After waking up one morning with the overwhelming desire to explore, we made the spontaneous decision to take a day trip to the southern tip of Taiwan. We packed up the car with water and camera gear and headed out! While I do think we could’ve spent at least one more day there, we were able to see most of the area in just a few hours and it was well worth the long travel day. To see the full Kenting Gallery, click here!
Here’s our quick guide to a Kenting day-trip:
HOW TO GET THERE
- I highly recommend renting a car to explore this area, especially if you’re only there for the day. While you can see most of the area in a few hours, most of the landmarks are at least a few miles away from each other. This makes getting around on foot very time consuming and tiring. Renting a car also makes your trip much more flexible, as you can leave the area as late or early as you desire! However, if you do decide to rent a car, you’ll probably have to pay for parking multiple times throughout the day. We parked in three different areas and ended up paying about $200NTD ($7USD).
- If a rental car is out of the question, here is a guide to the bus service from the Kaohsiung HSR Station. It’s relatively easy and takes two hours (about the same time as driving). There’s also a bus that can take you around the area for only $5USD/day.
WHAT TO DO
WHITE SAND BAY
The trip to Kenting is worth it for the ocean views alone. The drive from Kaohsiung is absolutely breathtaking as the city turns to countryside and then turns to views of the rugged coastline. Luckily, there are many pull off points where cars can pull over to snap a picture. The area has a ton of beaches, but the most famous is Kenting Beach. However, we heard of another less crowded beach a little bit down the coast called White Sand Bay, so we decided to get a little off the beaten path and head down there!
With its white sands, interesting rock formations, and beautiful, perfect-temperature waters, it was definitely one of the most beautiful beaches I’d ever been to. Whether you want to brave a banana boat, lay in the sun, or just sip on a fresh coconut in the shade, this beach has something for you! The beach is also so large that, despite there being a decent crowd, it felt very empty.
ELUANBI LIGHTHOUSE
Also known as the “Light of East Asia”, Eluanbi Lighthouse is located at the southernmost point of Taiwan. It was first constructed in 1883 to guide ships through the ocean’s strong currents and dangerous reefs. Ironically, it also ended up needing protection, as it underwent multiple attacks and bombings through the years. However, it has persevered! Today, the lighthouse and surrounding area acts as a museum and preserve.
Along with the very impressive lighthouse, the area offers multiple well-maintained lookouts points that offer amazing views of the surrounding ocean. There are also many impressive rock formations including caves, tide pools, and the famous “kissing rocks”. You can also follow a path in the area to reach the actual southernmost tip of Taiwan.
We were a bit surprised by the $60NTD ($2USD) entrance fee to the park, but it was well worth it!
EAT SOME URN CHICKEN
The area offers two night markets, Kenting and Hengchun. Here you can find a wide selection of regional goodies. However, we decided to stop on the way back to Kaohsiung instead and had one of my favorite meals in Taiwan so far (which is saying A LOT). Loosely translated as “Urn Chicken”, 甕仔雞 is the process by which the chicken is quickly baked in an urn shaped container, ripped apart by the cook, and laid out across a plate alongside a broth. There are many such restaurants on the way from Kaohsiung to Kenting, but we stopped at this little place and I highly recommend! Three of us split an entire chicken and three orders of noodles for about $230NTD ($8USD) per person.