The sign for the turn to Baisha Beach
A Day at the Beach
The beach was a 5 minute scooter ride from the Ipanema Surf House. There is very little traffic along the road to the beach, actually there isn’t much of anything. There is a sign by the turn for the beach. It cost 10TWD to park a scooter there and 30TWD for a car. To rent a big umbrella, it is 300TWD, but I didn’t think it was worth it.
Baisha
It was unforgivably hot in Taiwan. Around noon it was even too hot to go swimming. So, I would wake up early in the morning and go swimming. I had the beach all to myself. Even the people selling stuff wouldn’t be up yet. I would go back again in the evening. At that time there would be a huge crowd of about 6 people.
The beach gets a bit more crowded on the weekends, but during the week people don’t show up until about 9:00am. I would leave around 9:30am. That gave me enough time to shower and head out for the town of Hengchun for lunch before the temperature got too high.
yum
I’ll pass on seconds…
I have to say that the food I tried in Taiwan wasn’t all that great. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t as life-changingly delicious as Thai or Vietnamese food. Maybe when I go back to Taiwan to see Taipei I will get to taste better food.
There was one restaurant called Bossa Nova. The food and service were okay. I was a little freaked out when an employee’s five-year-old daughter showed up.
She came skipping in and a waiter sat her on a table. She took off her shoes and started walking on the table with her bare feet. No one told her to stop. When she finally hopped off the table no one bothered to clean the table top. I eyed my own table suspiciously looking for footprints.
Another beach in Kenting
Let’s see a few sights
Swimming all day isn’t much fun when you have to leave every time you get hungry and feel like passing out around noon because of the heat. So, one day after my morning swim, I did a little sightseeing; just one day. This was after all, a week of relaxation.
Frog Rock Marine Park
I passed by other beaches along the Kenting road. None of them was as good as Baisha, but they all had restaurants across the street. The beaches in this part of Taiwan aren’t very long and have rocks in and around them.
My first stop was the Frog Rock Marine Park. The entrance fee was 20TWD and 30TWD to park a scooter. There is a hotel in this park that is used for groups of students and families. The hotel is made up of traditional looking Taiwanese buildings. The namesake Frog Rock sits at the edge of the park. There is also a beach, but I was told that it is now closed because of the storm that hit the area in early August.
Is this a warning for me or the crabs?
Stop 2. was Nixon’s Head. I didn’t think it looked like Nixon at first, but after I being out in the sun on the scooter for a couple hours I was able to see it.
Stop 3. was the lighthouse. This cost 40TWD to enter and 10TWD for scooter parking. This park had some nice views of the neighboring beach, but it was really hot. Once I walked up the little hill and had a look around I was dripping in sweat.
I did walk down to the sea though. It was a beautiful view of the southernmost part of Taiwan.
꽃보다 남자 with Mandarin subtitles!
Boys of Flowers in the A/C
After this day I vowed not to go sightseeing again. I would spend the rest of my noons indoors with the a/c on high watching “Boys over Flowers” in Mandarin. The venture on the one tour day did make my afternoon swim much more enjoyable.
* My friend Michelle dared me to name my next blog entry after a republican. She thought I couldn’t do it. I showed her!
TaiwanThe Republic of China
(中華民國)
(Zhōnghuá Mínguó)
How to get there:
Taiwan is an island so you can enter this country by plane or boat.
I got my ticket paid for by S.M.O.E. Most ESL jobs will pay for your ticket home if you finish your contract. Some, like SMOE will pay for both your ticket there and your ticket back.
Phone:
- Emergency Numbers:
- Police 110
- Ambulance and Fire 119
Website:
Videos:
- China Uncensored: The one China Policy
Books:
Notes:
- It is a known fact that cheaper flights are to be found on websites that are written in the local language. You might be better off getting a Korean co-worker or friend to help than searching sites in English.
- If you ever visit Taiwan, write some address and phone number on your landing card, even if it’s for a Starbucks. Never leave the section for hotel’s address blank.
Frog Rock Marine park(清蛙石)
Kenting Youth Activity Center
(墾丁青年活動中心)
(墾丁青年活動中心)
- 21°56’20.9″N 120°48’04.1″E Frog Rock
- 21°56’28.5″N 120°47’57.0″E Youth Center
- Website
Address:
No.17, Kenting Rd., Hengchun Town, Pingtung County 946, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Phone:
(08)886-1221
Cost:
Notes:
- This place is also a hostel, but I think there is an age limit for guests.
- You have to go to the youth center to get to the rock.
Nixon’s HeadChuanfanshr
Sail rock
(船帆石)
- 21°55’52.4″N 120°49’26.3″E
It’s along road 26 between the Kenting Youth Activity Center and the light house.
Websites:
Notes:
- This is really not a very amazing thing. I don’t recommended traveling just to see this rock, but if you are passing by, you might as well…
- … and it’s hard to see Nixon’s head in the rock. It looks more like a gorilla.
Eluanbi Park
(鵝鑾鼻燈塔)
(鵝鑾鼻燈塔)- 21°54’07.2″N 120°51’02.2″E
Head south down road 26. When the road ends, stop.
cost:
Notes:
- Walk around and find the path that leads to the sea. This is the southernmost part of Taiwan.
- There are lots of souvenir shops at the entrance, near the parking lot.
- You can buy food and drinks near the front gate.
Maps:
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