Hongcai Keng Introduction
Hongchai Keng is an inconspicuous small village with just over 300 residents, who generally make a living from fishing. As a result, the nearby Hongchai Keng Fishing Port sees fishing boats arriving daily with their catches to meet market demands. This is the most everyday scene in Hongchai Keng, but beneath the calm surface of its sea lies a rich and diverse underwater landscape, teeming with various rare and beautiful corals and colorful tropical fish. Over time, it has developed into a tourist port and become a famous underwater sightseeing destination. Hongchai is a type of tree, also known as Taiwan tree orchid, which is native to Taiwan and commonly found in Lanyu and Hengchun Peninsula. Its main role is to serve as a coastal windbreak. The area was once abundant in Hongchai trees, hence its name, but Hongchai Keng evolved into a tourist hotspot due to its vibrant underwater ecology. The waters near Hongchai Keng have the largest area, most diversity, and highest concentration of coral reefs around Kenting, making this stunning scenery attract many visitors. Due to the coral reef coast being unfavorable for forming good harbors, on the west side of the Hengchun Peninsula, there are only two fishing ports: Shanhai and Hongchai Keng. These two ports open westward and are sheltered by hilly terrain, resulting in a unique phenomenon where, during the prevailing northeast monsoon season when strong mountain winds blow in Kenting city, the waters of Hongchai Keng remain unusually calm. If you don't engage in snorkeling activities, you can stroll around the village to see the local temple architecture, the historical old houses, and check the fresh catches at the fish market. If you want to feel the sea breeze, head to the dyke at the port or relax in a pavilion to quietly listen to the whispers carried by the sea breeze, while the sky above the harbor transforms with the changing clouds brought by Hongchai Keng's winds.
