Taiwan's tropical south — where the island ends in Kenting's beaches and the cape of Eluanbi, among Indigenous mountains, Hakka plains and tuna ports.
台灣的熱帶南境——島嶼在墾丁的海灘與鵝鑾鼻岬角畫下句點,原住民的山、客家的平原與鮪魚漁港齊聚於此。
Pingtung is Taiwan's southernmost county, occupying the warm tail of the island where the land narrows into the tropical Hengchun Peninsula and finally tapers to Cape Eluanbi (鵝鑾鼻) — the southernmost point of the main island. Bordered by the Pacific, the Taiwan Strait and the Bashi Channel, this is Taiwan's tropical edge: hot, green and salted by three seas, with a growing season that lasts all year.
屏東是台灣最南端的縣,位於島嶼溫暖的尾端,陸地在此收窄成熱帶的恆春半島,最後尖削成台灣本島最南點鵝鑾鼻。東臨太平洋、西濱台灣海峽、南界巴士海峽,這裡是台灣的熱帶邊陲:炎熱、蒼翠、被三面海水浸潤,四季皆可耕作。
Pingtung is a county of many peoples. In the southern mountains live the Indigenous Paiwan (排灣族) and Rukai (魯凱族), whose culture is among the most artistically rich in Taiwan — slate-slab houses built without nails or cement, and a sacred iconography of the hundred-pacer snake, glass beads and lilies. On the western plain live the Hakka of the "Liudui" (六堆), a self-defense alliance born in 1721 when Hakka villages organized six militias; their communities — Neipu, Zhutian, Wanluan — remain the cultural heart of southern Taiwanese Hakka life.
屏東是多元族群之地。南方山區是原住民排灣族與魯凱族的家園,其文化是台灣藝術性最豐富者之一——不用釘子與水泥砌成的石板屋,以及百步蛇、琉璃珠、百合花的神聖圖騰。西部平原則住著「六堆」的客家人——這個自衛聯盟源於 1721 年客家庄組成的六支民兵;內埔、竹田、萬巒等聚落,至今仍是南台灣客家文化的核心。
Pingtung's south witnessed pivotal 19th-century history. In 1871 a Ryukyuan ship was wrecked near the southern tip and 54 of its crew were killed by Paiwan villagers of Mudan (牡丹); Japan used this as the pretext for the 1874 Taiwan Expedition (the Mudan Incident), its first overseas military deployment. Stung by such intrusions, the Qing built Hengchun Old Town (恆春古城), begun in 1875 — today one of Taiwan's best-preserved walled towns, with all four gates still standing. From these foundations grew the county's signature trades: the bluefin-tuna port of Donggang, the orchards of mango and wax apple, and the living folk-music of Hengchun.
屏東南端見證了關鍵的十九世紀史。1871 年一艘琉球船在南端附近遇難,54 名船員遭牡丹排灣族人殺害;日本以此為藉口發動 1874 年征台之役(牡丹社事件),這是日本首次海外用兵。清廷因這些入侵而興建恆春古城,1875 年動工——如今是台灣保存最完整的城池之一,四座城門至今仍在。從這些根基生長出全縣的招牌產業:東港黑鮪魚漁港、芒果與蓮霧果園,以及恆春活躍的民謠。
Established in 1984, Kenting is Taiwan's very first national park. Spanning the Hengchun Peninsula, it protects tropical forest, white-sand beaches and coral reefs, with landmarks like Sail Rock and Maobitou; Kenting Street's night market and beach nightlife make it Taiwan's premier tropical resort.
The southernmost point of Taiwan's main island. Its white lighthouse, first built in 1883, was uniquely fortified — ringed by a gun battery and trench — earning it the nickname "the only armed lighthouse in East Asia."
Begun in 1875 after the Mudan Incident, Hengchun is the only old walled town in Taiwan where all four original gates still stand. Its sleepy streets became famous worldwide as the setting of the 2008 blockbuster film Cape No. 7.
Donggang is Taiwan's most famous tuna port and home of the triennial King Boat Festival. Adjacent Dapeng Bay, a large lagoon and national scenic area, hosted the 2019 Taiwan Lantern Festival, whose main lantern was a giant bluefin tuna.
A short ferry from Donggang, Xiaoliuqiu is Taiwan's only offshore coral island. Tiny but ringed by reefs, it has one of the world's highest concentrations of green sea turtles, making it a world-class snorkeling spot.
In the northern mountains, Sandimen is a Paiwan stronghold while remote, high Wutai is predominantly Rukai. These villages are Taiwan's heartland for slate-slab architecture, glass-bead craft and woodcarving, with totems of the hundred-pacer snake and lily everywhere.
Opened in 2000 in Checheng, this is one of Asia's largest aquariums, with three halls — Waters of Taiwan, the Coral Kingdom and Waters of the World — and stars like beluga whales and penguins.
Completed in 1870 in Wanluan, this Spanish-style white church is the oldest surviving church building in Taiwan, founded by Dominican missionaries. In 1984 Pope John Paul II named it a minor basilica — the first in Taiwan.
Near Checheng, Sichongxi was one of Taiwan's "Four Great Hot Springs" of the Japanese era. Its clear, odorless sodium-bicarbonate water is gentle on the skin; a Japanese prince once honeymooned here.
In Neipu Township, this free-admission park celebrates the heritage of the southern Hakka Liudui communities, with traditional umbrella-shaped pavilions, paddy landscapes and exhibits on Hakka farming and customs.
Pingtung's culture braids three strands — Indigenous mountains, Hakka plains, and a Hoklo fishing coast — into one tropical south.
The Paiwan and Rukai of the mountains build distinctive slate-slab houses and center their sacred art on the hundred-pacer snake (revered as an ancestor), lilies, eagles and prized glass beads. The Paiwan's grandest rite is the Maleveq Five-Year Ceremony (五年祭), held about every five years over ten-plus days to welcome ancestral spirits, climaxing in a bamboo-pole ritual to spear a flung rattan ball.
The Liudui ("Six Units") are the historic Hakka self-defense communities of the plain, alive today in language, ancestral-hall traditions and farm-country food. And Hengchun is famous for a living ballad tradition sung to the moon lute (月琴) — the best-known tune "Susiangki," made iconic by the wandering bard Chen Da, praised for preserving the old flavor of Fujian folk music.
The internationally acclaimed, two-time Best Director Oscar winner (Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi) was born in Chaozhou Township, Pingtung in 1954. One of the most celebrated filmmakers in the world, he carries the quiet south of Taiwan in his story.
The emblematic wandering moon-lute singer of Hengchun who made "Susiangki" famous, Chen Da carried the improvised folk-ballad tradition of the southern peninsula. Pingtung's deepest cultural fame rests on this living music — and on its Paiwan, Rukai and Hakka heritage.
Pingtung's most spectacular folk event, held once every three years at Donglong Temple. Over about a week, Wang Ye plague-gods are welcomed to inspect the town; the climax is the dramatic dawn burning of a full-size wooden "king boat," carrying away disease and misfortune. A designated national folk heritage.
Launched in 2001, this Donggang festival celebrates the bluefin tuna catch each year, roughly May to June, when the prized fish come in to the famous tuna port.
The Paiwan's grandest ancestral rite, held about every five years over ten-plus days, climaxing in the bamboo-pole ball-spearing ritual that seeks ancestral blessing — a designated National Important Folk Custom.
Festivals celebrating the moon-lute ballad tradition keep Hengchun's "Susiangki" alive; a 2015 event even set a Guinness record for the most people playing the moon lute together.
Pingtung's table runs from the bluefin of Donggang to the Hakka kitchens of Wanluan and the orchards of the warm plain.
Bluefin tuna sashimi, sakura shrimp and oilfish roe. Remarkably, sakura shrimp are commercially harvested in only two places on Earth — off Donggang and Japan's Suruga Bay.
Donggang 東港The famous Hakka braised pig's trotter of Wanluan, soy-stewed until the skin and tendons turn chewy and glossy; its fame spread after a presidential visit in 1981.
Wanluan 萬巒The prized dark-red, extra-sweet wax apple of Linbian and Nanzhou; Pingtung grows about 80% of Taiwan's wax apples.
Linbian 林邊Pingtung is Taiwan's top producer of pineapples, bananas, papayas and lemons, and a leading grower of mangoes — all thriving in the year-round warmth.
Countywide 全縣A Checheng/Hengchun specialty; peeled mung beans (which resemble chopped garlic) served warm or iced with longan and brown-sugar syrup.
Hengchun 恆春The peninsula's strong sea winds produce famously sweet, firm onions — even turned into local onion ice cream.
Hengchun 恆春The coral island is known for fresh seafood and crispy fried mahua dough twists, eaten with a sea breeze.
Xiaoliuqiu 小琉球The Hakka plain serves hearty, frugal cooking — stir-fries, preserved greens and farm-country flavors at the heart of southern Hakka life.
Neipu 內埔Taiwan's first national park and Cape Eluanbi, the island's southern end.
The bluefin port and the dramatic triennial King Boat Festival.
Slate houses, glass beads and the hundred-pacer snake.
The Liudui communities and the moon-lute songs of Cape No. 7.
Taiwan's coral island and its green sea turtles.
Butterfly orchids, mango, pineapple and black-pearl wax apple.
Introduce Pingtung to a visitor — tap 🔊 to hear each sentence. 用英文向訪客介紹屏東,點 🔊 聽聽看。
Sources · 資料來源:屏東縣政府、墾丁國家公園管理處、東港東隆宮、客家委員會、文化部、維基百科等公開資料整理。