If you're holidaying in the Kenting area and want to go snorkelling, you have two options - pay local companies to provide you with equipment and take you directly to a suitable spot, or try it yourself. Then the perfect place is the bay just outside Houbihou harbour (link below). You'll never be alone here and it gets quite crowded in the afternoon, but it's still worth it. You'll find several small sandy beaches and clear water with a really big variety of fauna. Jumping off the rock formations into the deep clear pools is also a big attraction for children. Pack your snorkelling gear along with snacks and plenty of water, parking is free and space is plentiful.
Taiwan's first national park is definitely worth a visit. Even in competition with a bunch of beaches. The park, in the hills just outside Kenting, is large enough to accommodate plenty of visitors. For those lucky enough, you might be rewarded with a sighting of a troop of macaques, in any case, you'll come across a greenhouse with plenty of succulents, walk through a cave, and enjoy the ocean views from several lookouts. The trails are easy and doable in any weather. Food can be purchased on site, and there is an entrance fee to the park.
Eluanbi Park, with its main landmark - the white lighthouse - is another nice place to enjoy travelling around the very south of the island. Expect more visitors not only on weekends but also on weekdays. There is an entrance fee. Souvenirs, snacks and sweets are available from the ample selection outside the main entrance.
Probably the best swimming on the whole island can be enjoyed at Baishawan beach (in the photos), a large sandy beach with a gradual access to the sea, a calm lifeguard who doesn't even have a whistle and the possibility to rent a large umbrella and a set of plastic chairs for 300,- TWD per day. For those interested, inflatable boat rides are also available.
Other beaches in the area - a small beach just at the eastern end of Kenting. Always crowded due to the restaurant and proximity to the hotel complex. The advantage of this spot, sandwiched by two rocks, is that in the event of strong winds, in our experience, it closes the entrance to the sea until it is the last one in the wide area. Significantly larger but again more exposed to the wind is also a nice sandy beach with gradual access to the water found just a few kilometres further east - on Chuanfan Rd. The last beach worth mentioning is also the popular South Bay. Apart from the pleasant swimming, its undeniable advantage is its proximity to the Pizza Rock restaurant!
Sichongxi Village near Checheng Township offers multiple ways to enjoy the hot spring. Here you will find a public spa with parking and then a number of smaller guesthouses with their own spa. One of them - Small Fennel Villa - with a mixed outdoor spa. You probably won't be overwhelmed by the size, but there's still plenty of room for a nice rest. Hot Spring Park is also frequently visited. The choice of restaurants isn't great, but you'll always end up eating well on the main street. As well as your own car, you can also get to Sichongxi by bus directly from Kenting - the journey takes about an hour.
See the eternally burning flames rising from the ground near Chuhuo near Hengchun (946, Pingtung County, Hengchun Township). It's best to plan your visit after sunset. Just be aware that the trail from the parking lot is not lighted, so a flashlight or a well-charged phone is a must. There are no refreshments on site. Worth seeing if you are already in the area.
Cikong Waterfall does not stand out from the hundreds and hundreds of other waterfalls in Taiwan. The little difference is that you can climb next to the waterfall on outstretched ropes. From the parking lot, the waterfall can be reached on foot in about twenty minutes. You won't get refreshments here, and you may well not meet other tourists. A nice quiet place. No. 7之5號, Doulu Rd, Manzhou Township, Pingtung County, 947
Well-restored parts of the original fortifications, including the four city gates, await you in the unjustly neglected town of Hengchun. You can safely walk along the walls that once protected the town from the East Gate. The more photogenic and better known South Gate is a bit unfortunately right in the middle of the roundabout. There are an unusual number of go-kart tracks around Hengchun, more for those over 150cm. With a bit of searching, however, you'll also find tracks that allow smaller children to ride. Other places of interest: Paradise of deer Ecopark, the night market or perhaps the Kitchen Swell restaurant and of course our favourite cake shop Café 85°.
Definitely one of the best places to visit in the south of the island. Set aside plenty of time because you can easily spend the whole day here. The vast complex divided into several parts will bring you new and unique experiences - walking through the Underwater Tunnel in the Coral Kingdom Pavilion, watching the fish feeding by diver are some of them. For children there is a small playground with marine themes. You'll definitely enjoy the food at the local restaurant, you just might have to wait for a table. In the high season it is more than crowded. The museum also offers the possibility to spend the night right next to the aquariums, but we haven't tried that. It could be interesting. Address: No. 2 Houwan Rd., Checheng Township, Pingtung County, 944.
Another day trip is directly offered about 20 km from Pingtung. Between Majia Township and Sandimen Township, you will find the extraordinarily large Taiwan Indigenous Culture Park, where the buildings of 16 indigenous Taiwanese tribes are beautifully landscaped and subtly placed in the area. In addition, there are plenty of other activities based on indigenous life in the park, which you can ride buses back and forth through - a giant swing, archery (for some mysterious reason, only children 12 and older can shoot at the target with the picture of an animal??!!), indigenous children's games, exhibitions and, several times a day in the indoor hall, performances by indigenous dance groups. The interiors of the modern buildings in the park were undergoing renovations during our visit (December 2021) and thus there was no restaurant on site, and the options for purchasing refreshments were very limited. There is an entrance fee to the park. If you still have enough energy after your visit, you can still walk across the Shan-Chuan Glass Suspension Bridge not far from the parking lot, which seems endless as you walk. There is a separate entrance fee here as well.
The center of the Rukai tribe is a fascinating showcase of indigenous culture - from the architecture of contemporary dwellings and their decoration to the display of everyday objects and weapons in the pleasent museum. If you're lucky, you'll be guided through the museum by a young lady from the Rukai tribe who speaks perfect English. The area is also known for its beautiful scenery and deep forests. Just make sure you find out the conditions for entering the area beforehand. Entry is only possible with a mountaint permit. The owner of our accommodation arranged it in advance and took care of everything we needed. 100% recommended.
