Kaohsiung, perched on Taiwan's southern coast, is "real Taiwan." Kaohsiung is much less internationalized and modernized than Taipei -- and that's its charm. The food, especially seafood, is amazing. The temples, night markets, and small restaurants tend to be just quirkier than Taipei's. And the crosswalk signs are creative moving cartoons. Kaohsiung was Taiwan's rust belt a few decades ago, but now is emerging as a hub of culture, art, and technology. The Kaohsiung Experience is the local Kaohsiung. Night markets will be the start of our food explorations, but definitely not the end. I'll show you a hidden suspension bridge, urban wetlands, late-night desserts, a half-abandoned skyscraper, and, of course, lots of ferries and boat rides. We'll also get the dead skin shaved off your feet, visit a secret cafe in a sake shop, and hit up a seafood market (and sushi restaurant) that give Tokyo a serious run for its money. This is Kaohsiung. It's so worth discovering. Everything has a map link and a QR code, so you can navigate Kaohsiung like a local, or better. Get ready. Charge your smartphone and lace up your walking shoes. You're about to get The Kaohsiung Experience . Forget the polished tourist trail. Welcome to Kaohsiung: the gritty, charming, "real Taiwan" of the south. Once famous for shipbreakers and sugar refineries, Kaohsiung is emerging as a cultural powerhouse -- without losing its edge. The Kaohsiung Experience skips the usual tourist traps to show you the city locals actually live in. We’ll explore beyond the famous night markets to find secret dry noodles, urban wetlands teeming with wild monkeys, and cafes hidden in old military dorms. I’ll show you how to sleep cheap in a notorious skyscraper, where to get dead skin shaved off your feet at 2 AM, and how to find seafood so fresh it will change your life. This guide is as local as it gets. Everything is geared toward easy navigation, with QR codes and map links for every single recommendation. Get ready to discover the Kaohsiung most visitors never see.