I have a friend visiting at the start of May. Are there any decent beaches here in Taiwan? Are there any good resorts? Or am I just being silly?
Lots of both. You obviously haven’t been out much lately. Where do you want to go? North, south, east, west?
Kenting will be one of options. I took my parents-in-law there…they said the water temperature is warmer than the summer in France. I think the water looks pretty clean as well.
Mucha,
I’d love to go anywhere with a decent beach and a nice posh hotel to relax in. i am sure my friend will only be here the once, so I want to be able to spoil him.
Taitung has a lovely beach but not really a resort, but you can get to Green island from there which is lush. Kenting has posh hotels and good beaches. Penghu island, which is easy to get to from Kaohsiung, is supposed to be beautiful too, but I’ve never been there.
Kending’s beaches pale in comparison to those out at the Penghu islands; warm, crystal clear, and free of the hordes who harass you to buy a can of Coke. If you’re in Taipei and want a weekend away, it’s well worth the effort, especially since it’s a direct flight.
If you can’t be arsed with island hopping, then I’d recommend Hualien. There are some beautiful, quiet beaches (though without the golden sands you might be thinking of) just outside of Hualien city, such as at the Amei Aboriginal resevation called “Huting” (you can find it on the Internet using a Google search).
But if you want a dose of really good beach, you should just come to The Gold Coast!
I think Patterson is looking for a good beach WITH a good hotel.
AFIK Kenting is the only option then…
I would be so happy and greatful if I am wrong.
Some good beaches, yes - but very few beaches with good hotel(s).
yes X3M is correct. i am really looking for the double pleasure of good beach and good hotel. suggestions duly noted.
what is AFIK?
Sounds like its the Howard Prince resort in Kenting then. They have one called pacific green or something, up on the north coast. Any ideas?
The Caesar Park Hotel and the Chateau are the loveliest places in Kenting. The Howard has absolutely no character. It feels like you’re still stuck in the city.
The Chateau of course has private access to a 5km strip of beach. The Caesar park however is right across the road from a small public beach and now offers beachside showers and changing rooms- for guests only.
There is a Howard Resort in the north by Green Bay (Feicuiwan) but I really don’t think it’s worth staying there. The facilities are still very nice but the outside is clearly aging.
3XM, if you’re taking about top hotels by the beach then yes, Kenting (and Green Bay) are about your only options. This will changed when the 5-star resort and village are finished in Dapeng Bay in a few years.
If you really want to impress your friend consider the Lalu at Sun Moon Lake. The views from the hotel are without peer, and the swimming pool is designed to make you feel like you are swimming in the lake. You can actually swim in the lake now too, in a small pool area, or anywhere if you take a rowboat out and slip over the side.
[quote]If you really want to impress your friend consider the Lalu at Sun Moon Lake. The views from the hotel are without peer, and the swimming pool is designed to make you feel like you are swimming in the lake. You can actually swim in the lake now too, in a small pool area, or anywhere if you take a rowboat out and slip over the side.
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Muchaman, have you stayed there? If so, were there deals for less than 11,000 per night?
A couple of years ago, I have been to Kenting. What bothered me about the public beach was, that the nuclear power plant was so close by. For a visitor from overseas, not a pretty sight. (I guess 3 km distance…)
Come on, most of Kenting is a waste of time and money…
If it’s a hotel + beach combination, then one of the nicest I’ve tried (in Taiwan) is in the town of “JinBei” or JinMei", in Matsu. It’s a 150 year-old fishing village that has been restored by the government and is presently being managed by a local family as a hotel. This place is really special! All of the structures are made from local stone and timber, and you can rent a small “house” for the night (I think I paid about $1200NTD). The food is fantastic (fresh seafood, with beer from across the strait) and the area is very serene. It’s quite secluded actually, in stark contrast to the style of hotel you’d find in Kenting. There’s plenty of interesting walks, and the environment is great.
Although the beaches there are typically quite small, and the water quite cool, with a bit of searching, you’ll find some truly beautiful places that are free of the maddening hordes. After living in the city for so long, the last thing I’ve ever wanted to use has been an overpriced, poorly serviced hotel located on a crowded, dirty beach. I’m sure I’ve previously written about various hotels in the Taiwan islands; so, if you’re interested, just message me, or do a quick search.
What’s great is that you can go for a swim in the warm coolant water coming out and do some snorkelling at the same time. Homer Simpson watch out!
If you go to the public beach across from the Caesar, you can’t see the nuclear plant (Frog Rock among other land forms block it out).
Is it true that Kenting can be compared to Thailand? Whats it like there? Really?
Kending is horrible. It’s dirty, crowded, expensive and the buildings are all ugly concrete blocks. Save your money and go to the Philippines, Thailand or Indonesia.
Unfortunately, not a word of a lie. However, there are other places further round the coast from Kending that are still pretty nice.
However, there are other places further round the coast from Kending that are still pretty nice.[/quote]
Which direction from Kending? East or west?
Which direction from Kending? East or west?[/quote]
Both southeast (take the left fork at Oluanpi) and north (take the coast road toward Hengchun).
Hi, MM, saw this post on another thread and wanted to continue the beach discussion.
Do you or anyone else know a good place to access the beaches close to Dajia? I’ve been to the ‘tourist fishing port’ at Wuqi a couple of times but it wouldn’t be easy to get onto the beach. You’d have to climb over something and actually I’m not sure whether you’re allowed to.
It’s funny – in the recreational area next to the fishing harbour they have these raised pavilions on stilts that are supposed to be viewpoints, but you can’t actually see out to the sea because of the angle. All you can see are the scrubby bushes and grass around there.
Good kite-flying place though, and they have a mini climbing wall there now. It looks OK for kids – not too high – but I also saw a couple of serious guys practising their bouldering.
To get there, take Chung Gang (Zhonggang) Road right out of Taichung until the end. You will come to a crossroads. The road on the other side leads to the cargo docks and has a police checkpoint preventing unauthorised entry.
Turn right, and continue along maybe a kilometre until you see the sign pointing left for the “Wuchi Tourism Fishing Port” or something. There is a globular concrete industrial structure at that point, but you don’t go right up to it.
The first time I tried to get there, I was lost so drove right up to the checkpoint (slowly!) to ask directions. The policeman was very surprised to see me and asked me what I was doing. I replied that I wanted to see the sea. He was very kind and gave me two cans of Mr Brown coffee before sending me in the right direction.