Stretching along the Gaoping River, Dashu District is a large suburb of Kaohsiung City on Taiwan’s southwest coast. It’s famed as the home of the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, which is said to house one of the tooth relics belonging to Shakyamuni Buddha.

Things to do

Spend a day exploring the sprawling complex of Fo Guang Shan, which features eight Chinese pagodas symbolising the Noble Eightfold Path. Admire the reliefs depicting Buddha’s acts of compassion and wisdom and the stupas representing the Four Noble Truths, then wander through the Main Hall art galleries that showcase changing exhibitions.

For all the thrills and spills of a theme park with a Greek twist, head to the E-Da Theme Park. It’s divided into three main areas, the Acropolis, Santorini Mountain City and Trojan Castle, featuring Greek-style restaurants and souvenir stalls. Get your adrenalin pumping on the “Upside Down” roller coaster and experience Taiwan’s beautiful scenery from the air on the “Flying over Formosa” simulator.

Want a more local cultural experience? Be sure to visit the Sanhe Tile Kiln that showcases the ancient history of traditional brick production in Taiwan. It is set within a red brick building that dates to 1918 and in addition to manufacturing bricks for the restoration of historic buildings, the kiln also promotes modern forms of creative ceramic arts.

Don’t leave Dashu District without witnessing the famous Ligang Bridge, which connects the district to Jiuru Township. This photogenic, 2,617 metre-long cable-stayed bridge spans the Gaoping River and stands as an impressive feat of engineering.

Getting around

Dashu District is located around 30 minutes’ drive north-east of Kaohsiung City and connected by regular bus services. Dashu’s attractions are spread out across the district, with both buses and taxis readily available.