Kenting National Forest Recreation Area Introduction
Kenting National Forest Recreation Area is the only tropical botanical garden in Taiwan and one of the top ten tropical botanical gardens in the world. The area currently hosts over a thousand species of tropical plants, and it is rich in resources, including butterflies, birds, insects, and reptiles. Occasionally, groups of Formosan macaques can be seen playing, and during autumn and winter, a large number of migratory birds, such as the Red-footed Falcon, Honey Buzzard, Cattle Egret, Swallow-tailed Kite, Eastern Stonechat, Gray-faced Buzzard, and Black-crowned Night Heron, take residence here, further adding vitality to the primeval forest. The elevation of Kenting National Forest Recreation Area ranges from 200 meters to 300 meters, covering an area of approximately 435 hectares. Due to the complex terrain and variable climate of the Hengchun Peninsula, it nurtures a rich and unique collection of precious plant resources, generally divided into three layers of forest landscape: the first layer is the canopy layer, mainly composed of Moraceae and Lauraceae trees; the second layer is the shrub layer, primarily consisting of small palm plants; and the third layer is ground cover plants, mostly low-growing grasses and climbing vines. The area's diverse forest types, which combine ornamental and conservation qualities, amount to 1,200 species, making it a richly biodiverse forest park. Kenting National Forest Recreation Area is characterized by raised high coral reef limestone, primarily formed from the sedimentation of corals, foraminifera, shells, and coralline algae, suggesting that it was underwater millions of years ago. The weathered and eroded coral reef limestone has created unique geological features such as limestone pillars, caves, gorges, and stalactites. The stalactites and limestone columns are formed by the accumulation of calcium carbonate droplets from groundwater erosion, accumulating approximately 1 centimeter in height every 30 years, making them rare and precious geological resources. Entering the park through the archway of Kenting National Forest Recreation Area and walking along the forest trail, visitors will find rows of ancient trees, including a giant tree of the species Acalypha that is over 300 years old! Within the park, there are numerous points of interest worth exploring, including the Aquatic Plant Area, the Stone-Skeleton Treasure Cove, Silver Leaf Buttress, Fairy Cave, Maze Forest, One-Line Sky, Banyan Valley, Silver Dragon Cave, First Gorge, Umbrella Pavilion, and Formosan Macaque Cliff, all of which are geographical landscapes not to be missed.
