Welcoming the sunrise in Kenting, but thick clouds dash hopes of a successful sighting

The 2018 Kenting Sunrise Welcoming Event attracted over 12,000 participants. (Photo by Lin Hesheng)

Over 12,000 people gathered at Taiwan’s southernmost tip to welcome the first sunrise of 2018 on the main island, but unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate. Thick clouds over the Hengchun Peninsula led to a "failed sighting" ("扛龟"), leaving many visitors disappointed. However, those who had traveled specially from Changhua still expressed excitement, saying that just being together as a family was joyful, and they looked forward to being healthy next year to try again.

This New Year’s Day event was jointly organized by Pingtung County Government and accommodation operators on the Hengchun Peninsula, drawing many visitors to the south and helping to dispel the earlier shadow cast by the "Luwei" (braised snacks) issues on Kenting Street. Guo Ziyi, chairman of the Pingtung Tourism Association, pointed out that in previous years without such an event, estimates based on shuttle bus services suggested around 8,000 people took part in the sunrise event annually. This year, with hotels joining in and offering accommodation coupon raffles, the number of visitors surged to over 12,000.

Many people went straight from celebrating the New Year to a nighttime drive to Kenting to catch the sunrise. Chen, a male university student from Kaohsiung, arrived at Longpan Park with classmates around 3 a.m. Braving the strong downslope winds, their anticipation grew as dawn approached. When the sky finally lightened and it became clear the sunrise would not be visible, the group was quite downcast—but they emphasized that they would definitely come back next year, hoping to experience the emotional thrill of seeing the sunrise.