Kenting National Park Tour: Sail Rock & Eluanbi Lighthouse

Walk the shell beach and lighthouse grounds at Taiwan's southernmost point

A full-day tour from Kaohsiung to Kenting National Park with a live English or Chinese-speaking guide, departing from Fangliao station at 9:20am. You visit Checheng Fu An Temple, explore Hengchun Old Town, then move through the park's coastal landmarks: Sail Rock, Sand Island's ecological reserve, Eluanbi Lighthouse at Cape Eluanbi, and Longpa Park facing the Pacific. An hour of self-guided time at the lighthouse lets you walk the grounds at your own pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kenting National Park and Surroundings

• Meet at Fangliao station at 9:20am
• Visit Checheng Fu An Temple
• Walk and explore Hengchun Old Town
• See Sail Rock formation
• Visit Sand Island Ecological Reserve
• Explore Eluanbi Lighthouse park
• Visit Longpa Park grassland and cliffs
• Return to Fangliao station for train back

The experience

The tour starts at Fangliao station, where your guide picks you up at 9:20am. If you're coming from Kaohsiung, trains arrive by 9:07am. If traveling from the north, the High Speed Rail connects to Zuoying station with onward service to Fangliao. After the day ends, your guide arranges your return train to Kaohsiung. Groups of four or more depart from Lingya Sports Park Station instead.

The route moves through Kenting National Park's landmarks in sequence. Checheng Fu An Temple, Taiwan's largest Earth God temple, built in 1662 during the Qing Dynasty, anchors the cultural start. From there you walk Hengchun Old Town before reaching the coastal sites: Sail Rock, named for its ship-like shape, then Sand Island, one of Taiwan's few shell beaches and the park's smallest ecological reserve at roughly 290 meters long. Eluanbi Lighthouse sits on Cape Eluanbi, the southernmost point of Taiwan's main island, and you have an hour to explore the grounds yourself. Longpa Park, an open grassland facing the Pacific with coral reef cliffs and isolated mountains, closes the day.

The van is air-conditioned and holds up to nine passengers. Your guide speaks English or Chinese. Bottled water, fuel, parking and liability insurance are included. Food, drinks and site entrance tickets are not. The tour runs eight hours total and suits all fitness levels, though the walking is self-paced at each stop. Minimum age is 12. A minimum of two people is required to depart.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned van with bilingual guide in English or Chinese.
• bottled water.
• parking fees and fuel surcharge.
• liability insurance.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (12 to 85 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 7

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Private fun tour service

Is this one for you?Groups of two to eight travel together in one vehicle, so you share the day with fellow travelers and split the guide's attention. If you're a solo traveler or pair, you'll join whoever else books this departure. Groups of four or more get pickup at Lingya Sports Park Station in Kaohsiung instead of Fangliao, which may suit your schedule better.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Sail Rock and where do I see it on this tour?

Sail Rock is a distinctive formation in Kenting National Park named for its resemblance to a sailing ship. You visit it as part of the coastal sequence after exploring Hengchun Old Town, before moving on to Sand Island and Eluanbi Lighthouse.

Can I walk around on my own at Eluanbi Lighthouse?

Yes. You have one hour of self-guided time at Eluanbi Lighthouse to explore the grounds at your own pace. The lighthouse sits on Cape Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost point, and is open to the public year-round.

How do I get from Kaohsiung to the meeting point?

Take Taiwan Rail to Fangliao station, where your guide picks you up at 9:20am. If you're arriving from the north on the High Speed Rail, get off at Zuoying station and transfer to a train departing at 7:43am, or start from Kaohsiung City Station at 7:53am. Both reach Fangliao by 9:07am. Groups of four or more meet at Lingya Sports Park Station Exit 3 instead.

What is Sand Island and why is it called that?

Sand Island, also known as Sand Island Ecological Reserve, is a bay in Kenting National Park with one of Taiwan's few shell beaches. It covers about 3 hectares and runs roughly 290 meters long and 100 meters wide. The name comes from how sand accumulated on the local beach like a small island, a description residents passed down over time.

What does the tour include and what do I need to pay for separately?

The tour includes the air-conditioned van, your bilingual guide, bottled water, fuel, parking and liability insurance. You pay separately for food and drinks, and for any site entrance tickets the park requires.