Three-day Summer Megaport Festival
For Southern Taiwan, March is the month after Chinese New Year and Lantern Festival, immediately followed by a music festival. The reason why some grand outdoor activities are usually held in spring is the burning-hot tropical summer. Since 2006, Megaport Festival has been gradually the most music carnival in Kaohsiung. It attracts not only music fans in nearby counties but also northern Taiwanese or even oversea tourists.
Now, let’s celebrate! Book a three-day vacation in advance, come to Kaohsiung, and enjoy music at the seaside.
MEGAPORT FESTIVAL
Pier-2 Art Center in Kaohsiung
LET’S GO!
March 22 Fri.
“Ah, it’s today.”The alarm rings at 8:00. Instead of being a sleepyhead, I wake up and pack up whatever I need the following three days. After making sure that everything’s ready in my suitcase, I go to work, telling myself that I have to be fully concentrated until 18:00. No one, even the boss, can ask me to work overtime today.With snacks at hand, listening to “Rocking Taipei”, I will be punctual and show up on HSR at 19:30.Kaohsiung. Here I come!
Traffic Information
3. Kuo-Kuang, U-Bus, Ho-Hsin, Aloha Transport: Kaohsiung Station, Chung-cheng Station
4. Kaohsiung International Airport
5. Chung-cheng Intersection, National Highway No.1
6. Yanchengpu Station, KRTC
7. Dayi-Pier 2 Station, LRT
“Southern Taiwan welcomes everyone with warm air,” I understand. HSR Zuoying station, a focal point of Northern Kaohsiung, gradually becomes an entrance to downtown. Eight underground railway stations, including Zuoying, Neiwei, Museum on Fine Arts, Gushan, Sankaicuo, Minzu, Science and Technology Musuem, and Zhengyi, are newly established. They help tourists or those who don’t ride motorbikes explore the city a step further.
By the way, I need to take KRTC here to get to my accommodation. (If you have time, don’t forget to stop by the new Kaohsiung Station open last September.)
WHERE TO STAY
If you already purchase two-day ticket, it’s highly suggested that you stay at a hotel near Megaport Festival. The best choices are those along KRTC Yanchengpu station, or LRT Dayi Pier-2, Penglai Pier-2, Love Pier stations. Otherwise, KRTC Sizhwan station or LRT Hamasen station is good, but a bit far away, though. The next step is to choose an appropriate hotel based on your budget and priority.
Couchsurfing ← This is the best choice when little money is left after you purchase the Megaport Festival ticket
Airbnb ← It is so convenient to book your accommodation with your phone
HostelWorld ← You can be a backpacker with a budget under $1,000
華王、福容、翰品 ← To live in a much expensive hotel is fine.
城市商旅高雄真愛館 ← City Suites Kaohsiung Chenai: the first row at Megaport Festival
城市商旅高雄駁二館 ← City Suites Kaohsiung Pier 2: the second row at Megaport Festival
Finally I check in! But it’s already 10:00, what if some popular shops have closed? Don’t be afraid. You can have a great night at Yancheng where had been the most populated area in Kaohsiung. Despite its decline in recent years, there are still lots of post-war shops that preserve the traditional flavor of Taiwan and even Kaohsiung.
Bring your music companions to enjoy a night snack closest to Southern Taiwan.
Savory Traditional Dried Noodles—Fatty Lard Mixed Noodles
Solid Wonton—Hei Gan Wonton
Must-eat Items: Chewing-gun, ladders—Aloha Marinade
Oden, Sausages—A-li Oden
Hand-made Paste—The Dai Egg Cake
Eating to your heart’s content, you can have a little walk at the seaside, called “siàn hái-hong” Be sure to have a hand-shaken drink with you. Slowly walking to the end of Chisian Road and turning left to Penglai road, you will see Taiwan International Ports Corporation which had never been open to citizens before last December. Standing in front of the Port of Kaohsiung, you can feel yourself ocean and city in unison. The inner side is the third dock, the right Kaohsiung Port. When walking along KW2 (Kaohsiung Port Warehouse No.2) to KW10, you can imagine how grand it will be as every warehouse is open in the future. When you walk through the parking lot, a beautiful skyline night view of Asia New Bay Area is within reach of your eyesight.
23rd March, Saturday
The next morning, comrades met at Lucky Cat outside Yanchengpu Station at 9 o’clock. Here is a meeting point for residents who sing karaoke on weekend nights. Have a feast for breakfast, and enjoy the Megaport Festival. The followings are recommendations from locals:
An Old-School Coffee Shop—Hsiao-ti Coffee
Super-size Breakfast for locals—Traditional yet customized Egg-cake
Changing Your Impression of Egg-cake–Autie’s Egg-cake at Pier
A Long-established and Traditional Toast at Da-Gou-Ding—Sisters’ Breakfast Shop
Various Instantly-made Meals –Mei-yu Breakfast
Southern-style Breakfast—Grandma Chen’s Rice Noodles
An Once-in-a-lifetime Must-eat—Dan Dan Hamburger
Traditional Meals in an Old House—Hamasen Rice Cake
After having a savory breakfast, make a beeline for the Megaport Festival. It’s located at the Pier-2 Da-yi Warehouses. In 2019, the Megaport Festival will have nine stages, including Nanbatien, Sea Dragon King, Sea Goddess, Kamomai, Success, Waves, Da-hsiung Ball, Blue Sapphire, and Toyota Stages. Outsides are fashion markets and NGO villages. In case that it’s easy to get lost in the festival, don’t forget to store in your phone maps of beverage drinks, first-aid station, spin-off products, etc.
Q&A
Yu-he’s Life of Battles
Q: When was your first time coming to Megaport Festival?
A: It was 2015, without Fire Distinguisher. 😂
Q: Why did you decide to come? Who told you about it?
A: I knew it after its suspension in 2014. (But I forgot how I knew it.) I thought, “Kaohsiung has its own music festival.” Having money at hand, I bought the early-bird ticket at the end of 2014, and my friends came together because of me.
Q: What’s the difference between it and other music festivals?
A: It’s relaxing, isn’t it? I haven’t been to many music festivals, but Megaport Festival is not only about music but an integration of beer, seaport, and music. There are way more things to be done during Megaport Festival.
Q: Which band do you want to hear most this year?
A: Don’t push me. Tizzy Bac is a must-see!
Q: What’s your plan of following bands this year?
A: I usually rush to the major stage where Teddy Robin & 柳暗花明、HUSH, PUMPKINney, Tizzy Bac perform. Hing-chun, a Taiwanese radio talk show host in Blue Sapphire, Hsi-huang Chen, a national treasure of puppeteering, Yeemao and Tokyo Chuo-Line cannot be missed. Tokyo Chuo-Line is a great Jazz band best recommended to your friends. Their improvisation transforms songs into another sytle.
What Pong Fong Wu speaks in EggPlantEgg music video is one of my purposes. Besides, I expect the cooperation between nostalgically romantic Sunset Rollercoaster and Jazz singer 9m88. As to Japanese music, Yonige (a super popular group of girls last year), Uchikubi Gokumon Tōkōkai (heavy metal everything), Queen of Bees (a mysterious rock-n-roll band), and Taichi Mukai (my husband in my mind) are my favorites.
Q: Can you share with us your reflections or strategies of attending Megaport Festival?
A: Sunscreen lotion definitely. Everyone going there for the first time will be sunburned. Also, less is better because body contact is inevitably. Motorbike key, change, and powerbanks in a waist pocket are necessities, and everything else should be left in your motorbike. Otherwise, a NTD$99 backpack is a best choice. If you decide to stay put and listen to music, never choose the asphalt road. It’s scorching after a hot summer day. Prepare a picnic mat that can be purchased in Daiso with only 49 NT dollars.
Timetable - 23th March
Hiong-Hiong’s List of Bands as a Southern Taiwanese
It Tiám Sing / Kid King / Bison Country / Sorry Youth / Shallow Levée / Sheng-Xiang & Band / Amazing Show / Old Cat Agency / Fuguko / The Last Wave / Huang Fei
Recommended Clothing
Short Pants or Skirts / Flip-flop or Sneakers / Hats / Lightweight Jackets / Backpacks and Water / Life Towel (stall-bought) / Sunglasses
The Culture of Night Market in Kaohisung and Pingtung
Come and Enjoy Your First “Siong-tián” Experience
Come to Pier-2 Night Market for Saturday-night dinner. Even some local students/people have no idea of Pier-2 Night Market. Though officially it is called Pier-2 Night Market, local residents say Jiang-kuo Night Market or Under-bridge Night Market. Kaohsiung is a city of night market because lots people have dinner there. Different from iā-tshī, a term spoken in other counties, siong-tián is a more common term in Kaohsiung. In the movie, GF*BF, three protagonists, living in Kaohsiung since childhood, call night market as siong-tián. Besides food, hardware and living necessities are sold in the small night market. Never look down on this Saturday-only night market where some vendors would come. Tourists don’t have to queue here. Isn’t it nice?
Adventures on Bar Street
After a whole day of Megaport Festival, you still need more drinks? Another important part of night life in Yanchengpu is Bar Street. Between the end of the Second World War and Taiwan’s severing ties with America, the Seven naval force of US had been to Zuoying Naval Base. American culture and food had been imported during the decades. Due to the seaport nearby, Yanchengpu has several old bar where customers linger. Though you don’t have a great variety of wines to choose, you can talk to the elderly and a wonderful night.
Bar 🍺
Most pubs are located on Wu-fu 4th Road and Da-yi Street.
Focus Pub / Owl Bar / Oo La La / Oxford Music Bar / 989 Pub / Susan’s Pub
24th March
DAY 2 OF MEGAPORT FESTIVAL
Do you have a so bad hangover that you cannot get up? Behave modest today. (XOXO) Beverages are highly recommended, one of which is milk tea. Kaohsiung has a special culture of milk tea, especially pu-ur milk tea. Since 1982, 樺達 has been one of the most famous milk tea shop. Now, several tea-leaf shops start adding milk to their tea. Xinle Street gradually becomes “the Milk Tea Street”. After the 2019 Chinese New Year, more milk tea shops open. If you are into milk tea, melon tea is another great choice because of its fifteen-hour fried melon and the owner looking like 馮光遠.
Nine Nine Tea House
Sung Yi Milk Tea
Circle Within
La La Fruit Cook
Wu-jia Black Tea
Tea Room
Timetable - 24th March
Is Megabridge Ready?
If you ever came to Megaport Festivals in 2017 and 2018, you might be impressed by the first-generation Megabridge made up of 500 floating buckets. It was torn down after the festival was over. However, an authentic Megabridge has been constructed since September 2018, and is expected to finish by March 2019. This is the first bridge that can rotate and will be for tourists and bikers. Can we meet at this year’s Megafestival? Let’s wait and see.
“The Three-day Megaport Festival comes to an end on Sunday night. Feeling not enough? We will meet again next year. Before leaving Kaohsiung, don’t forget to buy local snacks to those unable to come here. Share your joyfulness with them.”
With souvenir back home, you will be more welcome!
Sapulo: Good Flavor of Fortune Cookie
Ba Tang Honey Cake: the Traditional Castella Cake
San Lang Bread Factory: Buns You Will Never Have Enough
A-mian Mochi (Sticky Rice Cake): Peanut, Red Bean, or Mixed Flavor
Lou Ji Man Tou (Steamed Bread): Self-made Steamed Bread by the Lous