It was cut off from the mainland, however, when a new entrance to the harbor was constructed, and is now connected to Kaohsiung proper by a ferry service. Chichin was the first district to be developed in the Kaohsiung area.
沙洲北端的旗後山，與對岸打鼓山（即壽山）相望，共扼高雄的第一港口。沙洲南端原與小港區海豐村相連，民國六十四年因開闢第二港口而被切斷，旗津成為離島，在行政區上，仍隸屬高雄市。