Amazing Beauty and Flavours of Kaohsiung, Kenting & Hengchun Taiwan (Days 1 & 2 Itinerary)

I am now in Kaohsiung Taiwan with AirAsia's inaugural flight between Kuala Lumpur KL and Kaohsiung. Follow me as I share with you LIVE all the delicious food, beautiful places and nice people I meet in Kaohsiung and around southern Taiwan. (This is a summary update while I am on the road; once I am at home base, detailed posts will follow.)

My first visit to Kaohsiung and south Taiwan was a long time ago in 1981, so I come here with loads of nostalgic feelings.




Day 1 - Kuala Lumpur to Kaohsiung to Kenting National Park



After arriving at Kaohsiung from Kuala Lumpur, our first stop was Kentington Resort near Kenting City about 2 hours bus ride to the south.



Kentington Resort is a luxury resort nestled in the natural lush tropical rainforest of Kenting National Park in southern Taiwan.



Our enjoyable dinner was at Kentington Resort's restaurant. The dishes were well executed and made with fresh ingredients. The service was friendly, warm, attentive and responsive.



All the dishes we had were good and this lala (clam) dish was particularly memorable. The fresh lala, garlic cloves and large zucchini slices created a clear broth which had the delicate briny taste of the ocean balanced with the sweetness of the fresh vegetables.



After our sumptuous and delicious dinner we visited the Kenting Main Street night market - something every visitor to Kenting City must do.



I guessed that along the jammed packed 100 metre stretch of road, there could be up to 200 shops and stalls selling all kinds of traditional and trendy food as well as clothing and many other goods. This place is overflowing with bubbling energy and buzz.



On the bus to Kenting Main Street night market, the giggling ladies were going ga ga talking about a hunky tau fu fa (bean curd) man who recently went viral on social media. Well, sorry ladies, I could not find your tau fu fa man. Tried my best and could only managed to spot this bronzed brawny oyster guy.

We chatted a while - friendly oyster man said his nickname is "porky 豬肉" as he comes from a family of pork sellers. He is a surfer by day and oyster seller by night. "Porky" said this gives him freedom.

Day 2 - Kenting Region

We checked out of Kentington Resort after breakfast and drove along the scenic eastern shoreline of southern Taiwan, stopping for photos along the way to Kenting City.



A little piece of heaven for this herd of water buffaloes wading in the mud pool (on the right) and grazing in the lush windy field of soft green grass. In the background is white surf rushing ashore from the Pacific Ocean.



This natural formation is known as the Sail and also the Nixon rock. What does it look like to you? It does look like the 37th US President to me.



We stopped at the luxurious Amanda Hotel in Kenting City for lunch.



Every room in Amanda Hotel is unique and exquisitely furnished - all the rooms are different but are equally inspired by classic Moroccan art.



Amanda Hotel's Essaouira Restaurant is also furnished with the charming Moroccan theme.



Essaouira Restaurant serves a mix of Arabic, Mediterranean and Chinese dishes. We tasted several dishes from all the cultures and they were well executed and delicious.

Our next stop was the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium.



I was mesmerised by the giant frolicking whales at the entrance of the Museum.



The magnificent sculptures are life size models of the Blue Whale, Humpback Whale, and Sperm Whale.



The Museum has a large collection of marine life including these adorable dolphins.



We visited a historic natural hot spring spa in Checheng Township founded by the Japanese more than 100 years when they ruled Taiwan.



The spa is fully modernised but this original century old spa bath is still well preserved.



We indulged in a matcha green tea ice cream with red beans and gummy rice balls. It left me craving for more.

Next stop, Baishawan 白沙灣 (White Sands Bay).



Blue sky, turquoise sea, roaring white surf crashing on yellowish white sand.



Baishawan and Kenting is a great destination for sea sport enthusiasts.



Guanshan is a popular place to watch the sun set over the Taiwan Straits.



We spent the night at Ever Spring Eco-farm at Hengchun Township.



We enjoyed many local dishes at the restaurant at Ever Spring Eco-farm. One of the signatures was this "kampung" chicken fed with garlic and chili peppers, and raised without using hormones and antibiotics. The chicken is grilled with wood fire.

The chicken had crispy skin, slightly dry flesh with no fat, and had a nice smokey flavour from grilling with wood fire.



This is another memorable dish - one wouldn't be able to guess what this is unless s/he is from or has been to southern Taiwan.

This is fried Marlin fish stomach.

The Marlin stomach is cut into strips and stir fried with ginger and a savoury sauce. The Marlin stomach was rubbery chewy and didn't have much flavour, so it was mainly the flavour from the savoury sauce and mild spicy notes from the ginger.

I suspect that this is probably beer food, as Taiwanese love their drinks 😄

Day 3 & 4 - continued here <- click.
Day 5 & 6 - continued here <- click.

Come back to this post everyday as I am visiting Kaohsiung/ southern Taiwan till 21 Jul 2015. Please share with me the things I must eat, see and do while I am in Kaohsiung.



AirAsia AK 170 departs KLIA2 for Kaohsiung at 8:30am and 1:00pm every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

AirAsia AK 171 departs Kaohsiung for KLIA2 at 1:30pm and 5:50pm on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Dates visited: 16 - 21 Jul 2105

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