Sizihwan & Former British Consulate at Takao

西子灣·打狗英國領事館

A small bay on the northern shore of Kaohsiung’s harbour, home to the campus of National Sun Yat-sen University. The 1879 red-brick former British Consulate on the hill is the best place to view the harbour and watch the sunset.

Sizihwan lies on the north bank of Kaohsiung’s First Harbour, at the foot of Chishan, and is a small bay with the campus of National Sun Yat-sen University on its shore. The seawall is a traditional spot from which Kaohsiung residents watch the sunset, as the sun sinks into the Taiwan Strait, with cargo ships entering and leaving the harbour in the foreground and Cijin Lighthouse across the water. On the hill at the northern end of the bay, the Former British Consulate at Takao is a cultural park. In 1879 the British built a consul’s residence on the hilltop and offices at the foot of the hill. It is one of the oldest surviving Western-style buildings in Taiwan. Its red-brick colonial-style arcade has been restored and is now open to the public. Two buildings are connected by a 19th-century footpath. The terrace in front of the residence offers a 180-degree view over Kaohsiung Harbour, Cijin and the 85 Sky Tower. The park has an English-style afternoon tea restaurant, the Consulate Afternoon Tea, which is one of Kaohsiung’s most popular spots for sunset and night views. Admission is NT$99, including guided tours and exhibitions. Nearby attractions include the Sizihwan Tunnel, a pedestrian tunnel built during the Japanese occupation period in 1927, which leads to Hamasen once you have passed through it, the Hamasen Railway Culture Park and the Gushan Ferry Terminal in the old town for ferries to Cijin. Suggested itinerary: visit the consulate exhibitions at around 4 p.m. Sit on the terrace with tea at 5 p.m. to wait for the sunset, admire the harbour lights after dark, then walk through the tunnel to Hamasen for dinner. Or combine with Cijin for a day trip. Getting there: take exit 1 of Sizihwan Station on the Orange Line of the MRT, then the Orange 1 bus or walk about 20 minutes to the consulate. You can also rent a YouBike. Notes: the path to the consulate has steps. Mosquitoes are plentiful on the seawall in the evenings in summer. The Sizihwan beach is part of the National Sun Yat-sen University area, and swimming is not permitted at certain times.

Sizihwan & Former British Consulate at Takao

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