Jul 17

Exploring Taiwan's Southernmost Point: Kenting

Kenting National Park is an often overlooked destination by tourists traveling to Taiwan. Located at the southern tip of Taiwan, it has stunning white-sand beaches, caves, coral reefs, mountains, and so much more. Kenting is an amazing place to visit for those looking to have a nice beach vacation.

I visited Kenting with no plan and no itinerary. In fact, the only reason why I visited this place was because I met up with a traveler in Hualien who spoke very highly of it. After visiting it, I can understand him now. It has one of the prettiest views in all of Taiwan. When planning your next trip to Taiwan, make sure to pay Kenting a visit.

When to Visit

The best times to visit Kenting are from March to May and October to November. These months offer the best weather as it is warm but not extremely hot so that you can enjoy all of the outside activities. I visited during May and I thought the weather was really good.

How to Get Here

If you are using public transportation, which I highly recommend, you will need to take a train and a bus but don’t worry. It is super easy!

First of all, to use Taiwan’s public transportation system you need a transportation card that can be bought at any convenience store. Once you have that, you will go to your nearest train station to start your journey. I highly encourage you to download the Google Maps app as you will see the route and timetables.

From Taipei, it takes around 4.5 hours to get to Kenting National Park and costs around 1,800 NTD, which is $55 USD. This includes both a high-speed train ticket and a bus ticket.

Where to Stay

I stayed in an Airbnb near the Kenting Night Market. I am unable to find the name of my accommodation, but there are countless options in that area ranging from hostels to hotels. I highly recommend staying in this area as you will have access to local foods at an affordable price, bars, and fun fair games to play!

How to Move Around

To make the most of your time here, I recommend renting a vehicle. There is public transportation, but it will take you a really long time to get from place to place and see everything you want to.

There are several options: an electric, motorbike, or car. With an electric bike, you can drive around Kenting but do keep an eye on your battery level because when it is low you will have to go back to the shop to get a new battery. Also, you won’t be able to go at high speeds when driving.

I rented a motorbike for a day and I found that to be the best option! It allowed me to go see all the places I wanted to and I did not use the whole tank.

Important: To rent any motor vehicle in Taiwan, you need to have an International Driver’s License. If you do not have one, you will only be able to rent an electric bike.

How Long to Stay There

When I visited Kenting last year for the first time, I stayed there for 3 days (only one full day), but I wished I had stayed longer. If you have time, I recommend staying here for at least 4 days if not more! There is much to do here from chilling by the beach, hiking at the national park, and driving around sightseeing.

Things to do in Kenting:

1.Paradise of deer

If you are an animal lover, you’ll love this! I stumbled across this small zoo while driving around Kenting and loved my time there. This small zoo has a capybara and deer petting zones! Admission is free but if you want to touch and feed the animals, you need to pay 250 NTD for a ticket. This includes food for the animals. There’s also a café and a store selling cute souvenirs.

2. Small Beach

Small Bech is perfect to visit at any time of the day. During the day, you’ll be able to swim in its turquoise waters and snorkel through its beautiful coral reefs. There are beach umbrellas available for rent. In the evening, you can enjoy the sunset whilst drinking and/or eating at one of the restaurants.

3. Eluanbi Lighthouse

Located near the southernmost tip of Taiwan, Eluanbi Lighthouse gives its visitors a stunning view of the sea. There is a small fee of 60 NTD which is less than $2 USD. You can walk around the surrounding area and learn more about the lighthouse’s fascinating history!

4. Southernmost Tip

If you do not want to pay the lighthouse fee, I recommend that you visit the Southernmost Tip of Taiwan. If you type this on Google Maps, you’ll get the directions to get there. Once you arrive, you’ll have to park your vehicle at the top of the hill (you’ll have to pay a parking fee) and walk down to the starting point. You’ll walk through a clear path surrounded by trees. The walk is around 7 minutes and everything is well labeled. You can’t get in the water but you can admire the beautiful rocks and the sea.

After traveling in Taiwan for so long, it felt surreal to be there. Definitely one of the highlights of my trip. I highly recommend it!

5. Fengchuisha

As I was driving along the coast of Kenting, I stumbled across Fengchuisha and I am not exaggerating when I said that it took my breath away. After backpacking Asia for 5 months I did not think that I would have another mindblown moment.

There is a parking area nearby free of cost where you can leave your vehicle. You will walk around 3 minutes on a woodwalk before arriving. Here, you’ll find a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean. If you look closely, you’ll also see wild monkeys on the side of the cliff!

Wild monkeys in Kenting, Taiwan — Wild monkeys in Kenting

If your time in Kenting is limited, I highly recommend making Fengchuisha a priority!

6. Kenting Night Market

Kenting Night Market offers a bit of everything without the big crowds and that is why I liked it so much. It has lots of street vendors selling everything from local cuisines to quirky souvenirs. As all night markets around Taiwan do, Kenting Night Market also has a section dedicated to state fair games that are so much to play! Even if you are traveling solo (like I was) I encourage you to play at least one game. You’ll thank me later. If street food is not your thing, you’ll also find lots of restaurants, bars, and a McDonald’s.

7. Driving around Manzhou Township

Because I had no plan and itinerary for my time in Kenting, I hopped on the road and just followed it. As cliché as that sounds, it was the best thing I could have done. Driving around Manzhou Township had me in awe of the beautiful scenery.

8. Grab Local Ice Cream by Ocean Day by Day Hotel

After a long day of driving around Kenting, I recommend stopping by to get local ice cream. There is a swing on a tree overlooking the sea. It was stunning and extremely peaceful.

9. Shadao Ecological Reserve

Despite not being able to swim on this beach, it is still a really nice place to visit. It’s a nice rest spot to admire the beach and the coral reefs!

10. Kenting National Forest Recreation Area

Due to my limited time in Kenting, I was not able to go hiking, but I’ll for sure do it next time! Aside from the stunning beaches, Kenting offers nature lovers an incredible hike with amazing views. You’ll see lots of animals (such as monkeys and bats) in the wild and enjoy its flora and fauna. The admission ticket to the park is 165 NTD, which is around $5 USD.

Kenting is often overlooked by many tourists visiting Taiwan. It has such stunning views and amazing beaches that you’ll fall in love with and will want to return after you leave. I hope that this guide helps you plan your trip to Kenting and make the most out of your time there! If you are traveling around Taiwan, make sure to read my other blog posts.