Taiwan

Liugui Township in Kaohsiung county, Southern Taiwan

In Kaohsiung county due to recent typhoons and landslides, traveling is quite limited, many roads are still destroyed, and many people in Taiwan avoid those areas now. However, for me, in love with southern Taiwan, it's hard to resist not to go over those mountain roads again. This time I want to show a bit of small mountain city called Liugui Township (六龜鄉) - it's no information in internet at all about it, and I want to fill this gap. Living here is really dangerous, as the risk of landslides are high, and the discussion whether people should go away from here still remains harsh in Taiwan. Now, in winter, when typhoon season is over, all here looks calm and silent, however, reminders of harsh summer typhoons and landslides are seen everywhere:

You can just imagine the power of raging river and what was happening here just a few month ago.
Mountains all around here looks somewhat like this:

 

 

All of them now have such a yellow sand sides, can see where the landslides were, and many of them lost their beautiful green trees cover, and now look like old, bald men standing lonely there.

Such a houses like the one above are at the highest risk to be washed away at next flood and typhoon. And there any many of them, and people prefer stay - would you like to move away from your own home?

Road goes up and up bringing us more to the middle of Kaohsiung county.

If you do not concentrate on the typhoon and landslides, views in Southern Taiwan is as breathtaking as usually.

It's fresh, just rebuilt road - and I hope this time it won't be damaged again so soon.

Luigui (Six Turtles) township itself if calm, rural southern Taiwan township with it's own 7ELEVEN, school, police and all other facilities you will find in any place in Taiwan.

Shops try survive here mostly hoping on passing traffic up to the mountains - to Baolai hotspring area. 

 

One of the most amazing things in Taiwan is the people - they live everywhere - you could drive the smallest road in most remote are - and still, you will find people sitting like this, and socializing. 

Luigui School - another thing I like in Taiwan - no matter how small is the township - school will be big enough and good building. Education is important.

Taiwan people like to do business - no matter, where and what - but you will always find someone selling something in most unexpected places.

 

If you really happen one day to be in Luigui - stop by to eat in this restaurant - it's common in Taiwan that not bright at all walls does not means that food is terrific and tasty. Local drink stand suggested us to try this, and it was really a good place.

It's as usually a family owned restaurant as most of such places in small cities in Taiwan.

Feeling of real Taiwan - it's how most of small family owned restaurants in rural areas look like.

 

Green vegetable is always present dish

炒麵 - fried noodles

蛤仔湯 - Clam soup

Nuts, pork and garlic offers really special flavor - very delicious

烤鮭魚 - Grilled salmon

In case you need directions:
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Place to stop on your way to Kenting

It's not yet even Hengchun yet, but's where the road already goes near the sea and you already can start enjoy gorgeous views of South Taiwan seaside. While it maybe be interesting to look at this from a window of your car, here I want to suggest a good place to stop - and drink tea, coffee or juice - whatever you like. It's somewhere after Fangshan, when you slow down your speed...


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... and stop until you see those flags:





Ping E road here is really breathtaking - one side it's mountain view, and another side - sea.



Simple chairs, and tables, and this tent barely will save you from rain - but hey, are you traveling to Kenting to see Hilton president suite class furniture?



Isn't that Southern Taiwan's romantic after all?



Sit by on any of those chairs...



... and try this unexpectedly fresh and high quality coffee - really it's not just a brown color water a-la 7ELEVEN - host's of this small coffee shop are proud of their coffee.

Kenting nightmarket revisited - more pictures and comments

Kenting nightmarket is located on central road - Kenting road in a heart of Kenting. It is not in Nanwan at all, so in case you stay in Nanwan area (also featured in my blog), then you need go more down Kenting road to get to the night market. Here is a google sattelite image of Kenting nightmarket.


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Nightmarkets ends somewhere at Ceaser Hotel, so it's about 30 minutes for slow walk through in one direction, and then back.



Weekends and public holidays it's going to be extremely crowded, especially in summer. Come in winter, or weekdays and you will get less people, but then also there will be less merchants in nightmarket.



Amy's Cucina - left side here. Quite a famous place in Kenting, specializing for Italy cuisine, if you like pizzas, mozarrelas and the like. Usually crowded and if you really want to have a dinner here better reserve a table before. Right side one of numerous surf and beach items shop.



Almost all houses on Kenting street at first floor have a shop or restaurant, while second and third floor is homestay or small hotel. Of course 99 % of revenues are earned at weekends and holidays. Come weekdays and you can bargain very low price here.



Like in all nightmarkets in Taiwan kids entertainment are present also here.



Juicy BBQ and fried meat.



7ELEVEN, HIGH LIFE and Family Mart - all are on Kenting rd, and by words from locals - their revenue in weekends are huge, if not fantastic.



If you want to have such small table everywhere on a street - price per night (!) is NTD 1000,- (paid to the house owner in front of which you stand) and this does not includes a fee to be paid to police for allowing you stand and sell something on street. But it pays off as merchants say, and even if you want, you hardly can get a place in most busy places in Kenting nightmarket.





Merchants use various ways to attract customers attention to their product. Somewhere near Ceasar Park Hotel there is bar in truck as well.



Shop rental price in Kenting is fantastic, so I still can not understand - do they really make profit selling such cheap bath shoes here? Bigger hotels in Kenting give them away for free.







Sign says something like - students choice - pay for food and get rice as much you want for free. Budgetary restaurant.



If you choose to stay in those hotels, prepare for a noise for all night.



Thai cuisine for some reason is quite popular in Kenting. This restaurant also claims to have it.



If you think that it's much people here, then come at dragon boat festival or any longer holidays. It's not much people for Kenting night market at all.



Guava fruit.



If you decide that you need a tattoo right now and here - you are welcome.



It should not be permanent of course...







Some kind of tofu here

This dog lives on a table here



More BBQ



Although you may feel like participating in Fear Factor show, however, those spiral shells (螺) can be delicious.





People, food and homestays - that's basically what Kenting road is.





One of things special to Kenting is a colorful clothes - skirts, shirts, shorts and alike. mostly made in thailand.



Typical situation to Kenting - first floor restaurant and then hotel at the second.



Traditional ice cream restaurant. Interest place, as it's allowed to write on walls here anything you want.





Really, most are hotels





As already mentioned above - much clothes shops here sells Hawaii style shorts with palms and sunflowers.



If tattoo is not what you want, this woman can make a painting - basically your name in chinese style.



Sea food restaurant



Another sea food restaurant



And that's a pub with loud music, DJ and dance floor.



And you thought there is no McDonalds, KFC or Starbucks? Think again



LuWei.

Dapu - rural township in Chiayi county and Siraya National Scenic Area

Dapu (大埔鄉) is a rural township in Chiayi county. Mostly it's famous for nearby located Siraya National Scenic Area (西拉雅國家風景區), and Zhengwun reservoir. And - what's not mentioned in tourist guides - in this area specific flower can be found which according to traditional chinese medicine can be used in case of cancer. Our friends decided go there just because of this flower, and we joined the trip.
  

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Dapu in fact looks like any other small sleepy rural township in southern taiwan, except the fish restaurants densely scattered over small streets. You can see such fish signs everywhere in Dapu, it's a close proximity of reservoirs, which allows local people to do this business. Before going Siraya Scenic area, you can stop by and have a lunch in one of the restaurants.



Notice the elections advertisement right side on a pole. At the time I took the photo campaigns are heating up, and such photos are sticked at every possible places - even a smallest mountainous roads will have some face sticked to anything where it is possible to stick. Note also, how this guy keeps the hands - it's a traditional gesture for almost everyone on those advertisements. It means bai tuo bai tuo - please please.



Abandoned old house is a good place to park motorbikes.



Taiwan sometimes really is contrast country. You will and always meet those terrible driving style blue trucks along the island, but such a painting?



One of those restaurants are cooking fish just on a road:





Interior also is pretty common for small rural restaurants - round tables, easy chairs and big painting on a wall.



When you go to Siraya Scenic area, go check in at visitor center - entrance fee should be paid.



Small exhibition here - painted rocks.



Ask host to offer you their special Taiwan coffee - it's really fresh and good, and they are really proud of it and will be happy to offer it to try.



Zhengwun reservoir.



The Siraya National Scenic Area is located at the crossroads of Tainan County's Jianan Plain and the western mountains.



Because this extensive area connects high mountains with a plain, there are many intersecting streams and rivers. These result in great varieties of different landforms, creating a landscape that includes natural waterfalls and cliff-side springs.



The Siraya National Scenic Area is a major farm produce area. A large variety of fruits and other products grow year-round, making the Siraya National Scenic Area true to its name of "A Land of Abundance".



In recent years, under governmental direction, the agricultural products of all counties and towns have been integrated, promoting local special products in each area, "one specialty for each village or town".



Mountainous and lonely roads are also interesting to explore - it gives a feeling of how this remote area looks like besides traditional tourist routes.





That's the flower I talked before. It is said that it can cure cancer.



Closer look on 薑黃 - or, possible english translation may be turmeric (according to yahoo translator).



薑黃 can be found everywhere in this area, just park somewhere on a road, and you will sooner or later see it.



Careful driving is necessary on those mountainous roads, that's truth.



Interestingly enough, that Dapu outskirts have also such atypical to southern taiwan community of houses - mostly those are summer houses and owners come here to stay at weekends and holidays.



This house is on sell now - in USD about 30,000 as local man told us. Big advantage of this house of course is a beautiful view, clean mountain air and SILENCE! Yes, SILENCE what's absolutely is a deficit thing in Taiwan. If you plan to stay in Taiwan for a long time, remember that if you live in more or less big township (i am even not talking about Kaoshiung, Taichung or Tapei) you will never have silence. Never. Motorbikes are always awake, someone is talking loud, small blue spam-trucks are advertising something at 9 a.m at saturday morning and so on. Dapu is silent. But then again, be so kind and drive miles to closest 7ELEVEN.



but again - how about SILENCE, and such a view from your bedroom at morning?



However, surprise surprise! Blue trucks along with motorbikes like mosquitoes are also here. Everywhere in fact. Just not in cloud alike capacities like in a cities.



one more house from this community.



Sunset at Dapu outskirts are calm and warm. I would be happy to live here.

Kenting again and more detailed: South Bay (Nanwan) beach and nearby Kenting street buildings

I am back to Kenting again. This time, we were staying a bit more away from a "classic Kenting" (with that I understand Kenting village itself, up to the Erluanbi) - in Yoho Landis Beach resort, I could not resist go to Kenting again and that's how the pictures below appeared.
For me, and here I do not care about official definitions about where it is - Kenting, as a place to remember and love starts here:

From 2009-7-29

It's for me an entrance to Kenting, which in fact stretches then kilometers along heading to Erluanbi and then to east side of Taiwan. Kenting is not a round or square, it's a street, with a shops, hotels and home stays at left side and the beaches at another side. It's the entrance you see in this photo above, with those motorbikes standing there for rent. If you do not have the car or bicycle - you will need them, or you can not see anything, and you will also want to visit Kenting nightmarket. If you turn head left standing here, you will then see the road going back to Hengchun.



Most likely you will come from this road down to Kenting, and on the way you will see numerous motels where you can stay for a night, and your budget is not big. The more you go in the Kenting, and more stars hotel have, especially if it has sea view, the more you will need to pay.



Left side of Kenting street typically has such 2 - 3 floor buildings, where in 99 % cases you will find or Surfing boards rental, as in this case, or it will be restaurant or homestay, or swimsuits and other beach life things rental & sell. Also diving rentals are easy to spot here, but for diving it's better to head to Houbihu, which I will also show you later on in another blog post.



Those houses you are looking right now, are just in front of Nanwan, or South Bay recreation area - one of the most biggest public beaches in Taiwan and in Kenting of course also. Because mostly Taiwan's shores are not suitable for beach activities as they are rocky and there is not "golden sand" - and one few that are suitable, are in Kenting & around, and then next popular are Fulong beach in north of Taiwan.



One more surfing boards rental station.



This pic catches a bit of spirit from Kenting I love. It's a bit relaxed, totally different from all other parts of Taiwan. Resort spirit are everywhere.



You can stay at any of those inns, hotels or home stays, or however they like to call themselves - this class of stay will not be too expensive - the 2 high class hotels with sea view and services are Ceasars Hotel and Chateau Beach Resort, which has GREAT beach and really perfect rooms. I had shown the Chateau Beach Resort a bit in this post.

If you stay in Chateau, you will automatically no need to search for a place to put your bones under the sunshine in public beaches like Nanwan, but then again you will need to pay for that. Whatever you will choose, Kenting will still be great pace to spend time.



Yoyo inn, also a variant, but remember that if you decide to come at hot season and in weekend - they all might be occupied. Plan your trip before you come to Kenting. Vagabonding is not for everyone I guess, unless you do not enjoy sleeping in a beach at night.



Kenting street gets busy in hot season and especially in weekends.



If you forgot your swimsuit or beach sandals, you no need become a nudist - this can be bought everywhere, also my favorite shirts with palms pattern also here.



Kenting is not in a desert so it might happen that you get rainy days as well here. And no blue sky just as in this picture I made recently.

From 2009-7-29

This is how Nanwan, or south bay beach looks like in typical sunday in July. Yes, crowded, and not that clean as beach at Chateau resort, but I will specially not put pictures from Chateau beach here, because it's not correct to compare them. After all this beach is public.



Motorboats, water motorcycles - you should carefully choose the place where to swim here.



After you park somewhere at parking lot in South Bay recreation area, you can quickly get down to the beach by this wooden walkway.



600 meters long, Nanwan is the widest beach in Kenting National Park, also one of the significant scenery spots of Kenting. You can recognize it by those wind generators at horizon.



Kenting street seen from here - those are again hotels most likely.



Those guys will be taken for a ride on kayaks or motorboats and specially bumped over the waves for more adrenaline. You can try also. Hobihu area have a lot of companies offering this activity.



Swimming, surfing, snorkeling and scuba diving are really popular here



7-ELEVEN - as elsewhere on the island



Having tropical climate, summers in Kenting are usually hot. In winter, the pleasant weather in Kenting keeps beaches here open all year round.



I decided also to take a look what's inside in one of those lanes and what you can see behind the scenes in Kenting.



Entrance to Lane 52, South Bay road.



Well, and here you can find a Kenting that won't be in a tourist guides and other promotional websites of Taiwan. Most likely the houses are in such poor decision because I found out - you can't buy the property here. You can only buy the rights to rent the property of government and then rent. Also, real estate agent we talked to, told us that it's nothing different for everyone to really buy the house, or just buy the rights for rent - the result is just evident - you would not leave your own house in such a picturesque place as Kenting in such condition. But such houses are just everywhere.



One more example of selling "right for rent".



Such Kenting you will not see in Pingtung's county governor elections brochures.



One of the rare examples on Kenting street, where house are not involved in some business activity like diving at all.



Where the golden sands ends, the usual rocky shore starts.



And that means end to traditional beach activities. This is the end of Nanwan beachl, however not the end of Kenting at all - it's just a small small part, and in my blog sooner or later you will find it all, and full of details.



More inns hangs over the Kenting street near Nanwan recreation area.



Here is where you need to park, if you decide stay in Nanwan (South Bay).



By the way - don't make the photos of police in Taiwan, unless they do not see you - they do not like it. I still made this one, but as usually, he was not happy with that.

More on Kenting:

Southern pearl of Formosa - Kenting

Prisoner in Kenting of my own device

Taimali township, in Tautung county, South-East coast of Taiwan - Shi Jia fruit heaven

Once you are driving around Taiwan, and happen to be in a Taitung county, it's well worth to stop by and check Taimali township.

As Wikipedia says:

The Tai Mali village was started 1,000 years ago by Qian YaoKao who was ancestor of the Pai Wan race. The Qian YaoKao is also called DaMa race. Guangxu 3th year, due to DaMa has similar pronunciation to Tai Ma, thus it has been called Tai Mali by mainland people. Early in the Republic Era, other aborigines such as the Ah Mei and Bai Wan races were moving continuously to Tai Mali village. During the Japanese colonial period, there were also some residents from Miaoli, Nantou, Zhanghua, Yunlin, Jiayi, Tainan, Gaoxiong, and Pindong settling in Tai Mali village.

If you just stay on a main road, Taimali looks just like any other east coast township:





Most of inhabitants are engaged in farming, while others try to squeeze out living selling food to those who pass by the township.

What Taimali area is really famous for, it's a Shi Jia fruit, and I think, that there is no english name for it - at least yahoo dictionary could not find one. Anyway, you should come early in may to get the season and best of them, because when we came at end of may, it appeared that it's already too late, and only such ones left:



Do not be too concerned also, if you could not catch the fresh fruits - there are a lot of jellies and candy made from them, so you will be sure to get a sweet (maybe even too sweet in my opinion) taste of this fruit. And a good place to buy a gifts and different sweets, related to eastern Taiwan are in the shop, which you will not miss (good example of marketing skills - in a mess of red signs in Taiwan, it really stands out). And it's a parking around it - as Sam Walton noticed, that in case his parking lot's were filled more than 50 %, the sales in his shops started to decline. This shop apparently does it good - get's the attention, offers you parking and here you are - inside the shop.



Good isn't it? At least you will point your finger on it, asking "what's that"? And most likely stop to take a picture.



A lot of things to choose from



Li Ji - my favorite fruit in Taiwan also sold here.

After you had packed up with eastern coast sweet's, don't speed up too much. There is a really terrific place to have a lunch. Definitely - such quality and such a taste - exceeded our expectations.



They had named it Sea restaurant, but not because of sea food, but I guess, because of really fantastic eastern coast views, which are just here to enjoy while you have a lunch.

Adress is No.133, San-Ho Village, Taimali, Taitung county.





Such a views, just from a restaurant table. Let's take a look on menu:



If you think that it's not cheap at all, I agree with you. But it's worth to try, because it's really tasty.

Here is our lunch, but your choice could be another:



It's Hai Shin. Inside are mix of sea food - shrimps & similar.



Noodles, pork, ginger & much other tasty things.



Again a mix of different kind of vegetables and meat, and as I remember, tofu as well.



Chicken.



Desert - watermelon, sweet's and coffee.

I will remember Taimali as such, but it's for sure, that I am going to explore it more next time, not just such quick run through.

Prisoner in Kenting of my own device

"And she said we are all just prisoners here, of our own device" *

That's where it takes you. You just give a small piece of your heart and it will take it all. I just can't stop blog about this place in southern Taiwan, because it just happens that I like it (I do not like to use word "love" - I associate it with more human being related) more and more. And it's not just because of the golden sand beaches and sky blue ocean I already shown here.

It's because of the aura. Something special are in the air in this place. It's I guess on molecular level, or on a six sense level - beyond science approved definitions. You just feel free here. You do not need even go down on a beaches, it is enough to turn on any of backstreets in this village, and every street will be different. Every small street will have it's own flavor, soul and face. It breathes with you together, it tries to come down (or go up) to get synchronized with your heartbeat.

Like this street:

This street cares you. It offers you fresh fruit, just turn around to see it, go closer - to touch it.

This street surprises you with a simplicity of life, and get's a reggae music everliving vibes in your head. Lord, I thank you for the food you give me, and thank you for the place I can sleep, what else I can think? What else i can do?

Finally, it surprises you:

Relax, said the night man,
We are programmed to receive.
You can checkout any time you like,
But you can never leave! *

*Lyrics from Eagles, Hotel California

Manjhou Township, Pingtung county, Southern Taiwan

One of the first rural townships you will stumble upon if you decide to take a trip from Kenting up to Taipei along the east coast of Taiwan in Manjhou township.
Stop by here if you have time - as most of east side rural townships it has much more untouched old buildings and will get you more feeling of how real Taiwan - not polished for tourists one like you would find in Alishan, looks like. As a matter of fact, one of the scenes for Cape7 movie was made here, in one of those old buildings. More on Cape7 movie here.

Once you see the sign of Manjhou, it's already a reason to stop, because there are one of the first gorgeous eastern Taiwan coastal area landscapes waiting for your camera:





It won't be so much cars there if you come and regular weekend - it was dragon boat festival time when I made this picture.



Once you are in a township, numerous old buildings appears just in front of you. Eastern Taiwan is really much more intact as in terms of nature as also for living & culture. Some says (me also sometimes), it looks more poor than Western and Nothern areas.





Southeast coast as seen from Manjhou township in June 2009.



It will be harder to find such houses in Nothern Taiwan.



Unfortunately, they are dissapering fast and become replaced with such faceless block houses scattered all over in island in rural townships.



Kids play ball in one of backstreets in Manjhou.



Eastern areas (this in fact is still south part of Taiwan - belongs to Pingtung county), really are maybe not that rich as those in Nothern Taiwan, because here are much less factories and people make living most by farming. Ironically, the sign on this quite poor outlook house offers "money on credit".





Farmland in Manjhou.



I also tried to drive up on one of those small mountain roads.

It was worth to do it - below video in my opinion is not so worth for a view - but just listen a sounds!! You will never ever hear something in noisy - terribly noisy Taiwan's cities like Taichung, Taipei or any else bigger. 24h per day, motorcycles will drain your nerves system driving again and again - well, that's city life. I could not stop listen that:

Hengchun township in Pingtung County, Southern Taiwan - Cape 7 film or entry way to Kenting?

If you ever visited Kenting - and trust me - if you ever take this chance, you will definitely fall in love with this place as I did, the only way to go there is through Hengchun township.  Raise of popularity of Hengchun township is really associated with two things.
First of all - as I said Kenting - beautiful, vibrant and everliving golden sand beach resort in southern Taiwan,I wrote about it here, and will write again (and again).
Second - Cape No. 7 - movie, where as Wikipedia says here about Cape 7 movie,

In the 1940s near the end of the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, an unnamed teacher (Kousuke Atari) dispatched to the southernmost town of Hengchun falls in love with a local girl with the Japanese nameKojima Tomoko (Rachel Liang). After the Surrender of Japan, the teacher is forced to return home as the Chinese occupation of Taiwan resumed. On his trip home, he pens seven love letters to express his regret for leaving Kojima Tomoko, who originally planned to elope with him in Japan.

Poster here:




This film as we can see from the Wiki's explanation has won various awards internationally, and without any doubts are extremely popular here in Taiwan. What need's to be said, that it's not already just a popular film - the objects and places where filming took place, now many people are going to take a trip and make photos with those houses and landscapes in background. Even such high level and representative hotel as Chateau, has a picture from this movie on the wall in their lobby room.
If I would not live in Taiwan, i would suspect Pingtung mayor in product placement marketing efforts - flock of tourists definetly doubled after the film gained popularity, but of course that's not the case here.
But a thing to learn for example for Nantou county mayor - next love story can happen in Nantou, right? Just bribe the editor...

Let's get to the Hengchun now. As we were heading to the Kenting late evening, I was forced to take a shots here at night time,eventually quality of pictures are not the best.

In fact, if you are dropped out from a car after you were sleeping, and asked where are you - well, Hengchun in fact looks mostly same as all such size townships - in southern and western Taiwan - in Miaoli for example.



Most surprisingly is a fact, that even if we were here at chinese dragon festival time - a season where most tourists should flock to southern Taiwan for vacation - and as we noticed later for tremendous traffic jams in North East of Taiwan when we were going to Taipei, this township where already preparing to sleep at 9:30 - 10:00 at evening! Some restaurants already were closing. That is not usual for western part of Taiwan, for example the area which I know most - Fengchia district in Taichung - get's sleepy outlook maybe just in 12, and then again if you are more far away from night market.



Those two shops sell tea.



Noodles - preparing to close even at 9:30...

Again, I am here to suggest you a restaurant. Once you are in Hengchun, try to find this:



First 2 symbols are usually woman name, and second two - mutton, so, this restaurant specializes on mutton dishes, and makes them really delicious and tasty.



It's small actually, and at busy time, you will be lucky to find a place - as I suggested in my post about rule nr.1 to choose a good restaurant in Taiwan, there are always people inside. Can you see the yellow map on the wall? Guess what it says? Let me show you more close:



It's map of places where Cape 7 movie has been filmed. Yes, as you can see in Hengchun everyone is proud of this now - they feel honored enough to hung it on a wall.



Most special one in my opinion here - Tan Guei Pai Gu. Tan Guei - chinese medicine, and Pai Guei - mutton. Chinese medicine used here is called "roots of chinese angelica" - anyway, when you wat this soup - you naturally feel power coming to you, and you are ready to continue the trip. Must try dish.



Lamb's tripe - another special dish here



and noodles with mutton.



This bookstoore has good selection of maps and tourist guides on south east and southern taiwan.



old street of Hengchun - at least a sign says so. I wrote before, that it get's sleepy early here.





I really mean it, they get sleepy early, here is proof. This by the way is chinese tradition medicine shop, in this area there were many of them.



One more chinese medicine shop - and as my wife told - this one should be better, because the drawers, where selection of herbs are stored are more old, and wooden, while this one in photo below - used plastic drawers. I am not sure this conclusion is valid, but that's what I know now.



Hengchun has a land area of 136.7630 square kilometers and has a population of 31,288 as of December 2007.

Southern pearl of Formosa - Kenting

When I was thinking about how to write about Kenting in few words - just to start this blog entry with a short and exact description of this beautiful in any meanings place -I finally came to conclusion that it's not possible. Few words, even few paragraphs is not enough.
Turning to Wikipedia for help gives us this:

Kenting National Park is a national park located in the Hengchun Peninsular of Pingtung County, Taiwan, covering Hengchun, Checheng and Manjhou Townships. Established on January 1, 1984, it is Taiwan's oldest and southernmost national park, covering the southernmost area of the Taiwan island. Administered by the Executive Yuan's Ministry of the Interior, this national park is well-known for its tropical climate and sunshine, scenic mountain and beach, the Spring Scream rock-band festival held in every March^[1], and has long been one of the most favorite resort places in Taiwan.

.. and when you read this - you just can not grasp all the beauty what lays behind this dry wiki text. What Kenting is anyway, and what's there? Why it's a one of must visit places when someone comes to Taiwan for short or no so stay?

First of all Kenting is not a city or town in regular meaning of this - with a houses, schools and hospitals. That's why road signs shows it in a brown color - like a cultural object or scenic area, rather than township:

Kenting belongs to Pingtung county, and that's a south of Taiwan:

In short - it's place to enjoy a beach recreational activities - diving, swimming, catching the waves, surfing, laying in sun - something that reminds Hawai maybe. I personally incredibly enjoy to wear Haiwai, or if you want Thailand style colorful shirts with palms, sea and other elements usually present on such shirts - so, if you also like them - Kenting nightmarket sells them a lot, and choice are very good. During my last trip to Kenting, I bought more such shirts for my collection. One of interesting things, that you will for sure notice when you arrive to Kenting - a lot of Ling Jiao - water chestnut sellers. One buy one they stand on a road selling same product:

Typical view in Southern Taiwan - different, than you would see for example in Northern areas of Taiwan.

Road back usually will be overcrowded with onion sellers - besides Ling Jiao, onions seems is a second most popular "sell on the road" product in Pingtung county.

If onion or Ling Jiao is not what you desperately want right now, mango and other fruit are available at every moment.

Just a few meters from fresh fruit, they keep such a view. When we saw this, we did not bought anything. I wonder, why in Southern part of Taiwan such views are much more common that in Western or Northern part?

One more. And this one can be found just behind this extremely crowded restaurant:

let's go in:

Lunch boxes, what those guys are enjoying - are the food you can get in this restaurant. if you feel desperate to sing, there is a KTV terminal in far front of this place. During our stay, some man were singing twice. No. Not singing. "singing", need write like this. I do not know, why in Taiwan everyone think, that he can sing, forcing for example me - who listens Antonio Vivaldi in car, listen those waves of inarticulated sounds. By the way, wondering who are those guys with fashion hear cut? Again - they are very religious persons,those who are usually organizing such religion performances like Matsu in Taichung, what I presented recently.

Another "pearl" of southern Taiwan. Toilets which I call "big brother is watching you". You do the job, and local souvenir shop woman eyes you. If you go in this toilet - one more "surprise" there is a window to woman's part of facility. That's what i could not understand the real reason - this window is for what? No picture sorry, i am reporter not pervert.

OK, enough about wrinkles of southern taiwan, let's get to aesthetics! i need to tell, that not all Southern Taiwan coastal area has nice sand for beach activities. While you drive to Kenting, most of coastal area has such outlook:

Enjoy the volleyball but wear shoes, please!

Few words about the hotel, and how to choose it. All the Kenting is nothing else than a collection of hotels, bars, restaurants and shops. Just google for Kenting hotel, or press any add here near my post and you will get a selection of them. Cheap home stay or expensive 5 star sea view hotel - just 1 click away. We trusted Lonely Planet, and decided to try Chateau Beach Resort. It is important to note, that not all the hotel you will reserve in internet will give you sea view from a window. Morever - most of the hotels are located at right side of the road, and for sure have no sea view - at least not a close up one. Of course price is much cheaper if you do not need a sea view. But... you come here maybe once a year.. and we could not resist to have this view from our window, even if it was more expensive:

Now, let's go to the beach - it's just few steps from a Chateau:

Good news are that those chairs were at least always free - one ore two were available, because seems this part of beach in some way are protected to those who stay in hotel.

Hotel really looks nice...

All this complex is Chateau - just be sure to get beach side room. By the way - first floor is more expensive, because you can just go out from a room and here is a sea - but, let me tell you that there are drawbacks as well. You feel like living on street - everyone walks around so, best choice i think is second floor.

When waves are big, and they were at the time we was there - they will not allow you swim without safety vests - those are free. As a rebellion in heart of course I felt shameful to wear it, and told that I no need it. In next moment next big wave swallowed me, and kicked over the rocky ground under the water. After few moments I was up and everyone looked at me and and my knee, little bloody. Are you OK (yeah, just like in US made films, where Bruce Willis all in blood comes out from a factory, where he just killed 50 enemies - this is question he get's from his girlfriend (same tone - are you ok?). Lesson - if those waves are really big and you are cityboy like me - don't go too deep.

Shadows becoming big... evening is coming.

Fiji? Tahiti? Hawai? West Waikiki? No! it's Taiwan!

After the sunset, it just becomes more beautiful. That's the view I got fro our hotel balcony!

What to do after sunset? Well, depends who you are and you came with whom.

For sure Kenting night market is worth to visit - although prices are terrible - if compare for example with Fengchia night market, :

BBQ - at least 3 times more expensive than in Taichung - because this night market is 100 % for tourists - there are no locals at all.

That's street what I writing before -no living houses in Kenting - just bars, hotels and restaurants - and left side is cheaper, but then no sea view.

Want some relax? Massage for you right on the street.

Besides those regular things you will find in any market in Taiwan - here in Kenting are much disco bars, just bars and bars with showgirls and beyond. Get relaxed in Kenting, things to enjoy for everyone!