Impressive? Kenting’s “Trash Street” Makes Foreigners Shake Their Heads: Far from Being World-Class

▲ With countless water activities available to beat the heat, Kenting has always been a favorite travel spot for tourists from around the world. (Photo / Provided by Kenting National Park)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

With its blue sea and white sandy beaches, Kenting’s South Bay has long been one of Taiwan’s most popular tourist spots among both domestic and international visitors. However, a foreign tourist recently complained to an online media outlet that during their trip to Kenting last week, they were shocked by the piles of scattered trash along Kenting Street—even bus stops were surrounded by small mounds of garbage. The tourist said they were left with a “deep impression”: Kenting still has a long way to go before it can be considered a world-class destination.

According to a report by the Liberty Times, James, a foreign male tourist who visited Kenting with friends last week, complained that during the daytime walk along Kenting Street, he not only encountered street vendors that had taken over the sidewalks like “road bullies,” but also saw all kinds of trash piled up on both sides of the road, more conspicuous than traffic cones and bus stops. A foul stench lingered in the air, and at times he even accidentally stepped on trash that had flown near his feet. The exaggerated “trash street” made it hard to believe that this was part of a national park.

▲ Too much trash on Kenting Street has left foreign tourists shaking their heads during their visit. (Photo / Eastern TV News)

Some Taiwanese people have also commented that during previous visits, they barely saw any trash bins on Kenting Street, making it difficult to dispose of garbage properly—so it’s no surprise that many people end up littering. Local residents have also pointed out sarcastically that while the trash on Kenting Street falls under the jurisdiction of Hengchun Township Office for cleanup, the road itself is managed by the Third Highway Engineering Office, Fenggang Section, of the Directorate General of Highways. The situation of “too many cooks spoil the broth” is clearly reflected in the management of Kenting Street.

In response, the Kenting National Park Headquarters stated that the trash issue on Kenting Street falls under the jurisdiction of the Third Highway Engineering Office, Fenggang Section, of the Directorate General of Highways, and they will send a letter requesting that the agency improve the situation as soon as possible. Hengchun Township Office explained that this section of the road is not within the cleaning jurisdiction of their sanitation team, which is only responsible for garbage collection and transport. The Fenggang Section of the Third Highway Engineering Office stated that they are willing to take responsibility for environmental cleanliness and maintenance, and during the summer vacation period, they will arrange for a contractor to clean daily. In addition to calling on the public to act with civic responsibility, they also mentioned that since Kenting Street has become a tourist area, the Kenting National Park Headquarters and the township office should also take on management and planning responsibilities for the serious environmental littering issues. They plan to discuss solutions with all relevant departments soon to provide visitors with a cleaner tourist environment.