Kaohsiung was listed as one of “52 places to love” in the New York Times on Wednesday last week, the only Taiwanese destination on the list.
The US newspaper compiled this year’s list from submissions from more than 2,000 readers across the globe and Kaohsiung was suggested by China-born Andrew Liu, who lives in Germany.
“This city has a laid-back, almost island, vibe versus the hustle and bustle of Taipei,” Liu said in his comments, recalling the year he spent in Kaohsiung as a Fulbright English teaching assistant from 2017 to 2018.
Photo: Chang Chung-yi, Taipei Times
He highlighted the good food, including at night markets, and the easy access to nature.
“There are mountains and beaches right in the middle of the city limits,” he said.
He also praised Taiwan’s inclusiveness.
“My boyfriend came to Taiwan with me and we weren’t really sure how to navigate queerness in Asia... I think that, generally, Taiwanese culture is super accommodating and welcoming,” Liu wrote.
In response to the city’s inclusion on the list, Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau Director Chou Ling-wen (周玲妏) said that she was proud of the city’s hospitality and inclusiveness, and praised its world-class charm.
Kaohsiung is gender-friendly and has a lot to offer different groups of people, Chou said, while it also boasts magnificent landscapes, as well as an abundance of natural and cultural resources.
The New York Times publishes an annual list of the top 52 places to visit each year, but due to limits on travel and a lack of new attractions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the newspaper asked its readers to submit their favorite places.
It received more than 2,000 responses, including many that it said would have been unlikely to previously have made the list as they were too humble, too dangerous or too personal.
The only other destinations in East and Southeast Asia that made the list were Hokkaido, Japan; Con Dao, Vietnam; and Tagaytay, Philippines.
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