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Exploring Kenting’s Starry Skies and Intertidal Zones: Wanlitong Sets Up Patrol Unit to Promote Eco-Tourism through Unique Hengchun Peninsula Travel Itineraries

Wanlitong is a small fishing village located on the west coast of the Hengchun Peninsula. It caught the public’s attention due to the film “Cape No. 7”, where there was a breathtaking scene of the protagonist sitting quietly on the beach. In September, 2023, the Shanhai Community Development Association established the Wanlitong Patrol Unit to work in collaboration with the Kenting National Park Headquarters (KNPHQ) to protect the ocean and provide sustainable eco-tourism services. Led by the tour guide, tourists get to explore the cultural history of Wanlitong fishing village, observe the hermit crabs on the beach, and look for marine creatures in the intertidal zone. The aim is to help visitors create beautiful memories of their time spent in southernmost region of Taiwan. Wanlitong, located on the west coast of the Hengchun Peninsula, is a quiet small fishing village. More slices of marine ecological reserve within range. (Provided by Kenting National Park Management Office) In 2005, Shirding Tribal Community within the Kenting National Park took the lead in promoting eco-tourism and linking it to local tour itineraries, which received positive feedback from the tourists. Eighteen years later, Wanlitong became the twelfth community offering local eco-tourism under the guidance of the KNPHQ. The help of Watch Nature Ecological Consultation was also enlisted and 12 certified tour guides were trained successfully under the guidance of Chuang Meng-Hsien and his team. The waters of Wanlitong offer diverse underwater topographies such as reefs, deep trenches and rift valleys. Stony corals, crinoids, starfish, and snails and shellfish can be found in the shallow waters, while coral reef fish shoals can be seen in the deep waters. At low tide, visitors can look for Wanlitong’s indicator species, Asterinid sea stars, on the reefs. These small starfish always cause quite a stir when found. No matter in which season, there is always something different to be discovered. Under the guidance of Zhuang Mengxian’s team, Shanhai Community Development Association established the Wanlitong Patrol Team, and successfully trained and certified 12 commentators. (Provided by Kenting National Park Management Office） Wanlitong has a natural cove, making it less windy, while the small but beautiful beach is known as the “Maldives of Taiwan”. However excessive tourism activities have heavily impacted the intertidal zone. In 2018, the KNPHQ upgraded the water body around Wanlitong into a coastal ecological protection area, and established the community patrol unit. In 2020, the KNPHQ and the Shanhai Community Development Association called on residents to join the ranks of ecological resources protection. Initially, people did not want to join and it was necessary to slowly establish a relationship and gain public recognition, then they were guided to join the community patrol unit. New highlights to bring about transformation to the sustainable development of Hengchun Peninsula’s tourism industry was achieved through various itineraries and in-depth exploration of the natural environment. Since Wanlitong has an open environment, the practice of crowd control has always been a point of contention. The Community Development Association encourages local residents to receive guidance from the KNPHQ to become professional guides, in order to pass down the wisdom of the local elders and to sustain the beauty of the ocean. Focusing on natural and cultural resources, visits to the small villages facing the sea, as well as intertidal zone activities can be planned. KNPHQ and the guidance team also help the communities to establish teams, foster talents, and promote conservation to establish a collaborative mechanism that can continue to shape a successful business model and create more job opportunities. Wan Litong established a patrol team and began monitoring and surveying the intertidal zone. (Provided by Frog Natural Ecological Consulting Co., Ltd.)During the explanation, I discovered an illegal fishing net and used scissors to rescue the creatures trapped inside. (Provided by Frog Natural Ecological Consulting Co., Ltd.)