Sardine Island Ecological Reserve Introduction
Sandy Island is located 1.5 kilometers north of Eluanbi, featuring a pristine white beach, named for its accumulation of fine sand that resembles an island. The Sandy Island beach stretches approximately 220 meters and is primarily composed of shell fragments, coral debris, and the sediments from benthic foraminifera. Due to the lack of rivers carrying sand and impurities nearby, the shell content exceeds 97%, making it the finest beach in Kenting. To preserve this precious natural resource, it has been designated as an ecological protection area. Sandy Island is characterized by a 90-degree angled bag-like bay, where the lower wave energy allows fine sand formed from the long-term impact of marine biological debris to accumulate in the bay, resulting in its captivating shell sand beach. The constant washing of seawater gives the shell sand a bright and transparent appearance, and many people are captivated by its beauty. Therefore, an exhibition hall showcasing shell sand has been specially built in the ecological area for visitors to appreciate the fine sand of Sandy Island. Due to its proximity to the Ping-E Road, the plant community in the Sandy Island ecological protection area is limited to growth in sandy soil, resulting in many valuable plant associations, which can be divided into coastal shrub vegetation and sandy herbaceous plant zones. It is the smallest plant ecological protection area in Kenting National Park. The shrub vegetation is characterized by fleshy leaves and thorny stems; commonly found plants include Lintou, seaside tallow tree, olive, Lan Yu Podocarpus, white water wood, and stinking corpse lily, with Lintou being the dominant species forming dense stands acting as windbreaks. The sandy herbaceous plants are characterized by many branches, fleshy leaves, waxy surfaces to prevent water loss, and the production of adventitious roots to enhance water absorption, with common plants including saddle vine, rootless vine, and beach cowpea, with saddle vine being the dominant species. When visiting the Sandy Island ecological protection area, don't be misled into thinking it's just a bright and clear shell sand land—there's also a group of sun-loving green plants here, so be sure to say hello to them!
