Kenting National ParkAbout Kenting National Park
Kenting National Park is a national park on the southern tip of Taiwan, designated in 1984 as the island’s first national park. It protects coastal, marine and lowland ecosystems on the Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung County.
The park is known for sandy beaches, coral reefs, coastal cliffs and grassland plateaus. Key recreational areas include sheltered bays for swimming and water sports, rocky headlands for walking and wildlife watching, and shorelines popular with snorkelers and divers.
Kenting was created to conserve the region’s marine and terrestrial habitats and to provide public recreation; its infrastructure has expanded since designation to support tourism while managing environmental impacts. Historic features inside the park include coastal lighthouses and small fishing settlements.
The park sits at Taiwan’s southern extremity on the Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung County, near the town of Hengchun. It is the main protected area on Taiwan’s tropical south coast and is accessed via the regional road network from Kaohsiung and other southern cities.
- Founding: Established in 1984 as Taiwan’s first national park.
- Habitats: Contains tropical beaches, coral reefs and coastal plateaus, with habitats ranging from mangroves to lowland forest.
What to See#
- Eluanbi Lighthouse: A coastal lighthouse built in 1883 at the southern tip of the park; a popular photo point and navigational landmark.
- Nanwan (Kenting) Beach: A long, sheltered bay known locally as Nanwan; the main area for swimming, windsurfing and other water sports in Kenting.
- Longpan Park: A cliffside grassland and coastal plateau offering wide ocean views and several short walking trails along exposed limestone and coral cliffs.
Best Time to Visit Kenting National Park
Kenting National Park is best from late autumn through spring when conditions are drier and more comfortable; avoid peak typhoon season.
Weather & Climate near Kenting National Park
Kenting National Park's climate is classified as Tropical Monsoon - Tropical Monsoon climate with hot summers (peaking in July) and mild winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 17°C to 29°C. Heavy rainfall (2497 mm/year), wettest in August with a pronounced dry season.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Good | 17° - 22° | 19° | 53 mm | overcast | 76% | 3.7 m/s | 1.2 high | 10.9h |
| February | Very Good | 17° - 23° | 20° | 52 mm | overcast | 77% | 3.8 m/s | 1.5 high | 11.3h |
| March | Excellent | 19° - 25° | 22° | 37 mm | partly cloudy | 77% | 3.0 m/s | 1.7 very high | 11.9h |
| April | Excellent | 21° - 27° | 24° | 65 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 3.3 m/s | 1.9 very high | 12.5h |
| May | Very Good | 23° - 28° | 25° | 206 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 13.0h |
| June | Very Good | 24° - 29° | 27° | 396 mm | partly cloudy | 83% | 3.6 m/s | 2.4 extreme | 13.3h |
| July | Very Good | 25° - 29° | 30° | 481 mm | partly cloudy | 83% | 4.3 m/s | 2.4 extreme | 13.2h |
| August | Good | 24° - 29° | 27° | 550 mm | overcast | 83% | 3.3 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 12.7h |
| September | Very Good | 24° - 29° | 26° | 360 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 3.7 m/s | 1.9 very high | 12.2h |
| October | Very Good | 23° - 27° | 25° | 190 mm | partly cloudy | 77% | 3.5 m/s | 1.6 very high | 11.5h |
| November | Very Good | 20° - 25° | 23° | 65 mm | overcast | 78% | 3.5 m/s | 1.3 high | 11.0h |
| December | Very Good | 18° - 23° | 20° | 42 mm | overcast | 76% | 3.5 m/s | 1.0 high | 10.7h |
How to Get to Kenting National Park
Kenting National Park is at Taiwan’s southern tip in Pingtung County near Kenting Town. From Kaohsiung (Zuoying HSR area) it’s roughly 90-110 km and about 1.5-2 hours by car via National Freeway 1/88 and Provincial Highways into Hengchun/Kenting. There are frequent long‑distance buses (often called Kenting Express or Kuo‑Kuang express services) from Kaohsiung and Pingtung to Kenting/Hengchun - check current schedules; most drop you within a short walk or local bus ride of park entrances and beaches.
Tips for Visiting Kenting National Park
- Head to viewing spots like Longpan Park or Eluanbi at sunrise or sunset for dramatic coastal cliffs and fewer crowds than the main beach areas; those times also avoid the midday heat.
- If you want quieter stretches of coastline, visit on a weekday outside national holidays-Kenting is especially busy on Taiwanese holiday weekends and Lunar New Year.
- Include lesser-visited northern overlooks (Maobitou/Longpan) in your route rather than concentrating solely on Kenting Main Street and Nanwan, which get the largest crowds.