Kenting National Park, with its coral reef topography, has many unusual rocks and is considered an ideal paradise by climbing enthusiasts. However, certain areas are prohibited from entry or climbing. Yesterday, visitors witnessed two young men rock climbing and descending among the reefs in the special scenic area of Banana Bay in Kenting, and were upset to see hooks nailed into the reefs, harming the natural landscape.
Banana Bay, seems to be a place, that the Kenting National Park administration is especially watching over for prohibited activities, so they even released a special statement about swimming, which we also published here. However, if you take a walk in our 360-degree virtual tour in Banana Bay, which we took at 2023, we can see that there are still many people swimming and playing in the water:
Regarding rogue climbers, The Kenting National Park Management Office stated that the area is not officially restricted from entry. Whether hooking into the reefs constitutes damage to public property is under investigation. They also call on the public to cherish the natural forests and landscapes.
According to Article 7 of the prohibited activities within Kenting National Park, climbing activities in the areas of Dajianshan, Frog Rock, and Sail Rock are forbidden. There have been occasional incidents of violation and penalties.
7. Undertaking climbing at the areas around and including Dajian Mountain, Frog Rock, or Sail Rock is prohibited.
As to whether the method of hooking and climbing damages the reefs, an on-site investigation will be conducted. Currently, there is no penalty in the law for nailing into rocks, but whether this constitutes damage to public property within a national park is to be clarified. They urge visitors to the national park to “leave behind only beautiful memories and nothing else” and to jointly cherish the beautiful natural environment of the forests.