Dragon and Tiger Pagodas: Travel Guide to Taiwan’s most iconic attraction (2023)
Have you ever seen anything quite like this?
If you are travelling around Asia, you are bound to come across countless temples and pagodas - so much so that it’s not uncommon to get a little bored of the sight of them. Fear not however, because if you are venturing to Taiwan any time soon you will encounter a pagoda like no other.
The Tiger and Dragon Pagodas are one of the most unique sights the country has to offer. This travel guide will provide you with all you need to know for planning your visit, and I’ll also be giving away some great photo tips so you can capture some great memories!
What is the Tiger and Dragon Pagodas?
The Tiger and Dragon Pagodas, built in 1976, is a temple consisting of two seven-storey pagoda towers. One tower is dedicated to the ‘dragon’, and the other to the ‘tiger’.
Quite unlike any other temple in the world, the architecture and design of the towers has led to the area becoming a tourist attraction. Due to Taiwan generally being an underrated and under-visited destination, the temple is still an off the beaten track day trip for fellow adventurists!
Where is the Tiger and Dragon Pagodas?
The Tiger and Dragon Pagodas are found in the city of Kaohsiung, in southern Taiwan. The temple is found in the Lotus Pond area of the city. The exact location of the temple can be seen below.
How to get to the Tiger and Dragon Pagoda?
First, you will need to make your way to the city of Kaohsiung. Most visitors will be travelling from Taipei, where you will be able to take advantage of Taiwan’s excellent public transport system.
While the high speed train is the quickest way of travel, tickets can get rather pricey. It’s for this reason that I would recommend travelling by bus. A bus from Taipei Bus Terminal to Kaohsiung costs around $15, and should take around 5 hours.
When you are settled in Kaohsiung City, the easiest way to get to the Tiger and Dragon Pagoda is to take the red line of the metro system to the ‘Ecological District’. From the city centre, this journey should take around 10-15 minutes.
From the metro stop, you then have to walk to the Lotus Pond where you will find the temple. The walk should take around 15 minutes.
After the walk from the train station, you will be greeted with this view!
Where to stay?
Kaohsiung has a reasonable selection of hotels and hostels, so you shouldn’t have too much difficulty getting a room for the night. Prices here are cheaper than in the capital of Taipei, so you could wrangle a private double room for around $20.
Kaohsiung has a fairly extensive metro system, so don’t worry too much about the location of your hotel. You will find that most of them are situated in or around the city centre anyway.
Things to do
The main attraction at Lotus Pond is the Tiger and Dragon Pagoda. It is customary to enter through the dragon side and exit through the tiger, so make sure to get it right or else you will get bad luck!
At the time of writing, the inside of the pagodas are currently getting renovated so you can only view the temple from a distance. Even then, it is still an impressive sight, and you will definitely get some cool pictures!
After you’ve spent enough time at the temple, I’d recommend walking around the remainder of Lotus Pond. There are several other areas of interest, with the pick of the bunch being the Zuoying Yuandi Temple.
Lotus Pond has other attractions too… and they don’t disappoint.
You will notice that the pond is filled with tortoise, so make some time to watch them paddle around the water - the cuteness is on another level.
If you aren’t rushed for time, it would be a good idea to time your visit to Lotus Pond for early morning or late afternoon. Taiwan can get very warm and humid, so it’s best to avoid the hottest temperatures for a more pleasant experience.
Photo Tips
If you do manage to visit the area early in the morning or late afternoon, you will have a higher chance of getting the place to yourself. This will mean you can get pictures like below, without having to photoshop several dozen people out of the frame!
A drone can provide some interesting compositions.
If you have a drone, you can get some nice compositions from above the temple. Use the bridge to the pagodas as a leading line - this will look even better if the walkway isn’t littered with people!
If the weather is on your side, the sunset here can be rather stunning, with the last light bathing the temple in gold. Sadly our sunset experience was a cloudy affair, but hopefully it will be different for you.
The sun setting over the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas…
Final Thoughts
Taiwan as a destination is one of the most underrated I have came across. If you are considering a visit, I’d urge you to book that flight. You will have a great selection of things to do, with one of the quirky highlights being the Dragon and Tiger Pagoda.
Unlike any temple you have seen before, it will be one of the highlights of your trip.
Safe travels everyone!
