aku tertawa.

Aku : “Wait….wait”

Kukeluarkan smartphone, kucari gambar pagoda yang kumaksud dan kutunjukkan ke doi.

Doi : “Sedikit teriak girang…..ya…ya..ya…sambil mengacungkan jempol.

Setelah membayar TWD 15 (Rp. 6.000) dengan memasukkan koinku ke fare box, Aku berdiri di belakang.

Hanya perlu waktu 10 menit untuk sampai di Lotus Lake dan akhirnya pagoda kembar itu terlihat dengan jelasnya.

Kaohsiung bear seperti yang ada dalam gambar KKP Taiwan Pass ku

Panda adalah hewan ikonik di Taiwan, jadi Kamu akan sering menemui profilnya di tempat-tempat umum. Aku menemukannya di pagoda ini.

Jika Kamu mau membeli kenang-kenangan masuklah ke bangunan itu:

Memasuki area pagoda, terlihat sangat jelas si Naga dan Si Harimau:

Katanya Aku harus masuk dari mulut Naga dan keluar dari mulut Harimau….biar lucky.

Pagoda tujuh lantai berwarna kuning dan berpilar merah ini memang memancarkan aura kekhusyukan tersendiri di tengah luasnya Lotus Lake.

Diseberang depan Pagoda berdiri megah Istana Tzu Chi

Jam 16:45 Aku meninggalkan Lotus Lake untuk mencari makan malam di Kaisyuan Night Market.

Disinilah kebingungan dimulai, Aku tak tahu harus naik bus nomor berapa dan menuju kemana. Zaman itu, Aku keliling hanya bermodalkan peta dan kompas, paling anti menggunakan google maps. Apalagi kalau tidak untuk berhemat. Jadi selama tak mendapatkan WiFi, maka keberadaanku di sebuah negara tak akan terdeteksi…..Keren kan kaya agen CIA.

Jika sudah bingung begitu, Aku biasanya akan sembarang naik bus kota….kemanapun. Lalu akan berhenti di dekat spot-spot terkenal yang sudah kupelajari sebelum berangkat ke negara itu. Nah kebetulan Aku naik bus secara acak sore itu dan dalam kebingungan akhirnya Aku melihat Kaohsiung Arena (stadion sepakbola terbesar di Kaohsiung). Aku pun berhenti di halte terdekat dan entah waktu itu memang gratis atau sopir yang tidak tahu, Aku tak pernah menempelkan KPP pass-ku di automatic fare machine.

Nah didekat stadium ini terdapat Stasiun MRT Kaohsiung Arena.

Dari stasiun inilah akhirnya Aku berhasil menemukan Kaisyuan Night Market.

Seru sedikit gila ini mah….

Mengintip 3 Pasar Malam di Kaohsiung, Taiwan

21 April 20191 July 2019travelingpersecond

Guys….Taiwan lagi nih.

Taiwan dijuluki negeri seribu pasar malam. Jadi kalau Kamu mau gila-gilaan disana, gak perlu cari pub atau bar. Dan gak perlu mabok untuk menghabiskan malam di Taiwan.

Kamu hanya perlu datang ke pasar malam dan menikmati sajian kuliner yang murah meriah dan barang-barang unik lainnya.

Nah, ketika berkunjung dua malam di Kaohsiung, Aku mencoba mengunjungi beberapa pasar yang umumnya sudah buka dari sore hari.

Ini dia:

1.Shinkuchan Commercial District.

Guys….kalau Kamu pengen lihat cewek-cewek cantik atau cowok-cowok ganteng Taiwan, tempat ini bisa memfasilitasi keinginan Kamu. Para ABG Taiwan berusia 18-20 tahun nan memesona biasanya pada ngumpul disini dari jam 3 sore hingga jam 10 malam.

Untuk menuju kesini, Aku hanya perlu menaiki MRT Red Line (koridor Siaogang-Gangshan) dari Stasiun Houyi dimana hostelku berada menuju ke Stasiun Central Park.

Dari Stasiun Central Park, Aku hanya perlu berjalan sejauh 250 meter untuk menemukan Shinkuchan ini. Lokasinya yang strategis diapit dua jalan arteri yang sangat sibuk (Jalan Wufu dan Jalan Zhong Shan).

Kata beberapa pemilik kedai yang menyapaku, Aku datang terlalu awal, seharusnya Aku datang sedikit lebih malam untuk merasakan keramaian Shinkuchan.

Aku memang berencana mengunjungi pasar kuliner di tempat lain saat malam tiba, jadi Aku tak ada pilihan untuk mengorbankan salah satu tempat wisata ini.

Hanya mencicipi beberapa tusuk sate gurita di tempat ini, Aku mulai meninggalkan Shinkuchan jam 5 sore.

2. Liouhe Night Market

Masih menggunakan MRT Red Line, Aku meninggalkan Stasiun Central Park menuju Stasiun Formosa Boulevard. Stasiun ini sangat terkenal di seantero Kaohsiung….tapi kuceritakan nanti saja ya guys.

Karena keterkenalannya itu lah Aku tertahan selama 40 menit di stasiun ini.

Nah, salah satu dari sekian banyak exit gate stasiun ini, ada yang mengarah ke Liouhe Night Market. Nih:

Kamu harus mencari Exit No 9,10 dan 11 untuk menuju kesana.

Suhu 9 derajat Celsius membuatku kedinginan sekaligus kelaparan seketika. Memasuki pasar ini sejauh mata memandang, seakan semua jenis makanan yang dijajakan mau Aku cicipin.

Yah….balik ke naluri backpacker lagi ujung-ujungnya….nyari yang paling hemat. Dinner malam itu hanya seharga TWD 60 (sekitar Rp. 24.000) dengan menu mie sup ikan

Setelah makan malam maka Aku segera meninggalkan pasar ini untuk menuju ke destinasi berikutnya yaitu Love River.

3. Kaisyuan Night Market

Kalau pasar yang ini Aku berkesempatan mengunjunginya di malam keduaku di Kaohsiung. Yang perlu Kamu ketahui bahwa Kaisyuan Night Market ini tutup di hari Selasa dan Kamis. Jadi datanglah selain hari itu ya antara jam 6 sore -11 malam.

Untuk menuju kesana, Kamu hanya perlu naik MRT Red Line dan turun di stasiun Kaisyuan. Beruntungnya Aku pada waktu itu adalah saat ada uji coba Kaohsiung LRT. Jadi Aku mendapat tarif LRT gratis.

Hanya perlu berjalan sedikit keluar dari Stasiun MRT Kaisyuan menuju Stasiun LRT Chianjhen Star. Kemudian naik LRT ini dan turun di Kaisyuan Rueitian LRT Station.

Aku tak lama berkunjung di pasar kuliner ini. Karena malam itu juga Aku harus menuju ke Kaohsiung International Airport yang akan menjadi hotel gratis untuk malam keduaku di Kaohsiung. Di bandara tentu lebih hangat dari pada di pasar ini kan guys……..

Nah, kisah ini hanya menceritakan pasarnya Kaohsiung ya gaes…..belum tempat ibadahnya nya….sabar ya, tungggu tulisanku berikutnya