Qijin / Cijin Island (旗津岛) - Oldest Settlement at Kaohsiung in Taiwan

After leaving the Cijin ferry pier, the first thing we noticed at Cijin Island was the line of shops offering rental of buggy-like bikes! We didn't bother given the short timeline we have on the island, deciding to continue our journey on foot instead.

"At 8.5 kilometers long and an average width of 400 meters", the island was once connected to mainland Taiwan on the southern end but it was severed in 1967 for port operations. The above street was a hive of activity, given its position as Cijin Old Street! 

 As a commercial street catered for visitors, there were souvenir shops and seafood eateries even though I wondered about the viability of the swim wear business given that the temperature wasn't exactly summer level at this time of the year.

One of the activities I wanted to partake was having the interesting raw tomato with ginger at Qijin! Taste aside, I bet just hearing the combination already gave many the psychological impression that it would be great for the body's health. 

Venturing towards the end of the old street, where we shall check out the other notable attraction at Cijin Island; one that I didn't realize differs from others I have been to. 

Cijin Beach! Don't you find it extremely beautiful when the sun was covered by the clouds, yet the streams of sunlight still managed to permeate through, resulting in a surreal, visual experience?

And the sand is black! According to Wikipedia, the "sand is made from eroded volcanic rock, primarily dark-colored basalt, which breaks down over time and gets deposited by ocean currents, creating the distinctive dark hue".

Another thing that made us go "wow" was the depth of the sandy beach. The shoreline was like about 80 meters deep and from the measurement tool on Google Maps, it can stretch to almost 250 meters deep. 

Maybe it was super low tide? 

Walking so far on sand was tiring! 

More photographs; with the sea breeze, a comfortable temperature, peals of laughters and the views surrounding us, both Alex and I felt utterly relaxed, with the mental soul being so comforted that we regretted not staying a night or two on the island. 

It would have been better if I remove my shoes; which I didn't as I didn't want the hassle of having to dry my feet before putting on my shoes after that. 

The above scenario would have been so uncomfortable! 

Not to mention the cold as well with the sea breeze.

Public amenities were available to wash up. 

Similar to Kuta Beach at Bali, the waves were more suitable for surfing than snorkeling (my preferred activity on the beach). Having gone through a painful, surfing experience on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, I am sure I am not cut out for it. 

Cijin Sunset Bar (旗津沙灘吧) - as the name suggests, a great place to catch the sunset with food and drinks. But we had so little name to explore this small island. 

We shall chase the sunset as we continued our exploration. 

Crossing the road but going towards the direction against the Cijin Old Street as impatient me would find it hard to sit down for an hour just for the sun to slowly make its descent. 

It felt so empty; I wonder if it would be worth the wait.... 

Turned out it housed the "Cihou Market 旗后觀光市場"! 

It would be a market that my mom would get excited about, but not me! There was a heavy aroma of dried and preserved seafood; and it's a smell that some would think is overbearing. And for someone who doesn't cook much, the items for sale at the stalls all looked the same. 

Alex and I were more enthusiastic about the dog wearing a tee-shirt and a tag in Chinese that indicated" do not touch me"! Thankfully we can read Chinese! 

There were many temples in Taiwan but while some can be in a state of disrepair; I was more curious about the above temple. Known as "前臨水宮", it was a towering, imposing structure built in the modern era, yet totally abandoned. What happened"

A comment on Google Maps revealed that the temple was built in 1989 and supposedly, illegal on port grounds. The city government imposed power and water cuts in in 2005, resulting in abandonment, with the temple now known as the "Temple Without Deities".

Good news is that the temple eventually managed to get a permanent space about 600 meters, also on Cijin Island, and on the northern end. 

Proceeded to the beachside again.

Overlooking the Taiwan Straits, the beach was said to be haunted, with over a hundred drownings over the past 20 years, sparking rumours that there were water ghosts bent on having a replacement so that they can reincarnate. 

Nevertheless, the sunset was beautiful! 

My slipper accidentally kicked against the flooring, and a piece of tile fell and broke off! Wait, is that a result of a maintenance long coming or I am responsible?!? Okay, maybe have to share some responsibility too.

More photographs with the stunning sunset! With a growling stomach, however, sharp-ass me would not endure till the glowing globe disappeared at the horizon. 

Let's get some food into the tummy first.

Taiwanese White Sugar Cake from 不一样香可儿白糖糕! 

The dog looked so zen here. 

A fuller meal at 阿榮虱目魚肉燥飯, where we indulged in a mouthwatering bowl of braised pork rice and a serving of lip-smacking good milkfish soup! Yummy yummy.

A fascinating house that had seen its fair share of wear and tear, with a second level that had a sealed door, and no safety rails. Compared to a boring island that lacked amenities, living on Cijin Island would have been more convenient for urban folks like us. 

Checking out Cijin Tianhou Temple (旗津天后宮) that had a super strong accolade; it is Kaohsiung oldest temple, and was built in year 1673! In case you are unaware, Cijin Island is also Kaohsiung's oldest settlement! 

While small, the temple had modern elements, including a pipe above the paper incense burner that likely helped to filter the air and ash for a better environment.

Back at Cijin ferry pier for our ride back to the mainland. 

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Island Map

As above. Frankly, we only "conquered" a tiny portion of what Cijin Island offers in terms of attractions. Needless to say, we would definitely return to Kaohsiung in the near future, and commit to staying at least a a full week to get to know the city better! 

Location Map

As above.