Gay Guide to Kaohsiung
Taiwan made history in 2019 as the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, and that milestone reverberates well beyond Taipei. Kaohsiung, the country's sun-washed southern port city, backs up the capital with a smaller but genuinely lively scene.
The nightlife concentrates in a compact gay area near the harbor, home to bars, clubs, and drag venues, anchored by the city's main gay club. As across Taiwan, the atmosphere is open and relaxed, the product of one of Asia's most progressive legal climates and a vibrant civil society.
Kaohsiung pairs its waterfront redevelopment, night markets, and laid-back southern warmth with a community that shares in Taiwan's landmark rights.
Kaohsiung Pride has marched each autumn since 2009, the biggest LGBTQ+ event in the south of an island that leads the region.