6 - Kenting（墾丁）
Kenting is very small, but there was a lot to do there. I stayed at a cute little pod hotel in Nanwan. The lounge was stocked with card games and freshly-made wintermelon tea. The balcony looked out on the beach.
Those days, I'd more or less do what I felt. The first day, I went to Kenting National Forest. It was nothing to write home about, but there were some cool coral caves. Seeing so many families there during the holiday period made me feel a little lonely. Afterwards, I snacked on some ice cream and tea eggs at a nearby rest stop, and wandered through Sheding Park. It was similar to Kenting National Forest, but a lot less busy. There was a tall pavilion that offered incomparable views of the nearby coastline. The weather was cloudy that day, so I got to see a rainbow as well.
That afternoon, I took a walk around the grounds of Eluanbi Park, home to a pretty white lighthouse, abstract sculptures sprawled across a great green lawn, and a rock formation by the sea that resembled two lovers kissing. From there, it was a five minute drive to the southernmost point of Taiwan (the island, not the territory). For dinner, I rode on over to the night market. Booth after booth stretched out for what must have been at least five blocks, selling every kind of food imaginable, from risotto to curry to squid balls. After sunset, throngs of tourists would crowd the street, turning the sleepy resort town into one big party.
The next day I went west and stumbled on a temple high upon a hill. There were many people throwing moon blocks, and a garden nearby from which I could see an isolated stretch of shore. From there I went to Maobitou to watch the crashing waves. The rock there really does have the appearance of a crouching cat! During lunch hour I aimlessly ambled about Hengchun, the largest city in the Kenting region. A group of old men were playing cards next to the ancient city walls. Eventually, I rode back across Kenting to Jialeshui, where a long path traced the rocky coastline. After having some killer ice cream at Gangkou, I hung out at Longpan Park, a grassland overlooking the sea. I would have stayed for sunset, but I was too hungry. For dinner I patronized the Kenting Night Market once more. This time, however, I carried out and brought the food back to the hostel lounge. There, I encountered a friendly man named Kenjy from Taichung, who was travelling with his family. He offered me some beers and we had a good chat while his kids punched away on their I-Phones.
It was a warm conclusion to what had been a liberating and relaxing, albeit somewhat lonesome stay in Kenting. I left quite early the next day, so I could meet my friend Ashley for lunch in Pingtung. As I exited Kenting, I felt a tinge of sadness. The lush wonderland on Taiwan's southern tip really is a special place.