Kenting Travel Guide 墾丁懶人包 – The Best Beaches in Taiwan

Historical Background:

The area around the Hengchun Peninsula was once coral that has been uplifted over millions of years. The first people to live here were Taiwan aboriginals, from the Paiwan and Puyuma tribes (who caused the Rover Incident as portrayed in Seqalu: Formosa 1867). 
Kenting was first settled by Han farmers and fishermen during the Qing Dynasty. The word Kenting comes from two words that mean cultivate (ken3 墾) and strong man (丁 ding1). During that time, a group of strong men (or Zhuang Ding 壯丁) came from Guangdong, who were basically Chinese pioneers of the area to cultivate the land, hence the area was named Kenting for them. The aboriginal people were mostly assimilated with the local Chinese population. 
The area was considered to be made into a park during the Japanese occupation due to it being the only tropical location in the Japanese Empire but was never officially created.
During the Japanese era, Nanwan was used as a whaling area and there were a few fishing villages here. The Whaling industry continued here in the ROC era until the international ban on whaling in 1986.
Kenting National Park was established in 1984 as the first national park in Taiwan after WWII.
Kenting became a major vacation spot, becoming a center for hostels and hotels for travelers. 
Kenting is considered by many to have the best beaches in Taiwan. This is because of its fine white sand and year-round warm temperatures and sunshine (it is in the tropical part of Taiwan after all). 

When to go:

Summer is the best time to go because there is warm sunny weather and not a lot of wind. However, there are more people and there may be Typhoons. 
Winters are windy and colder, but the water is still warm enough to swim in. Winter is a better time for activities like hiking and surfing.

Where to stay:

Looking for a hotel? Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
I have stayed at many hostels and hotels in Pingtung, and even almost bought a house here. Some places that I have stayed at and can recommend are Nanwan Kiki (book on Agoda here or Booking.com here), a B&B next to Nanwan Bay, Kenting’s most popular Beach. There are also a few decent hotels near Kenting Street Night Market like Kenting Star Inn 888 (book on Agoda here, Klook here, or Booking.com here), or Kenting Dajianshan Hotel (book on Agoda here or Booking.com here). You will notice that none of these hotels are five-star resorts (I do not come to Kenting to waste my time at a resort, but you can still search Agoda, Booking.com, or Klook here for those) but they are in my opinion the above have the best value for the money. 

How to get there:

By Car/Scooter: Take Provincial Highway 1 south to the bottom of Taiwan until it becomes Provincial Highway 26. After that keep going past Hengchun into Kenting National Park. 
Looking for a scooter rental in Kenting? Click here or here to search for options.
You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. 
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or  KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.  ​
By Bus: You can reach Mudan from Pingtung Bus 1773, but it will take over three hours. You can book tickets to Kaohsiung via high speed rail (HSR)  on Klook here or KKDay here, or book tickets via the normal train (TRA)  on Klook here. You can book tickets to travel to Pingtung via inter-city bus on Klook here. 
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. 

How to get around in Kenting:

1. Rent a scooter – the best way to see Taiwan. Electric scooters that do not require a license are also readily available. For better range and speed, rent a gas scooter. You can search for scooter options here or here, and you can check out our scooter rental guide here. 
2. Rent a car – more expensive than a scooter but may be more suitable for a large family. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or  KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.  
3. Take the Kenting bus – cheap but slower than your own transportation, and it doesn’t stop everywhere. You can book tickets to travel to Kenting via inter-city bus on Klook here. 
4. Cycle – you can rent a bicycle or bring your own. This is a great way to enjoy the scenery at a slower pace. You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. 
5. Hire a taxi – more expensive than a rental car but perhaps more convenient. You can also search for a car charter service here or here. 

Tours and Activities in Kenting:

There are many activities available in Kenting, such as snorkeling, diving, SUPing, surfing, submarine riding, and river tracing. 
You can find more tours of Kenting on Klook here or KKday here. 

Map of sites in this blog:

Drone Video:

For an overview of Kenting, check out our drone video below:

Okay, let’s get this guide started, going clockwise from Zhenan Temple.

Checheng Zhenan Temple 車城鄉統埔村鎮安宮

Checheng Zhenan Temple is an important place for Taiwanese folk religion and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Checheng Township of Pingtung. It is dedicated to Guanyu, a deified military general from the Eastern Han Dynasty of China. It is the most prominent landmark on Highway 199 from Taitung to Pingtung…(read more)

Haikou Harbor Art Gallery 海口港美術館

A-lei Solo Exhibition (春江獸月夜) of a monster leaning onto the Haikou Harbor Art Gallery in Checheng, Pingtung. This was the first exhibition after the gallery’s renovation, reopening as the only glass-walled art gallery with an ocean view in Taiwan. 

National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium 國立海洋生物博物館

The National Biology Museum and Aquarium in Pingtung is the best Aquarium in Taiwan and one of the best aquariums in Asia. It includes beluga whales, sharks, rays, penguins, and much more. It is a must see stop on your trip to Taiwan…(read more) You can book discount tickets to the National Biology Museum and Aquarium on Klook here or KKday here. 
You can also sleep over night here for a fee. 

Golden Shores 黃金海岸

Kenting’s Golden Coast is on the northwest side of the peninsula, where you can get the beach all to yourself. If you feel that lack of people is the defining criterion that makes a great beach, then this is the place for you. Renting a scooter? You can search for scooter options here or here, and you can check out our scooter rental guide here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kenting Beach (Dawan) 墾丁海水浴場 (大灣)

 

 

 

Lovers Beach is a small secret beach behind the Youth Activity Center in Kenting. It is small but usually free of crowds, and has calm, clear water. If you have time, you should check out this secret beach paradise…(read more)

Frog Rock 青蛙石

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manzhou Beach is a small sandy beach on the southeast coast of Kenting National Park. It features gold sand and warm year-round temperatures. Seasonal winds also mean there are usually waves here to surf on. Due to its remote location and lack of facilities, usually it is devoid of people…(read more)

 

Gangkou Suspension Bridge 港口吊橋

 

 

 

 

Shihmen Ancient Battlefield 石門古戰場

Shimen Ancient Battlefield (aka Shimen Historic Battlefield Macacukes 石門古戰場) in Mudan Township of Pingtung is where local Paiwan indigenous people fought a Japanese invading force in the aftermath of the Mudan Incident. Here the Paiwan people were able to stall the Japanese advance but were ultimately defeated and agreed to stop attacking shipwrecked ships. This spot along the river played an important part in Taiwan’s history and is also important for the local Paiwan people who still live there. Now you can enjoy the natural scenery, historical markers, and hiking trails nearby…(read more)

Nanren Fishing Harbor 南仁魚港

Nanren Fishing Harbor is known as the loneliest fishing harbor in Taiwan. It lies at the dead end of Nanren Road at the northern end of Kenting National Park, the end of the road along the east coast between it and Jialeshui. Here you can find pristine landscapes, an amazing shoreline, and more cows than people…(read more) ​

Houwan Beach 後灣沙灘

Houwan Beach in Kenting is a small beach near the Aquarium. It features a short yellow sandy beach, as well as clear water that is relatively warm year-round. In addition, the beach has sunshine for most of the year. Popular activities include surfing, swimming, and sunbathing. It has everything you would want from a Kenting beach but it is smaller and there are fewer people than on other beaches…(read more) 

Hengchun Airport 恆春機場

Hengchun Airport (also known as Kenting Airport or HCN) has had no commercial flights in the past 10 years due to strong katabatic crosswinds coming down from the mountains. Now it just sits there in the middle of Hengchun (near Kenting), a giant waste of taxpayer money. Do not go there…(read more)

Mudan Reservoir 牡丹水庫

Mudan Reservoir is an important water source for the Hengchun Peninsula. It includes a large spillway, and the aboriginal village of Mudan lies at the bottom of its dam. It is a beautiful part of Kenting that is definitely worth a visit…(read more) 

This concludes our guide to Kenting, but we will be updating this guide soon!
Things we missed:
Riding ATVs (four-wheeling) on the beach
Go Karting
Ziplining
Glamping
Bodyboarding 
Paintballing
Kayaking 
Canoeing 
Small Fennel Villa SPA
Paradise of Deer
Paradise of Capybara
There are many many more places to eat, explore, and relax in Kenting. Go explore Kenting for yourself!
You can also check out our full guide to Pingtung County here.

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.