By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau has opened registration for this year’s “Wild Fun Eastern Kaohsiung” program, offering 20 guided tour sessions across six themed routes through the city’s mountain districts.
The 2026 program includes trips to Neimen (內門), Liugui (六龜), Maolin (茂林), Taoyuan (桃源), Shanlin (杉林), Meinong (美濃), and Jiasian (甲仙), with two overnight itineraries added for the first time.
The bureau said the routes are designed to highlight the cultural and natural diversity of eastern Kaohsiung, including Indigenous communities, Hakka settlements, rural industries, local food, and mountain scenery.
One itinerary takes visitors to Wanshan Tribe (萬山部落) to learn about the Wanshan Rock Carvings (萬山岩雕), a nationally recognized cultural site. Another brings travelers into the highland forests of Taoyuan for mountain tea and seasonal fruit-picking experiences.
Tourism Bureau Director Kao Min-lin (高閔琳) said eastern Kaohsiung combines mountain landscapes with Hakka, Hoklo, Indigenous, and new immigrant cultures. She said the tours use guided visits, hands-on activities, and local agricultural experiences to help visitors better understand community life and local stories.
The new overnight tours include visits to Longtoushan Trail (龍頭山步道), Duona Slate Village (多納石板屋聚落), and Baolai Hot Springs (寶來溫泉). Another route combines Neimen folk performances, traditional banquet cuisine, and cultural activities in Xiaolin Village (小林村).
The bureau said all tours include shuttle transportation, with limited places available for each session. Early registrants will receive special gifts, and more information is available through the Kaohsiung Travel website.
