Kenting. Stepping Foot on the Southern Tip of Taiwan.

Chinese New Year in Taiwan is an experience that won't soon be forgotten. Everyone is festive, Hong Baos (red envelopes) with money are handed out among friends and family, Gong Xi Gong Xi (a song translated to Congratulations Congratulations) is playing in every establishment, fruit and flowers with red ribbons are sold in every store, and it's a time of year for big feasts among family and friends. And, of course, the cities close down for 6 days to spend with your family or vacation. After a Chinese New Years dinner of traditional Hakka food with Daphne and her family, we spent the rest of the vacation sun bathing and adventuring in Kenting.

We left at 6:30 AM and caught the High Speed Rail (HSR) to Kaosiung. By far this is my favorite way to travel. An 8 hour train ride was more than cut in half and the spacious cushioned seats and the smooth ride was worth the extra money--especially considering we made it to Kenting in the early afternoon instead of spending a day traveling. In Kaosiung we caught a bus that dropped us of in South Bay, the part of Kenting in which we were staying. We walked to our hostel, A-Wu, which was not far from the bus stop. A-Wu has been my favorite hostel to stay in to date. The rooms were spacious, clean and decorated appropriately to have a soothing tropical ambiance. There was a balcony overlooking the harbor side activities (in which you can hear but not see the ocean), the staff was friendly and helpful, the breakfasts were amazing, hot and large, and the pets were friendly. It was a little more than 2000 NT per person per night, which during Chinese New Year, is incredibly cheap, and it is in an area with a lot going on, and just a short scooter ride to downtown, which is where the night market is.

Our bedroom

The balcony outside our room

The first day we spent riding around on our little scooter. We rented it at a small shop a few buildings down from our hostel. We were ready to get to know the area. Sail rock is a can't miss.  A mountain of a boulder rises out of the ocean at the edge of the busiest part of Kenting. Apparently it was a part of the mainland but just rolled off at some point (it is never said when exactly). They say that it looks like a sailboat about to set sail and that's where it gets its name, but I couldn't see that. They also say that up close it looks like Richard Nixon so it's nicknamed 'Nixon's Head'. Although I'm not sure if it's Nixon that I see, I can definitely make out a small upper lip, a bulbous nose and a high forehead.

The next stop was the lighthouse. It was a beautiful day and the white architecture looked like a Grecian building along the skyline, but it wouldn't have made me heartbroken if we had skipped it. It's a big tourist spot, a small fee is charged, you can not climb to the top of the lighthouse, there were a lot of Chinese tourists, and walking uphill through the tourists was a bit of a pain. But if you love lighthouses it is an interesting one, with beautiful scenery and a white walled courtyard and a one room museum, and a one of a kind view of the valley--if you can get a photo without the tourists!

We continued to the Southern most tip of Taiwan. Once we reached the point in which we had to leave our little scooter behind, it was a short hike to a rocky beach with a view that can't be forgotten. There were not many tourists at this spot at the time that we went, which made it more enjoyable. And if you are going to the most southern part of Taiwan, you have to go to the southern tip, right?

Next, we continued up the other side of the island and found my favorite part of the entire trip. The Slumping Cliffs. The view was breathtaking, rivaling some of the views in Ireland. The wind was strong enough that it made it feel daring to stand on the edge (our scooter was having a hard time not getting blown away so in all actuality in may have been a bit daring). The waves from the ocean were roaring even from so far below. It was an amazing experience.

The View off the Slumping Cliffs

The Slumping Cliffs

 Then it was time to find some dinner at the night market downtown. We found a great eclectic restaurant called Chez Papa with a Moroccan decor, good Belgium beer, hooka, and incredible Italian food. This was the start of our realization that Kenting had wonderful international food. I was very impressed with the salmon pasta with capers.

For day 2 we had one main goal: scuba diving. We found a reasonably priced place that was willing to give us lessons and take us under the water.  The lessons were about 2 hours long and taught us the basics that normally take about a day to learn. While my heart was pumping for the entire two hours, unsure that I would be able to breathe, the longer that I was underwater the more comfortable I felt. While we weren't able to go too far out as beginners, we did see some coral, a school of silver fish, a Moorish Idol (the fish that Gil from Finding Nemo is),  and a couple of big blue tropical fish. Now I feel geared up for Malaysia with some of the best scuba diving in the world!

Me under the water at the start of our excursion

Daphne translating the instructions from our Chinese speaking instructor

Next we did a little souvenir shopping (although we didn't find much--mostly key chains, pointless trinkets and bobble heads with Taiwan themes) and stopped at Casa de Margarita, an exceptional Mexican restaurant. Mexican food that hasn't been turned into Chinese-Mexican-Fusion food is rare in Taiwan, so we were thrilled to find authentic tacos and burritos--with sour cream (another rare find)!

We finished our night at the Moonlight Bar, located just across from our hostel on the beach. It is a bit hard to find, we sort of stumbled across it while lighting fireworks in the park. There are no signs, just a building at the other side of the park, on the beach. It looks like it may be a park maintenance building, but don't be fooled. Once inside, we were thrilled. We sat on palates underneath a tent in front of a beach fire and watched the waves roll in and the palm trees sway. The drinks were tropical, the atmosphere was soothing and the staff was friendly.

Our table at the Moonlight Bar

The next day we would be heading out of Kenting and to the island of Lui Kui. But in two short days Kenting stole my heart.Don't be surprised if this is one day my new home--I wouldn't be!