Kenting National Park visitor timing guide for its Pingtung County setting

Taiwan's oldest and southernmost national park, protecting tropical coastlines, coral reefs, and rich biodiversity

Kenting National Park

Kenting National Park occupies the Hengchun Peninsula at the southern tip of Taiwan's main island, representing a unique convergence of tropical marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The park's establishment in 1984 marked a significant milestone in Taiwan's conservation history, making it the nation's oldest national park and the first to protect such a diverse range of subtropical habitats. The protected area extends from the mountainous northern regions through the central Hengchun Longitudinal Valley Plain to the southern coral tablelands that meet the sea. The park's coastal waters include Nan Wan (South Bay) and Banana Bay, where coral reef ecosystems thrive in the confluence of the Pacific Ocean, Taiwan Strait, and Luzon Strait. The park's cultural significance extends beyond its natural wonders. The name Kenting derives from Taiwanese Hokkien meaning pathfinders or pioneers, reflecting the region's historical role as a frontier area. The landscape is marked by geological diversity, with the east side of the coral tablelands featuring unique sand rivers and sand waterfalls formed by the combined effects of winds and rivers, as well as coral cliffs, sunken caves, and stalactite formations. Longluan Lake, a vast lake formed within the fault valleys of the plain, provides additional ecological diversity to the park's already complex landscape.