Shoushan National Nature Park

Shoushan is an uplifted block of coral limestone standing directly behind the port, and it turns Kaohsiung into one of the few large cities where you can walk from the metro into forest with wild monkeys in half an hour. The trails climb through banyan and strangler fig rooted into fissured grey rock, past small caves and collapsed hollows, to lookouts over the harbour entrance, the container terminals and the strait beyond. The resident Formosan macaques are the reason most people come and also the main problem: they are entirely habituated, they associate plastic bags with food, and they will take one off a person without hesitation. The ridge is cooler than the streets below but not by much.

The landscape

• The harbour lookouts - views down the harbour mouth, the container terminals and the strait.
• Formosan macaques - habituated troops along the paths, bold about bags and food.
• The limestone formations - fissured grey coral rock, small caves and collapsed hollows.
• The banyan forest - strangler figs rooted into the rock along the shaded trails.

When to go

November to March is the dry, cooler half of the year and much the better time; from May onwards the humidity on the climb is heavy. Early morning is when local walkers are out, the air is clearest and the monkeys are most active. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer. The lookouts face west, so late light works well.

Practical notes

The macaques are a genuine nuisance rather than a charming detail: keep food and bags out of sight, do not carry plastic bags, and do not attempt to feed them. Trails are steep in places and the limestone is sharp and slippery when damp. There is little English signage, the network of paths is confusing, and the harbour view includes a working industrial port.

Nearby

Sizihwan beach and the ferry to Cijin Island are at the foot of the hill.

Key facts