Kenting

Just wondering. In this particular daydream I work from home as a freelance translator, and every day I go out swimming and cycling. I eat seafood all the time. The air is fresh and clean.

Am I crazy? Thoughts?

Not at all. I’ve been thinking of somethign similar as my work starts to shift over into full-time freelance writing. I was thinking maybe Ilan or Jiaoshi especially now they have all those bike paths. Get a little hot spring place. Like you said, enjoy fresh air, biking, hiking, swimming. My place in Muzha has all of that but I don’t get up early so by the time I want to get out too often the afternoon smog has come in. And of course there is the rain, though Ilan is not much better.

Penghu is also an option. A friend moved there a few months ago. Sounds like a great place, especially if your woman is with you.

We can live anywhere we want, so why not.

In my dream, I’m happily biking in the hills above Kenting, and then the nuclear plant has a mishap, and we all fry. but it’s nice to dream.

I hate Kending too much to be able to give you the affirmative answer I sense you seek. To not be able to go to a restaurant without having to first run through a cacophony of storefronts blaring Mandopop at 158bpm is my idea of hell, not heaven.

I’d choose 臺東 (Taidong). I think it’s the most underrated city in Taiwan.

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Taidong sounds nice, been there and kind of loved it … but I’m thinking of moving on to Qingdao (China)

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Kending proper is horrible. Somewhere out on the coast by Hengchun or up the coast to Jialeshui/Xuhai might work although it will probably ruined after they punch the rest of Route 26 down the coast–they’ve started work already. No, if you want to live by the ocean, between Taidong and Hualien is the way to go. I personally like the area north of Dagangkou the best but this might be a bit isolated.

Muzha Dude, Yilan? Are you mad? Horribly overdeveloped already and getting worse. Plus it rains there even more than Muzha.

[quote=“Feiren”]Muzha Dude, Yilan? Are you mad? Horribly overdeveloped already and getting worse. Plus it rains there even more than Muzha.[/quote]When I passed through Yilan, something that struck me was that lots of the scooters have full wind/rainshields. Didn’t think much of Yilan City either, though I guess there’s easy access to some great countryside.

Yep, I have plans to buy some property out there myself. The wife and I are quite serious about it. Personally, I hope it stays underrated.

Yep, I have plans to buy some property out there myself. The wife and I are quite serious about it. Personally, I hope it stays underrated.[/quote]

That’s what my wife said … retiring in Taidong or surroundings … I’ve seen some some nice places north of Taidong along the coast … would it be possible to buy some land near the water? Building something … a homestay, restaurant … small hotel?

[quote=“Feiren”]Kending proper is horrible. Somewhere out on the coast by Hengchun or up the coast to Jialeshui/Xuhai might work although it will probably ruined after they punch the rest of Route 26 down the coast–they’ve started work already. No, if you want to live by the ocean, between Taidong and Hualian is the way to go. I personally like the area north of Dagangkou the best but this might be a bit isolated.

Muzha Dude, Yilan? Are you mad? Horribly overdeveloped already and getting worse. Plus it rains there even more than Muzha.[/quote]

I know, rain, rain. But Hualien and Taitung have shitty winter weather, too.

Yes, Ilan is getting developed but well, it’s not like I live in the sticks here. I would like easy access to Taipei but fresh air all the time. And the hot springs are a bonus. Besides, I wasn’t taking about Ilan city.

Matthew Lien recorded some of his music as a record of travel in I-Lan, didn’t he? His music is so peaceful, it must be a nice place to settle down for a relaxing breath of fresh air.

I think Yilan County would be a relaxing place to live … if it weren’t for all those earthquakes. I’ve never become accustomed even to the ones as felt in Taipei, which are usually an order of magnitude less than around Yilan. :runaway:

Taitung rocks. I’ve lived in Taiwan for more than a decade, and of all the places on the island, I’ve been to Taitung the most times (Kenting in second, but not even close). No traffic in Taitung. Beaches, mountains, Green Island (Lanyu further away). lots of nature. All kinds of stuff to do there.

Bought some land myself north of Taitung. Lots of older Taiwanese from the big cities (Taipei, Taichung, etc.) buy land there for a part of their retirement relaxation.

Forced to live in Taiwan (in order to fight to see my dear two year old boy, who my TW wife has stopped me seeing for more than six months now, the matter is going through the courts …), I have being looking for a place in Taiwan that is relatively relaxed, healthy and liveable. I lived in Taipei for a couple of years, the only bearable place was Xinyi District which of course is extremely expensive.

I am lucky enough to have my own business and work from home, so I can choose where to live. I travelled to Kenting a few times previously and enjoyed it, so have decided to live here. Your stress level drops as soon as you arrive here.

There are not many teaching jobs down here so most foreigners would not be able to live here, however I would recommend you to visit Kenting just to revive your faith in humanity.

Good points:

  1. There are very few foreigners living down here (10 - 20 depending on who you speak to) but those that do are more friendly and open, a kind of community. And visitors tend to be friendly to each other.

As opposed to the foreigners in Taipei who wouldn’t give each other the time of day. (BTW, if you intend to act like this when you come to Kenting, please stay away, we don’t want you here).

  1. Some genuinely cool, rather bohemian and laid back places, for instance Bossa Nova beach cafe in Nanwan (French owner with Taiwanese wife). Some of the local shop and stall owners are much more laid back and relaxed than their big city counterparts. The place has quite a more youthful and open minded feel to it.

  2. A foreigner can feel more comfortable here around Kenting/ Nanwan (although not so much Hengchun), there are more and more foreign visitors at wekends now, the locals are more used to seeing us so less stares or stupid comments.

  3. Nature, the mountains and sea, clean air, deep blue sky and you can see the stars at night . Surfing, scuba diving (I recommend the latter, it will change your life and maybe even save your life)

  4. You can ride a scooter here and seriously enjoy it, safely. Drive the country and mountain roads and up the coast, to deserted beaches such as Back Bay.

  5. Taiwan High Speed Railway now makes it easier and quicker to get from north to South TW, still need to get a 2-3 hour bus/ taxi from Kaohsiung to Kenting though. There are also flights from Taipei to Hengchun, but only on Sat, Sun and Mon.

Bad points:

  1. There are a few decent beaches here, the best one being Baishawan (beautiful and clean sandy beach). However the tranquility is disturbed by the locals’ inability to relax and enjoy the sun, beach and the sea as it should be. Come fully clothed, holding umbrellas, tiptoe around the edge of the water, scream when any water touches them, too scared/ unable to swim, take lots of photos, get excited a bit more, then leave. Please learn to chill out and enjoy nature, TW people !

So come here and feel alive and human again. A few more friendly foreigners visiting will give the place a bit more of a cosmopolitan buzz, which can only be good for the place.

Im with you on that . Kenting is awesome and its got a great feeling about the place !! You feel it when you arrive.

I’d love to live somewhere down there, but my in-laws all live in Heng Chun. Being within a hundred kilometers of them for a mere three days at CNY gives me a nervous breakdown every year. I don’t think I could handle it permanently.

I have been toying around with the idea of just getting out of Taipei alltogether. Life is very stressful, people both local and foreigner, are really unfriendly unless they can gain something by being your friend (basically what’s in it for me attitude). I can’t even find a church for God’s sake that have friendly people, it takes great (often futile) effort to get noticed here. I know of a few very friendly and good churches in Taichung but the only thing putting me off is the bad traffic and I heard that there are lots of gangsters in Taichung. Maybe one could live in Kaoshung and go to Kenting when they have time.

The problem is once I leave my current job I don’t know if I got enough money to make the move. I got some stuff im not sure how much money will I need. I only got maybe around 20k saved up (probably more if I start liquidating some white elephants and other unnecessary stuff)

I still haven’t seen you at a HH…

And I’m mates with Iris Hstu and what have I got from it except for a bad rash and having the best years of my life taken from me?

However, I do agree with you that life in Taipei is stressful, but thats the same with any capital city. London is not exactly a cakewalk either.

Well yes Taiwan cities are ugly, noisy and often highly polluted hellholes, my heart goes out for all of you having to live in these places- why do you think most foreigners only stay in Taiwan for a couple of years max ?

Kenting is more than bearable, even pleasant to live. Not that the locals are genuinely warm, compassionate and understanding- because Taiwanese people are not like that wherever you go. But the locals do seem more friendly and relaxed, (if only on a superficial level), the place is relatively chilled and laid back, foreigners are more friendly to each other here.

All I am saying is that while you are in Taiwan, come down here to relax, and feel human again. It will slow down your progress towards insanity :wink: