Kenting
Get walking, or get sunbathing.The choice is yours
Posted by: Josh, 16 January 2026
Hey, check out this view.
Kenting has loads more scenery just like this. Here’s all we learned in four days there.
Contents
What to do in Kenting
Hiking in Kenting
Kenting is best known for two things: its beautiful natural scenery, and its loud, colourful and slightly boozy nightlife at Kending Village night market – a change from the usual vibe on a night elsewhere in Taiwan.
We spent just over four hours at Kenting National Forest Recreation Area and enjoyed almost every second of it (travel tip: don't check the World Series Game 7 result over coffee). You could spend less time here, but if you want to slowly admire all of the views, plant life, butterflies, birds, monkeys and – if you’re lucky – Sika deer, you could just as easily spend a full day exploring all the trails. Entry costs 150NT$ (just over £3.50) for adults, with discounts for concessions.
You’ll see the entrance gate to the Forest Recreation Area and a car park right in Kending Village at one end of the main street. Be aware that it's another mile uphill from the gate to the actual entrance to the park, and there's another car park at the top, so if you’re driving don’t stop when you see the gate!
If you’re not driving, it’s a bit of a walk uphill in the hot sun and there aren’t really any pavements to speak of on this stretch of road, so consider taking a short bus or taxi ride from the village to the park entrance.
The highlights of Kenting National Forest Area were:
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The scenery from the top of the Sea View Tower – offering views all the way out to the Southernmost tip of Taiwan. You can also stop here, as we did, for a coffee and either a light bite – we enjoyed a blueberry cheesecake together – or a more substantial lunch. While the views are slightly better from the viewing deck above, it still goes down as perhaps the most picturesque spot I’ve stopped to eat at.
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The Fairy Caves, which were surprisingly almost empty on our visit in early November. Kenting National Forest Recreation area was formed when coral reefs were forced upwards by tectonic shifts – meaning the rocks and caves here are very different to national parks you may have visited before. Inside the caves – no expert training or equipment needed to walk through them – are glittering rocks where crystals form along the surface.
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The rock formations outside the caves were a joy to take in. Liz and I have a real love for hiking, flora and fauna – so take all this with a pinch of salt if a tree is mostly just a tree to you – but we absolutely loved the way the many different trees and plants grew from amongst the unusual shapes and textures of the coral rocks surrounding the paths here.
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The monkeys. For us, Kenting National Forest Recreation area is the best place in Taiwan to see monkeys – or macaques, to be more precise. There’s a big population of them here and you’re likely to see several groups on your hike. Unlike the macaques we encountered at Monkey Mountain in Kaohsiung we saw nobody feeding them or interacting with them, and therefore saw no signs of aggression or conflict between the macaques and the hikers here.
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And the resplendent male Sika deer who chased a macaque off the path in front of us and back into the trees. Don’t be like the monkey: keep a sensible distance from the deer if you see them, particularly if travelling during their rutting season (around October to January).
From the National Forest Recreation Area, it’s around 15 minutes’ walk to get to Sheding. This area, which costs no money to enter, has slightly less smoothly paved paths – you don’t need hiking boots for either place, but sensible footwear is recommended – but equally worthwhile views. There’s a small gift shop and a vending machine on site if you need to get a drink.
With some trips down the little side trails – through one small gorge and one larger one, around 500m from start to finish – it took us about an hour from the start point of our trail opposite the car park to get to the Verdant Pavilion, offering glorious views in all directions.
If you stick to the main trails, you could safely manage this walk at sunset time, though Liz asks me to remind you to watch out for the giant wood spiders if you do. While there is virtue in not walking into giant spiders, these guys (gals, actually - isn't dimorphism cool?) aren't really dangerous - and they usually hang out above head height.
What else to do in Kenting
Beaches
If you’re on a long holiday, or just in need of a bit of time to chill out, you might feel a beach day is in order.
While most Taiwan knowers will tell you that the best beaches are in the Penghu islands to the west of Taiwan, the high winds outside of the peak months (April to September) make Penghu a very difficult place to visit. Kenting is the best option for travellers looking to enjoy a day at the beach outside these months.
There’s several very beautiful beaches to pick from. Baisha Beach, which we quickly passed through on our first day in Kenting, is one of them. The sands are a beautiful white colour, and there are areas safe to swim in. By public transport, Baisha Beach (or Baishawan) is easier to get to from Hengchun than Kending village – with buses from Hengchun taking around 25 minutes, compared to 45 minutes from Kending.
Facilities cost a similar amount to at South Bay, otherwise known as Nanwan Beach. We paid 400NT$ (around £9.50) for a beach umbrella and two plastic chairs – not loungers, chairs – but after several weeks of hiking, diving, and cycling it felt worth the cost. The beach itself is every bit as beautiful as Baisha Beach and, on a Monday outside the main tourist season, was extremely quiet. There are areas where you can swim safely.
If you’re worried about the nuclear power plant a few kilometres down the coast spoiling the views at Nanwan, don’t be – it’s easy to forget about it while you’re there.
Another beach to consider is Xiaowan, south of Kending village and opposite a resort-style hotel. This beach is on the smaller side though, and we didn’t get to see it at its best as the heavens opened on our morning walk.
The downside of a beach day in Kenting in November? That pesky wind, again. Try to pick a still day to visit, unless you like the feeling of a million tiny grains of sand being whipped against your skin.
What we didn't do
And where to read about it
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Tickets to visit Longkeng Ecological Reserve, next to Eluanbi on the Southernmost tip of Taiwan need to be reserved in advance. You can only enter Longkeng on a guided tour, which is in Mandarin only – information on where to book and how much it will cost you can be found here.
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Eluanbi has several trails and costs 60NT$ (about £1.40) to enter. With limited time in Kenting and having seen views to the ocean from the Forest Recreation Area, we decided against a visit. If you decide to check it out, Foreigners in Taiwan has instructions on how to get there and a bit more information on what to see.
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There are various nature tours available depending on what time of year you visit. Check out the list here, though bear in mind guides may not speak much English.
Places to eat and drink
Read our tips on food and drink in Taiwan on our What to Know Before you Go post
Kending Village night market
Kending Village night market is famous for its liveliness and ample drinking stalls, making it a favoured haunt of younger tourists. It’s a fun change from what you may experience elsewhere in Taiwan, but while there are more places to drink here than other streets in Taiwan, don't assume you're visiting East Asia's answer to Ayia Napa.
There were far fewer shirtless chaps serving alcohol than one Taiwan web-guide had led us to believe, and though each stand played the same bass-heavy tune on repeat throughout the evenings - remind me to look up the name to tell my next therapist - it's not an overwhelmingly loud place. There were no overtly intoxicated people staggering alongside us down the road, no regretful youths hunched over after misjudging their limits, not even any noise audible from our hotel a short walk from the main street.
While I'm sure a weekend in peak season could be a pretty lively experience, if you're looking for a party town you're probably best off looking somewhere outside of Taiwan.
As for the food, it's ultimately pretty similar to what you’ve found in other night markets. There are fewer stands open on weekdays than weekends, and fewer standout stalls full stop.
A Sheng Grilled Corn (阿盛烤飯玉米 on Google Maps) was the best spot we tried at the night market – for me, the best corn I had in Taiwan. For Liz, it couldn't top the one she had at Dongdamen night market in Hualien.
Brunches and lunches
We were surprised by how nice the simple cocktails at Cowboy's Beach Bar & Grill at Nanwan Beach were – an Oreo hard shake for me, and a decent pina colada for Liz. A generously portioned western-style lunch of pizza and snacks followed later in the afternoon.
We adored CoffeeInn, just across the road from Nanwan Beach, despite it being perhaps the most expensive coffee we had at 170NT$ (£4) for one brown sugar latte. But the coffee was delicious, the atmosphere and design perfect for a seaside café, and conveniently long opening hours meaning you can still get a drink around sunset in Autumn.
The soothing interior of Coffee Inn, near Nanwan beach
KO Brunch, opposite the National Forest Recreation Area arch, was the best spot in Kending village for breakfast. We both had omelettes; my cheese one had a satisfyingly junk food feel, made with American-style sliced cheese and the option to slather it in chili sauce. The coffee was not worth remembering.
Dinner
Hengchun may be the better option if looking for restaurant food. We tried Amy’s Cucina in Kending Village when desperate for a proper meal after our long hike and enjoyed the risotto and pasta we were served more than we expected… but were surprised to see the final bill come to more than 1200NT$ (close to £29) for two mains, two non-alcoholic drinks and a couple of slices of supermarket-style garlic bread. Good for those needing carbs, but less good for those travelling on a budget.
A better option was Grandma’s Noodle Shop, on the edge of Kending Village past the Forest Recreation Area arch. While the food was good, rather than great, we were given satisfying portions at a reasonable price. We ate very early that evening, which turned out to be a good call as there was a queue for the restaurant by around 6pm.
If you’re struggling for what to eat in Kending town, you can always take a roughly 15 minute bus, taxi or car ride up to Hengchun Town where there are more options. We'd be grateful for any recommendations you can share in the comments.
Does it Ding Go?
No. The beloved bubble tea chain known as Ding Go has yet to establish stores this far South. You may wish to contact local legislators about this before travelling.
Getting there
Read more about public transport in Taiwan on our What to Know Before you Go post
If travelling from Kaohsiung, you can take the 9189 shuttle bus straight down the coast. The journey takes between 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2hours and 45 minutes, depending on the exact time you travel.
Getting to Kenting from Taitung or Taipei will require a train journey to Fang Liao station, then a change onto the same 9189 bus from a stop a short walk down the road from the station. Cross the main road and wait at the bus stop next to Family Mart. Buses are every half an hour but stated departure times weren’t precisely accurate and the first bus was too full for us and several others to get on.
Take the same bus whether you're staying in Hengchun or Kending Village.
Where to stay: Kending or Hengchun
There are two main choices: either Hengchun or Kending Village.
In the end, we settled on a three-star hotel in Kending Village.
Kending Village is closer to the hiking areas we were most keen to visit. It also has the advantage of being at the start of the return bus journey up the coast towards Kaohsiung, which could be very handy at busier times of the year for those using public transport.
If you have a car, I'd lean towards staying in Hengchun for a better range of places to eat within walking distance. You'll also be closer to Baisha Beach if you're set on visiting there.
Useful tips
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Uber is available in this part of Taiwan. If you can’t get a bus, it’s around 200NT$ (about £4.75) for a taxi from the Forest Recreation Area entrance gate to the park entrance itself. Ubers were also available outside Sheding when we left. As always though, it’s good to have an alternate plan in case taxis aren’t available when you need one.
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Bring your bug spray. Rates of mosquito-borne disease in Taiwan are very, very low (not that it stopped me worrying about it – more on my experiences with anxiety here), but you will get bitten a fair amount if you’re in short sleeves and not applying protection.
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Avoid the Capybara Park and the Paradise of Deer Park. It’s always upsetting to see wild animals kept captive unnecessarily – but even more so in as beautiful and as abundant a place as this. You may also wish to avoid the Kenting National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, which has been criticised for its treatment of whale sharks, and for its treatment of beluga whales and other cetaceans. Most tours to Kenting from Kaohsiung stop at the aquarium, so it's better to make your own way to Kenting if you can. The area is easy enough to visit without a tour operator's assistance, even if you don’t have a car.
Final thoughts
Liz's final thoughts
Most of what we had read about Kenting described it as a tourist party resort, which had made me unsure about how much I was going to enjoy my time here, so I was thrilled to find such abundant nature and beautiful scenery on our visit.
We think Kenting is the best place to see monkeys in Taiwan, and it helps that the beaches are beautiful too. The only thing that let it down was the food scene, which I didn’t enjoy quite as much as other areas of Taiwan, but we may have been looking in the wrong places. Let us know in the comments if you know of any really good restaurants here!
Josh's final thoughts
Kenting is extremely up my street. It’s a nature lover’s paradise and I could gladly repeat the whole experience, perhaps in summer to take a night-time tour and see the bioluminescent fungus growing in the forest.
If I only had one week to visit Taiwan again, I’d split my time between Kenting and another few days in Kaohsiung.
If you're more into lazy days on the beach than hiking, make sure to visit in Spring or Summer, when the winds won't spoil your day relaxing by the ocean.
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