Kenting Night Market (墾丁夜市 or kending yeshi) is unique in many ways.
This is the only major night market inside a national park in Taiwan and the only one with beach holiday vibes. You won’t find any famous Michelin-rated foods at this one. But you’ll definitely find more cocktail stalls with blasting electronic music than at any of Taiwan’s other famous night markets.
Kenting Night Market is decidedly playful and laid back. There are some fun foods on offer, and there’s nowhere else in Taiwan where you can go night market strolling in your swimsuit and no one will bat an eye.
In this article, we’ll dive into Kenting Night Market, including how to get there, where to stay to best enjoy it, the best food stalls, and some other important things to do know. For more general information about the national park, see my Kenting travelers’ guide and the best hotels and resorts in Kenting.
Kenting Night Market Introduction
Kenting National Park in Pingtung county is the first modern national park in Taiwan. Its popularity skyrocketed in the 1990s and 2000s, especially in association with Spring Scream music festival on April long weekend and a few movies that were filmed there.
Due to the music festival, Kenting became the spring break party capital of Taiwan. Even though Spring Scream no longer takes place, the local government still runs a free music festival there and the night market retains a bit of a seaside party town vibe.
Kenting Night Market runs along either side of the highway in Kenting village, which Taiwanese called 墾丁大街 (kending da jie or Kenting Main Street).
This is the main community in Kenting National Park, with the highest concentration of restaurants and hotels, although there are also sizeable collections at Nanwan (South Bay) to the west and Sail Rock Beach to the east.
The night market and highway are just a few blocks up from the eastern half of Kenting Main Beach, the longest beach in the national park. Although the beach is lovely, you technically aren’t allowed to swim at it (unlike Nanwan and Sail Rock Beach).
The night market stretches for one kilometer, taking 15 minutes to walk from one end to the other (if you don’t stop anywhere). Besides the food stalls, there are many international restaurants, shops, and convenience stores on the street.
I only spotted a couple trash bins at the far western end of the night market – a standard situation at most night markets in the country.
At the far eastern end of the night market, just before the stairs down to Xiaowan beach, there are several bar trucks with seating and chill music, so consider to walk from west to east and then finish your evening with a stiff drink or two at one of them.
Xiaowan beach has a small beach bar, which is rare in Taiwan. And unlike Kenting Main Beach, you’re allowed to swim at Xiaowan.
Kenting is noticeably busier on weekends in spring and summer, and especially on long weekends. April long weekend remains the busiest weekend of the year in Kenting. Because Kenting is tropical, it’s still warm enough to swim on fine days in winter, yet there are no crowds.
The busiest I’ve ever seen Kenting Night Market was an April long weekend at the peak of Kenting’s popularity in the late 2000s.
In the evening, the night market crowds became so dense that they took over the whole highway, so that cars and buses had to sneak their way through without hitting anyone (see image below)!
How to Get to Kenting Night Market
Kenting village and Kenting Night Market are a 1.5 hour drive from Kaohsiung city. The drive can take up to 3 hours at peak traffic times.
By public transportation, the best way is to ride the High Speed Rail (buy discount HSR tickets here) to Zuoying then take the Kenting Express shuttle bus from Zuoying High Speed Rail station. You can also ride the regular (TRA) train from other destinations in Taiwan to Fangliao, and then hop on the Kenting Express from there.
The Kenting Express will make several stops in Kenting Night Market. If you’re spending the night, check which bus stop is closest to your hotel.
Kenting stop is at the start (western end) of the night market. Kenting Police Substation stop is roughly in the middle of the night market. Kenting Elementary School and Kenting Activity Center stops are at the eastern end of the night market.
Get off at Xiaowan, a small beach just east of Kenting Main Beach, if you’re staying at Caesar Park or Howard Resort, which are both just a short walk from the eastern end of the night market.
Where to Stay at Kenting Night Market
Many visitors to Kenting National Park choose Kenting village as a base. Often, their main reason to do that is so they can enjoy the night market in the evening. Other beaches like Nanwan and Sail Rock have much more limited dining options.
For a budget stay, try Kenting Space Capsule (see on Booking / Agoda), which has cool space-themed rooms and capsules. It’s right next to the night market.
I had a great stay at Kenting Moon Bay Hotel – 月彎灣渡假旅店 (see on Booking / Agoda), which is on a quiet street between the night market and Kenting Main Beach. I had a sea view from my small balcony.
The best resort options with pools are Caesar Park Kenting (see on Booking / Agoda), which is the better of the two, or Howard Beach Resort Kenting (see on Booking / Agoda). Both of them have a private path to Xiaowan.
For the most luxurious resorts in the area, see my guide to the best luxury hotels in Taiwan.
What to Eat at Kenting Night Market
Compared to other famous night markets in Taiwan, there aren’t so many “super famous” or absolutely must-eat food stalls at Kenting Night Market.
A better approach to this night market is to start out with a cocktail from one of the bar stalls (there are at least a dozen of them). Then just walk along either side of the highway and choose whatever looks tastiest.
I’m going to introduce some of the more well-known food stalls and my peraonal favorites. We’ll be starting from the western end and moving east through the night market, finishing with the bar trucks at the far eastern end. We’ll be hopping back and forth between both sides of the highway as we go.
Thailand Milk Tea
Thai iced tea sold from an actual tuk tuk has become a common sight at night markets in Taiwan, especially night markets in Tainan. This tuk tuk iced tea stall is one of the first vendors at the western end of Kenting Night Market.
Besides the usual Thai milk tea, there’s also Thai lemon tea, Thai green tea, rose milk tea, and more. The menu has English, including for sugar and ice levels. The stall‘s Mandarin name 泰好喝 (tai hao he ) is a play on words, as it sounds like “very good to drink”, but the character for Thai (泰 or tai) replaces the character “very” (太 or tai).
The stall is here on the south side of the road, just a few steps away from the large Arch of Kenting National Park, marking the road up to Kenting National Forest Recreation Area.
Deep Fried Milk
Deep fried milk (炸牛奶) is one of the most common foods at Kenting Night Market. I saw at least 3 or 4 stalls selling it, mainly at the western end of the night market, such as here, and the eastern end, such as here.
So what exactly is deep fried milk? It’s more like a cube of creamy paste that is battered and deep fried, not liquid milk that is somehow deep fried. These are tasty little bites – perfect if you want a sweet snack that won’t fill your tummy. Watch for ones that include or boba (pearls).
Baoji Grilled Oysters
If you want to enjoy some fresh seafood without sitting down to a full meal at one of the Taiwanese restaurants, then I recommend Baoji Grilled Oysters (寶記烤生蠔) here on the south side of the street. This seafood stall has a few tables on the street.
The specialty here is milk oysters (生奶生蠔). They ain’t cheap, at TWD 200 a piece (or 3 for the price of 2), but they are huge, fresh, and delicious. You can choose raw or grilled – I tried both and preferred raw. The stall also has draft beer and other fresh seafoods, like sashimi, clams, giant shrimps, smaller oysters, and more.
I saw a few similar stalls selling virtually the same items on the north side of the street. I enjoyed some sashimi and more beer at one of them (see pic) below, but it didn’t seem to have a name – the sign just said “fresh oysters” (生蠔) in Mandarin.
Mingshi Takoyaki
You can never go wrong with takoyaki (章魚小丸子), or Japanese deep fried balls of batter with octopus and toppings.
Mingshi Takoyaki (明石章魚燒小丸子), which is here on the north side of the highway, has the usual but also some more fun flavor toppings, such as Thai (泰式), honey mustard (蜂蜜芥末), Thousand Island (千島), and spicy Mexican (辣墨西哥).
The flavors are written on vertical wooden boards but in Mandarin only.
A Bu’s Rainbow Sweet Potato Balls
I was shocked when I first saw the crazily colored sweet potato balls at A Bu’s (阿部玖肆彩色地瓜球). Hello food dye! Despite the colors, they taste just like normal sweet potato balls – crispy and light, and best eaten right away.
There are several cute color options available, meant to be themed on Pokeball, cartoon characters, and so on – fun if you’re visiting with kids! But when I visited, you couldn’t choose a specific one – you just had to take what was available.
There are various powder topping options, like plum, salt & pepper, lemon, and more. This is a chain shop with other locations in Taiwan. The Kenting one isn’t marked on GoogleMaps, but I found around the above and below entries, on the southern side of the street.
Kenting Crispy Soup Dumplings
If you’re only going to try one or two stalls in the night market, Kenting Crispy Soup Dumplings (墾丁脆皮湯包) would be a good contender.
The soup dumplings here are steamed first then grilled to make a thin, crispy layer connecting them. An order of 8 comes with interesting topping choices like cheese powder (起司), seaweed (海苔), or wasabi (芥末).
For fun, try GoogleTranslating the poster on the stall (visible in above photo) – it’s a Mandarin poem written by the stall owner, basically about how his wife is always right. Ordering might seem a little chaotic, but just persist and they’ll help you out!
GoogleMaps puts the stall here on the north side of the road, but when I last visited, it was on the south side of the road in front of 7-Eleven and the Singaporean restaurant.
Thai Banana Pancakes
Anyone who has done the Banana Pancake Trail (AKA gone backpacking in Southeast Asia) will recognize this traveler’s favorite.
Although these are definitely Thai and not Taiwanese (see my comparison of Thailand and Taiwan here), they have become popular in recent years at night markets in southern Taiwan.
It’s hard to miss this stall, thanks to its row of phallic banana statues. Although I can’t find an entry for it on GoogleMaps, it was right next to the soup dumpling place (previous entry) when I last visited.
Yi Pin Lu Wei
One of the most popular vendors among locals in Kenting is Yi Pin Lu Wei (一品滷味) here on the south side of the highway next to the Singaporean restaurant and 7-Eleven.
Lu wei refers to a variety of meats, veggies, tofu, etc. which are braised in a fragrant broth then dressed up before being served. You can add noodles and make it into a full meal, with the option to make it spicy or not.
There are a few tables inside. Because it’s quite popular among locals, the wait can be long.
A Sheng’s Shitou Township Grilled Pearl Corn
One of the most famous food stalls at Kenting Night Market is A Sheng’s Shitou Township Grilled Pearl Corn (阿勝石頭鄉烤珍珠玉米). This grilled corn stall has been going strong for decades. It’s here on the north side of the street.
To break down the name for you: A Sheng is the owner (“A” is a title word in Taiwanese), Shitou Township is a place in Tainan, and pearl corn is a type of chewy, white corn ideal for grilling. While grilling it, the vendor scrubs shacha (Taiwanese satay) sauce on it, which caramelizes on the surface.
To order here, simply choose one of the corn cobs on display and you’ll pay by weight. You’ll have the option for spicy or not. The final result is truly delicious – you’ll need to wait several minutes for it to cool down before eating. A 20% discount is offered if you check in on Facebook.
Doodoo Bear Crepes
If you like ridiculous but Instagrammable foods, then try the giant crepes at Doodoo Bear Crepes (嘟嘟熊可麗餅). You’ll find this stall here on the north side of the road, roughly in the middle of the night market.
This isn’t my thing so I can’t vouch for the quality, but they’ve got sweet options (like Nutella and banana with sprinkles) or savoury ones (like pork floss and seaweed). As for the “DooDoo Bear” – it has no special meaning, it just sounds cute in Chinese.
Flying Fish Egg Sausages
There are a few stalls in Kenting Night Market selling this southern Taiwanese specialty, sausages with flying fish roe inside (魚卵打洞香腸). Flying fish are especially associated with Orchid Island, which lies east off the coast from Kenting.
The sausages are basically normal Taiwanese sausages, which tend to be a little sweet, but the fish roe will add a bit of popping texture to them. I spotted them here and at a few other stalls in the night market.
Cocktail Stalls
You won’t have any trouble finding a boozy drink in Kenting Night Market. It might seem like every third stall is a cocktail vendor. Most have fun names like “Get Drunk” and blast techno music to entice passersby.
Depending on how much of a drinker you are, you may find some of the cocktails not that strong. Take advantage of deals like 2 for 1 to maximize your buzz. The cocktails are served in plastic cups with lids, convenient for carrying around.
If you’re looking for the sexy guy cocktail stall (see photo above and top of the article), you’ll find it right in front of Havaianas sandal store here – you can’t miss the large bikini model statue in the window.
One stall, My Drunk Mental Hospital (My醉精神病院, here), even serves drinks in hospital IV bags!
Bar Trucks at the Eastern End
Besides the cocktail stalls spread throughout the night market, there are several food trucks and bars at the quieter, far eastern end of Kenting Night Market, just before the stairs down to Xiaowan Beach Bar.
This end of the night market is far more chill. Half a dozen food trucks and bars provide seating and play calmer music like reggae, setting a more Southeast Asian beach town vibe. There are no shops here, so it’s darker at night.
A few options to consider are Story Bar (the enthusiastic owner has a mohawk), Tipsy Bar (watch for the rows of Coronas on the side of the truck), and Alex Reggae Bar here.
I especially liked the cocktails at The Original Truck Bar here. They are pricey but special and strong, with fun names like “Fu**ing Mojito (only when I’ve got a fu**ing time)” and “If you Never Try How You’ve Ever Know”. The starfruit mojito with sugar cane I tried was excellent.
For food, this truck does wood fired pizzas.
Xiaowan Beach Bar
The small Beach Bar (小灣酒吧) on Xiaowan Beach is one of the few beach bars in all of Taiwan. There’s a pretty typical menu of cocktails, draft beers (Taihu is the best), and bar snacks.
While the beach is mainly used by Caesar Park and Howard Beach Resort guests, it is public and anyone can swim here. Come here for an afternoon or sunset drink, or after dark for a more romantic vibe.
Restaurants in Kenting Night Market
If you want to sit down for a meal, there are dozens of regular restaurants along the night market.
The food options here are quite international, including Singaporean, Indonesian, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Italian, and Tex Mex. There are also several quick fry (Taiwanese seafood) restaurants.
For fresh seafood in Kenting National Park, head to the collection of seafood restaurants here at Houbihu Harbor (後壁湖). Most have minimum orders, so you have to sit down and have a whole meal. There are also several popular seafood restaurants in Houbihu village nearby.
Hengchun Night Market
There’s another night market in Hengchun, which is the larger town you’ll pass through just before entering Kenting National Park. Hengchun Night Marker (恆春夜市) is more like a typical Taiwanese night market and is held on weekends only.
Near the night market on Hengchun Old Street, I recommend this vegetarian restaurant in Hengchun, which has some special dragon fruit veggie meat wraps (see my vegetarian guide to night markets in Taiwan), and this popular green onion cake stall, both which are open every day.
