Stalactite Cave & Giant Tree Hollow Adventure: 3 Natural Wonders of Kenting National Park

▲Kenting National Park is Taiwan’s first national park, home to many beautiful hidden spots.

Reported and photographed by Chen Hanyin / Pingtung

While many head straight for the beach on a Kenting vacation, venturing into the mountains reveals plenty of hidden gems. Boasting rich ecology and geological landscapes, Kenting National Park features breathtaking natural wonders. Head to the Fairy Cave to explore its stunning stalactites—like stepping into the legendary lair of a spider demon—and discover Taiwan’s beauty deep in the forests.

▲A massive natural tree hollow can even hide a person inside.

Spanning over 30,000 hectares, Kenting National Park’s land area includes the coastal zone from Guishan to the Hongchai cliff, Longluantan, Niaowangtou, South Bay, Kenting Forest Recreation Area, Eluanbi, and the Pacific coastline eastward to Jialeshuei. With over 1,200 tropical tree species, it’s Taiwan’s first tropical botanical forest. Visitors can admire many rare and unique coastal plants along the way, and the natural giant tree hollows are a must-photograph attraction.

▲A century-old “Tree King” that has stood since the Japanese colonial era.

▲The silverleaf disk-root boasts uniquely wavy roots.

Due to the year-round hot climate, humid and rainy environment causing rapid soil erosion, combined with the shallow coral reef soil, plants here compete intensely, forming a typical tropical rainforest ecosystem. The disk-root plants are abundant, with the most famous being the century-old “Tree King” silverleaf disk-root, a star ancient tree in the forest area. Its extraordinary wavy disk roots are a once-in-a-century spectacle.

▲The Fairy Cave is so beautiful it gives you goosebumps.

▲Stalactites are karst formations, created over millennia under specific conditions in carbonate rock caves.

A visit to Kenting National Park isn’t complete without seeing the stalactite wonders. Stepping into the Fairy Cave feels like entering the legendary Spider Demon’s Cave from folklore, with a mysterious and eerie atmosphere reminiscent of a movie set. The magnificent and bizarre stalactites are the most precious treasures left by nature over millennia. The Fairy Cave stretches 127 meters, with an additional 30-meter side tunnel, making it Taiwan’s longest limestone cave. The breathtaking natural beauty leaves visitors in awe—just be mindful of your volume to avoid disturbing the bats napping overhead.

▲Look up to see bats nestled overhead.

Address: No. 596, Kenting Road, Hengchun Township, Pingtung County