Pingtung Travel: Trip to Kenting - Sashimi and Beaches

Longpan Park, Kenting

Beginning of Autumn, but the weather is still pretty warm. We went on a short trip to Kenting, which is about a 3-hour drive from our place. It felt tiring to sit in the car for such a long time. We arrived at noon, so our first stop was for lunch. There are two cheap seafood shops, and we chose the one that serves sashimi (40 pieces for only 200NT).

On the first day, we ate at 後壁湖邱家生魚片, and on the following day, we tried 阿興生魚片. Since it was lunchtime, both shops were very busy. Personally, I would recommend the first shop. In the second shop, some of the fish had visible blood, which I didn't really want to eat. Apart from sashimi, we also ordered stir-fried cabbage. Both shops tasted similar, but the second shop served a larger portion of cabbage.

We stayed at 墾丁嵐洋莊園民宿/烤肉/Lanyanginn BBQ. There are several cabins, all separated, so you won't hear any noise from others. They also have a swimming pool suitable for kids. Since it's not the busy season, the price was only 1500NT (3000NT during June - August). There are a pet monkey and duck wandering around, and you can also do scuba diving.

See also: Kenting National Forest Recreation Area

Sashimi at 後壁湖邱家生魚片

On the first day, we went to a small place where people practice diving. It was high tide, so there was no beach, but it was a peaceful place for kids to play. It was quite nice to see no people wearing masks; it felt really normal. When will it no longer be mandatory to wear masks outside? There have been almost no cases for a long time.

On the second day, we went to South Bay (南灣遊憩區), which is always full of people swimming and engaging in other water activities. We had plenty of time, so we also drove to Longpan Park (龍磐公園). On the way, we made stops at Chunfan Stone (船帆石) and Shadao (砂島貝殼砂展示館) - a small museum showcasing shells and coral beaches. There is a beautiful beach here, but it's not open for tourists. Other than that, there isn't much to see here. 

We wanted to visit Jialeshui Fall (佳樂水瀑布), but it required an entrance fee, so we decided to skip it and drove back. Instead of taking the coastal road, we drove through the mountains all the way to Hengchun Town, and then we drove a bit south for our lunch. While waiting in line, we finally received some good news - after a month of waiting, cream cheese arrived in Taiwan. Sadly, the shop informed us that it's still limited and 70% more expensive than before. I don't feel good about raising my prices again, but my costs suddenly increased by 20NT. From Kenting, we drove to Tainan City to buy our cake ingredients and finally returned home. It's so tiring to travel with a kid... We could barely sleep as he kept moving in bed.

See also: Hengchun Town and Eternal Fire

Address:

1. Sashimi Day 1: 946屏東縣恆春鎮大光路79-51號後壁湖邱家生魚片
2. Sashimi Day 2: 946屏東縣恆春鎮大光路8-11號阿興生魚片
3. Accommodation: 946屏東縣恆春鎮南光路5號墾丁嵐洋莊園民宿
4. South Bay: 946屏東縣恆春鎮南灣路223號樂活南灣遊憩區
5. Shadao Shell Beach museum: 946屏東縣恆春鎮砂島路224號砂島貝殼砂展示館
6. Longpan park: 946屏東縣恆春鎮台26線946號

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Pingtung Travel: Black and white - Beaches of Taiwan

Depending on your location in Taiwan, you may come across different types of beaches. Some beaches have brown or black sand, while others have white or golden sand. Some beaches are covered in shells or pebbles. When I think of a beach, I usually envision golden sand and a beautiful blue sea, which is quite different from many beaches in Taiwan. The beaches in Taiwan often have dark sand, frequently covered with various sizes of stones. However, as I have traveled more, I have also discovered many beautiful beaches. Some have lava stones, while others are almost entirely covered with shells and corals, featuring stunning blue water. One such example is Xiaoliuqiu.

Living in Tainan, the nearest beaches with golden sand can be found in Kenting. Even during the coronavirus pandemic, these beaches are crowded with people on weekends.

Black sand beaches are formed by the erosion of volcanic rock. As the eroded rock is carried towards the ocean, it breaks up into small sediments by the time it reaches the water. Most of the beaches along the west coast of Taiwan, as well as some beaches in Yilan, have dark sand.

Pebble beaches consist mainly or entirely of pebbles. They form when pebbles transported by ocean currents are deposited on the shore by high-energy waves. These beaches are also known as shingle beaches, and they are popular among rock collectors due to the decorative and unique nature of the pebbles.

Boulder beaches are characterized by large boulders that cover the shorelines. The size of the boulders can range from tiny pebbles to massive boulders the size of houses.

Another type of beach is the one with white or golden sand, which is commonly found on the north coast and in the south, such as in Kenting and on Taiwan's islands.

Seashell beaches are composed mostly or entirely of seashells. These shells come from deceased animals like crabs, snails, and other mollusks and crustaceans. They are often washed up on the shore by the waves. The percentage of shells on these beaches can vary from 40% to even 100%. There is one beach in Taiwan with 96% shells, but it is prohibited to enter.

See also: Kenting National Park 

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Pingtung Travel: Kenting National Forest Recreation Area

Unfortunately, some places here were closed for renovation, such as Fairy Cave and the Viewing Tower, but it was still a very nice experience. It took us 2 hours to visit all the accessible places. There is a huge area planted with different plants, such as palms or cacti. Among the gardens, there is also a small stalagmite cave, which can only be seen from a platform. The park consists of forests and coral rocks that used to be underwater thousands of years ago. Some of those rocks are really tall. It is interesting to just walk around, even though apart from rocks and trees, there was nothing else to see. It's a shame that the caves were closed this time.

Kenting National Forest Recreation Area (墾丁國家森林遊樂區) 

Kenting National Forest Recreation Area is located at the top of Hengchun Township, Pingtung County. This area was originally inhabited by the Paiwan tribe and was formerly called "Jiayajiao". Under the consideration of academic research and education, the Forestry Bureau rebuilt it into a scenic area with a southern flavor. The Forestry Bureau Kenting Forest Recreation Area was established in 1968 and was later renamed the Kenting National Forest Recreation Area. In 1984, the Construction Department of the Ministry of the Interior planned to establish the Kenting National Park, which included the Kenting National Forest Recreation Area and expanded to other scenic areas on the Hengchun Peninsula.

The area is situated 200-300 meters above sea level, with a total area of 435 hectares, accounting for 2.5% of the total land area of the National Park. Currently, 76 hectares have been developed. The entire area is filled with uplifted coral reef rocks formed by the deposits of coral skeletons, shellfish remains, and seaweed. Therefore, this area undoubtedly belonged to the seafloor several thousand years ago.

During the Japanese rule, 513 species of tropical plants were introduced, and the restoration work was carried out by the Hengchun Branch of the Provincial Forestry Research Institute, which is now called the "Kenting Tropical Botanical Garden." There are more than 1,200 types of plants, divided into areas for coconuts, oil, rubber, medicinal plants, tropical fruit trees, and more. The dense shades, red flowers, and green leaves complement each other, creating a stunning landscape. There are 17 tour bases divided into the first and second tour areas. Among them, the silver leaves of Bangan, Xiandong, Guanhailou, and Ronggu Valley are most appreciated by tourists. The silver-white color of the leaves is over 400 years old. Due to growing in a tropical humid and rainy environment, the roots grow upward in a plate shape to provide support and breathing.

The Banyan Valley is peaceful, and huge white banyan roots hang down from the valley wall, creating a spectacular sight.

There are natural limestone caves with stalagmites and stalactites that have formed over thousands of years due to the condensation of calcium carbonate dissolved in groundwater. They are the country's most precious natural treasures. We were able to see only one small stalagmite cave, as entrance to the others was prohibited.

The Fairy Cave is 137 meters long, and various scenes inside the cave are formed by condensed stalactites. Unfortunately, when we went there at the end of November, the cave was closed for renovation until December 4. Similarly, the Viewing the Sea Tower, which offers a good view overlooking the southernmost tip of Taiwan's main island and Lanyu in the Pacific Ocean, was also closed at that time.

Dajianshan is one of the landmarks of Kenting. It's a large rock raised on the grassland and is the highest point in the Kenting Peninsula area. To access Dajianshan, one must enter through the gate of the Kenting National Forest Recreation Area, cross the Kenting Ranch, and climb ropes along the ridge line. From the mountain top, there is a beautiful landscape overlooking the Hengchun Peninsula.

See also: Kenting National Park

Address:

946屏東縣恆春鎮公園路201號墾丁國家森林遊樂區

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