Pingtung｜Seasonal Events: Kenting Eagle Chasing and Hengchun Ecological Tour｜2-Day Tour

Each year in October, migrating Gray-faced Buzzards ride the northeast monsoon winds to visit the Hengchun Peninsula. In the afternoons the buzzards begin to look for short-term shelter spots to rest. A local tour guide will take you to a secluded private location in the Lide Community, where you can savor the refreshing coolness of the stream here while at the same time watching the Gray-faced Buzzards hovering above in the sky.

The Kenting National Forest Recreation Area has now been opened up for nighttime eco-tour excursions for the very first time. A lead guide from the local community will introduce the many highlights of the park to you, such as the uplifted coral reef at the A Thread of Sky attraction and krast landform and much more.

During the second day of the tour, learn about the Three Treasures of Hengchun (onions, sisal hemp, and Gangkou tea). Visit The Sisal Industry Historical Monument, with its old production equipment and machinery, to get first-hand understanding of the glorious history of the local sisal hemp industry. But it doesn't stop there; you’ll also have the chance to enjoy a true local-style onion-theme meal along with traditional Gangkou tea. And to round it all off, you’ll also have the chance to take part in a sisal hemp weaving DIY class.

－ About the Accommodation｜Kenting Chateau Beach Resort－
# Accommodation Type: " Kenting Chateau Beach Resort " or similar level of accommodation in Kenting National Forest Recreation Area; reservations will be made according to the situation.
# Room type: Website price is for a two persons room.
# Number of occupants: 2 adults (if two participants are not booked together, the travel agency will arrange room combinations)
# If you need a 3 or 4 persons room, additional fees will be charged (no adjoining-room combination policy)

－ About the costs｜Seasonal Events: Kenting Eagle Chasing and Hengchun Ecological Tour｜2-Day Tour
# Infants under 2 years old: only insurance and administrative service fees are charged.
# Children 2-6 years old: no extra bed, but meals, vehicle, activities, and insurance fees are charged.
# Children over 7 years old: full adult price.

－ Scenic Highlights －
▲ Kenting National Forest Recreation Area
Some hundreds of millions of years ago the area occupied by today’s Kenting National Forest Recreation Area was a seabed paradise where corals, seaweeds, and shellfish lived in abundance. About 500,000 years ago the Eurasian Plate collided with the Philippine Sea Plate, causing the coral reefs that were originally on the seabed to be lifted up. These exposed coral reefs were afterwards slowly covered with dense mosses, mushrooms, and ferns, and eventually trees began to grow, becoming a tall and magnificent monsoon rainforest, the uplifted coral reef forest we see today.

▲ Lide Community
Every year around National Day in Taiwan (October 10), a large number of Grey-faced Buzzards (also known as “National Day birds”) fly over Lide Village, making it the largest spot for watching buzzards in Taiwan, attracting domestic as well as foreign birdwatchers to witness the countless take-offs and landings of these majestic birds. Furthermore, the best “secret” birdwatching spots along their route are usually in pristine forest areas. Among these are ghostly canyons and the Lanren Creek Waterfall, hidden among the canyon cliffs in the lush forest. The mysterious, silent atmosphere is pleasing to the soul.

▲ Three Treasures of Hengchun
The Hengchun Peninsula lies within Taiwan’s tropical zone, and has distinct dry and wet seasons, with powerful foehn or "katabatic winds" prevailing during autumn and winter. The special geographical location, climatic conditions, and soil quality has not only brought the Hengchun Peninsula natural beauty, but has also blessed the local residents with the Three Treasures of Hengchun, which have in turn brought a certain amount of wealth to them: onions, sisal hemp, and Gangkou tea.

The first attempt to cultivate onions on the Hengchun Peninsula was during the Japanese occupation period. The experiment was not only successful, but due to their high nutritional value, local onions became an important economic crop on the Hengchun Peninsula. The foehn mountain winds prevent the leaf veins of Hengchun's onions from growing high, so the nutrients are locked in the bulbs, resulting in well-balanced flavor and delicious sweetness.

Sisal hemp was also introduced during the Japanese occupation period, as the most suitable fiber plant for the local climate and soil. Before the invention of nylon, sisal hemp was in fact the main material for making ropes and fishing nets. Gangkou tea is the lowest-altitude tea variety in Taiwan. It has a notably bitter taste, high concentration, and a high resistance factor, and carries a delicate fragrance. Its lasting aftertaste adds to the uniqueness of this special tea.