PINGTUNG NORTH Rambles Through

Central Flatlands, Mountainous Interior, Strait-side Coastal Zone

The northern region of Pingtung County, in Taiwan’s far south, is not given much space in the big international English-language travel guides, but there’s much that’s rewarding for the traveler from overseas to do and see. And new attractions keep coming on-line, many of these giving new tourism missions to old spaces – as you’re about to learn.

When you mention Pingtung County to Taiwan locals and expats, what first comes to mind for most is Kenting National Park on the island’s south tip, a balmy Hawaii-style surf-fun hotspot. But there’s much, much more to the county than this. This issue we bring you Pingtung’s north, also filled with worthwhile tourist attractions. There’s a farmfecund plains area in the center, mountainous area on the east and south with tribal-culture riches, and a west-side Taiwan Strait coastal area teeming with marine-ecology recreational bounty. We explore these various areas in separate articles, starting here with Pingtung City and nearby areas on the central flatlands.