Kenting is a national park in Hengchun, Pingtung County, Taiwan. The park is the oldest and southernmost park in Taiwan and was established on January 1, 1984. It is located near Kenting on a bay a short distance from Taiwan's southernmost tip. The park is famous for its coral reef cliffs, and for housing the historical lighthouse of Eluanbi.
The park covers about 181 square kilometers of land, 152 square kilometers of sea, weighing in at 333 square kilometers combined. It is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait. 90 kilometers from the city of Kaohsiung, the park can be easily accessed by road, rail or air.
The landscape boasted by Kenting National Park is divided into two parts by the long and narrow Hengchun Longitudinal Valley Plain that extends from north to south. With coral sea cliffs teemed with fringing reefs along the west coast, the park features a large number of mountains in the north, and coral tablelands and foothills in the south. The plain, which is formed by fault valleys, has a vast lake called Longlyuantan, together with rising coral tablelands and limestone caves to the east. The east side of the coral tablelands features unique sand rivers and sand waterfalls formed by the combined effects of winds and rivers, as well as coral cliffs, sunken caves and stalactites.
Kenting is at the extreme southern tip of Taiwan. It is famous for its beautiful beaches and lush vegetation. Although Kenting National Park is located in Kenting, these two places should not be confused as the same destination. Kenting is the wider area that includes small townships as well as the national park.
The climate of Kenting is hot. During typhoon season, the waves can get quite rough causing all beaches to be closed.
You can get in to Kenting such as; By Bus: Buses travel frequently from Kaohsiung to Kenting. Take the line 88 from the Kaohsiung bus terminal (don't confuse with city buses). The price for a ticket is roughly 350NT$. The transit time from Kaohsiung to Kenting is approximately 2.5 hours, depending upon the general traffic situation. By HSR: Kenting is now relatively accessible via the newly built HSR, or High Speed Rail which connects Taipei with Zuoying, Kaohsiung. The total travel time from Taipei to Kaohsiung via HSR is approximately 2 hours. After arrival in Zuoying, take a taxi to the roadside storefront which services the line 88 bus to Kenting. The line 88 bus to Kenting operates 24 hours/day, so getting back to the HSR on time is no problem. It is advisable to reserve your HSR tickets by telephone if traveling on the weekend. Weekend trains can be easily sold out. By Car: Renting a car is not optimal, but nice if you wish to travel around/within the Kenting area. Having an automobile or renting a scooter in Kenting enables you to travel up and down the entire southern seaboard and visit both public beaches easily.
A motorbike can be rented for 500 TWD/day in Kenting from many different storefronts. Users must show a Taiwan motorbike drivers license and sign a rental contract before being given keys. As Taiwan has a motorbike helmet law, be aware that wearing a helmet is a requirement when operating or riding as a passenger on a motorbike.
You can also pre-arranged a rental car for pick up at the HSR Kaohsiung Zuoying station.
Alphabetical Listings of Hotels in Kenting
RECOMMENDED HOTELS WITH DISCOUNT
ALL RATES DISPLAYED ARE NETT INCLUSIVE OF TAXES AND SERVICE CHARGE
