Pingtung County (屏東縣) is southernmost region of Taiwan reaching down to its extreme southern tip.

Regions

There are 33 townships, towns, and urban areas in Pingtung County, each with its own local characteristics and features:

Northern Pingtung (Pingtung, Jiuru, Ligang, Yanpu, Gaoshu) Home to the political and economic centre of the County.

Central Pingtung (Chaozhou, Wandan, Changzhi, Linluo, Wanluan, Neipu, Zhutian, Xinpi) An area with a strong Hakka culture which is famous for its pig's trotters.

Southern Pingtung (Donggang, Fangliao, Xinyuan, Kanding, Linbian, Nanzhou, Jiadong, Liuqiu) A popular starting off point to explore some of the nearby islands.

Hengchun Peninsula (Hengchun, Fangshan, Checheng, Manzhou) Home to the Kenting National Park, as well as a popular area for watersports and resorts.

Mountain Area (Sandimen, Wutai, Majia, Taiwu, Laiyi, Chunri, Shizi, Mudan) An area rich in the culture of the indigineous Taiwanese tribes.

Cities

• 1 Pingtung (屏東) – The subtropical county seat and largest city in Pingtung County.

• 2 Chaozhou (潮州) – Named for the city from which the early settlers originally came.
• 3 Donggang (東港) – It has one of Taiwan's largest fishing harbours.
• 4 Hengchun (恆春) – The entryway to Kenting National Park with pristine beaches and a vibrant tourist industry, the Hengchun area often attracts more travelers than local residents.

Other destinations

• 1 Kenting National Park – A scenic region and national park with some of the best beaches in Taiwan, famous for surfing, snorkling, etc.

Understand

Pingtung County is known for having high proportion of people of Hakka descent, but unlike the Hakkas in Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli, who still maintain a distinct cultural identify, the Hakkas in Pingtung have been completely assimilated into the Minnan-speaking majority and no longer speak the Hakka dialect.

Get in

By train

Pingtung County is connected to other parts of Taiwan by the TRA network. This is also a useful way to get between townships. Stations located within the County are:

Name	Chinese	Line	Location	Notes
1 Liukuaicuo.	六塊厝	Pingtung line
2 Pingtung.	屏東
3 Guilai.	歸來
4 Linluo.	麟洛
5 Xishi.	西勢
6 Zhutian.	竹田
7 Chaozhou.	潮州
8 Kanding.	崁頂
9 Nanzhou.	南州
10 Zhen'an.	鎮安
11 Linbian.	林邊
12 Jiadong.	佳冬
13 Donghai.	東海
14 Fangliao.	枋寮	Pintung line South-link line
15 Jialu.	加祿	South-link line
16 Neishi.	內獅
17 Fangshan.	枋山
18 Fangye.	枋野號
19 Central Signal.	中央號

By bus

Numerous bus lines, regional and national, cover the region.

By boat

Ferry service operates between Donggang Township and Baisha Port and Dafu Port on the offshore Lamay Island

Get around

Getting around by bus and bicycle is recommended.

See

History and culture

Hengchun South Gate

Yang Family Ancestral Hall

• 1 Eluanbi Lighthouse (鵝鑾鼻燈塔). A lighthouse constructed in 1883 and located on Cape Eluanbi, the southernmost point of Taiwan, which separates Taiwan's South Bay from Banana Bay and the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea from the Philippine Sea. The lighthouse is also known as "The Light of East Asia" because its light is the most intense of those on Taiwan. (updated Dec 2020)
• 2 Fuji Old House (林邊福記古厝), No. 8, Rongnong Road, ☏ +88688756733. 07:00-18:00. (updated Dec 2020)
• 3 Hengchun Old Town (恆春縣城). The only castle town in Taiwan where all of the original gates remain standing. (updated Jan 2020)
• 4 Kucapungane (好茶村). A Rukai aboriginal village in the mountains of southern Taiwan. Virtually abandoned since the 1970s, the village is well-known for its slate houses. (updated Jan 2020)
• 5 Gaoshi Shrine (高士神社). A Shinto shrine located in Gaoshi, a Paiwan village in Mudan. With the original shrine destroyed by typhoon in 1946, a new shrine was rebuilt in 2015, making it the only Shinto shrine constructed in Taiwan in the post–World War II era, following the end of the island's Japanese rule. The current shrine is not affiliated with the Shinto religion (or any other deity) but serves as a memorial for the Paiwan population lost in wars such as World War II. (updated Dec 2020)
• 6 Old House of Siiao Family (蕭家祖屋), No. 150, Gouzhu Road, Jiadong Township, ☏ +886 932 200 024. 09:00-17:00. The house was constructed during the reign of Emperor Xianfeng during the Qing Dynasty. After the handover of Taiwan to Japan in 1895, a conflict broke out between the local residents and the Japanese. Some of the bullet holes from this conflict are still visible in the room walls. (updated Jan 2020)
• 7 Wukou Village Liou Family Ancestral Hall (五溝水劉氏宗祠). The Hakka-style hall spans over an area of 1 hectare. It was built with two internal wings, two external wings and Baroque-style walls. (updated Jan 2020)
• 8 Wugou Shui Shrine (五溝水忠勇祠). A shrine for the Liuk-tôi Hakka people who died in armed conflicts with the Pepo people in 1833. (updated Dec 2020)
• 9 Yang Family Ancestral Hall (楊氏宗祠). The building was constructed with traditional Hakka architecture style in quadrangle shape. It features a heart-shaped Tai chi pond located in front of the hall. (updated Jan 2020)

Museums and galleries

Museum of Traditional Theater

Kelp Forests, National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium

• 10 Liudui Hakka Cultural Park (六堆客家文化園區). A cultural center focusing on Hakka people and culture. The two main concepts of the park are Hakka village life and natural ecology. (updated Jan 2020)
• 11 Museum of Traditional Theater (屏東戲曲故事館). A museum of traditional performing arts, particularly puppetry which remains popular in Taiwan. (updated Jan 2020)
• 12 National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium (國立海洋生物博物館). Opened in 2000, the complex features an aquarium as well as a water park. (updated Jan 2020)
• 13 Pingtung Hakka Cultural Museum (屏東縣客家文物館). The exhibits are divided into Hakka cultivation, Hakka farm life, Hakka life, Hakka culture, and heritage. (updated Jan 2020)
• 14 Taipower Exhibit Center in Southern Taiwan (台電南部展示館). The center features exhibition hall, movie theater and an outdoor solar panel. (updated Jan 2020)
• 15 Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park (台灣原住民文化園區). The cultural park exhibits the lifestyle and cultural heritage of the nine main aboriginal tribes in Taiwan. (updated Jan 2020)

Temples

• 16 An-Nur Tongkang Mosque (東港清真寺), No. 115, Xingyu Street, Donggang. It is the eighth mosque built in Taiwan. It is also the first mosque in Pingtung County, completed in 2018. (updated Jan 2020)
• 17 Bei Yuan Temple (北院廟), 59 Lishe Road, Kanding Township. (updated Dec 2020)
• 18 Changli Temple (昌黎祠). (updated Dec 2020)
• 19 Chaozhou Zhaolin Temple (潮州朝林宮), ☏ +886 8 789 6652. (updated Jan 2020)
• 20 Checheng Fuan Temple (車城福安宮). The largest temple in Taiwan whorshipping Tudigong (土地公 "Lord of the Soil and the Ground"). (updated Jan 2020)
• 21 Dalukuan Shrine (大路關恩公廟). (updated Dec 2020)
• 22 Dawuli Fude Temple (大武力福德宮). (updated Dec 2020)
• 23 Donggang Zhen Hai Temple (東港鎮海宮). (updated Dec 2020)
• 24 Donglong Temple (東港東隆宮). The current temple complex was completed in 1887. The temple organises the Donggang King Boat Ceremony every three years on the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 11th year of the Chinese calendar. (updated Jan 2020)
• 25 Fangliao Bao'an Temple (北勢寮保安宮), ☏ +886 8 878 2419. (updated Jan 2020)
• 26 Foen Temple (佛恩寺), ☏ +88687795568. A Buddhist temple that is striking in that it is painted entirely black. (updated Dec 2020)
• 27 Ligang Shuangci Temple (里港雙慈宮). (updated Dec 2020)
• 28 Neipu Mazu Temple (內埔天后宮). (updated Dec 2020)
• 29 Pulong Temple (放索普龍殿). (updated Dec 2020)
• 30 Sinhuei Temple (新惠宮), No. 250, Pinghe Road, Xinyuan Township, ☏ +88688681139. (updated Dec 2020)
• 31 Six Village Three Mountain King Temple (六根庄三山國王廟). (updated Dec 2020)
• 32 Three Mountains King Temple (九如三山國王廟), No. 174, Ren'ai Street, Jiuru Township, ☏ +886 8 739 1023. Built in 1651, the temple name refers to three mountains in Mainland China: Mount Du, Mount Ming, and Mount Jing (updated Jan 2020)
• 33 Wanchin Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (萬金聖母聖殿). The first basilica church in Taiwan, built in 1870. (updated Jan 2020)
• 34 Wandan Xiangu Temple (水流仙姑寺), No. 35, Ciji Road, Wandan Township, ☏ +88687071135. (updated Dec 2020)
• 35 Wutai Presbyterian Church (霧台教會). (updated Dec 2020)
• 36 Zhongyi Temple of Liouduei (六堆忠義亭). (updated Dec 2020)

Do

• 1 Sichongxi Hot Spring (四重溪溫泉). Housed in a Japanese-style building, the water is of alkaline type and rich in sodium carbonate. (updated Jan 2020)
• 2 Cycling the Dapeng Bay Bikeway (大鵬灣環灣自行車道), ☏ +886 8 833 8100. A cycling course that runs alongside the Dapeng lagoon. (updated Jan 2020)
• 3 Bada Forest Paradise Theme Park (8大森林魔法樂園). The theme park consists of various exhibitions on plantation as well as many amusement rides. (updated Jan 2020)
• 4 Dapengbay International Circuit (大鵬灣國際賽車場). A motorsports venue featuring a 3.5 km long circuit. (updated Jan 2020)

Parks and nature

Vase Rock

• 5 Beautiful Maiden Cave (美人洞). An explorable cave complex that requires a fee for admission which also allows entry to the nearby Mountain Pig Ditch and Black Dwarf Cave. (updated Jan 2020)
• 6 Black Dwarf Cave (烏鬼洞). A large explorable cave on Liuqiu Island. (updated Jan 2020)
• 7 Dapeng Bay (大鵬灣). The largest lagoon on the southwest coastline of Taiwan Island. (updated Jan 2020)
• 8 Linhousilin Forest Park (林後四林平地森林園區). The park was created as a lowland forest reserve. It spans over a total area of 1,005 ha. (updated Jan 2020)
• 9 Longluan Lake (龍鑾潭). The biggest fresh water lake in Taiwan. (updated Jan 2020)
• 10 Longpan Park (龍磐公園). A windy park facing out to the Pacific Ocean. (updated Jan 2020)
• 11 Shuangliu Forest Recreation Area (雙流國家森林遊樂區). The forest spans an area of 6½ km² at 175–650 m altitude featuring a number of hiking trails. (updated Jan 2020)
• Vase Rock (花瓶石). The 9-m tall rock was formed by the rising of the coastal coral reef. (updated Jan 2020)

Eat

The popular night markets can be found in most towns and cities.

Sleep

• 1 Caesar Park Hotel Kenting, No.6 Kenting Road, Hengchun Town, ☏ +886 8 886 1888. (updated Jan 2020)
• 2 Chateau Beach Resort Kenting (墾丁夏都沙灘酒店), No. 451號, Kending Road, Hengchun Township, ☏ +886 8 886 2345. (updated Jan 2020)
• 3 Fullon Resort Kending (福容大飯店), No. 1000, Chuanfan Road, Hengchun Township, ☏ +886 8 885 6688. (updated Jan 2020)
• 4 Kentington Resort (小墾丁渡假村). In a 40 ha area, the resort has 304 huts, dining areas, recreational areas and venues for conferences or banquets. (updated Jan 2020)