During the Dragon Boat Festival long weekend, tens of thousands of people flock to Xiao Liuqiu and Kenting in Pingtung County, causing water sports equipment to be haphazardly piled up on the beach.
This has sparked criticism over “public beaches being treated as free warehouses for private profit.” Similarly, the chaotic sight of profit-making equipment being stored along the shore has long been criticized in Kenting National Park, a popular destination for water activities, especially at Nanwan Beach.
The Kenting National Park Management Office has devised a solution by dividing the beach into three zones for outsourced management.
Contracts are set to be signed next month, with regulations stipulating that equipment must be centrally placed. Business operators are pleased to have proper management guidelines, allowing them to expand their businesses.
Chaotic Scene on Nanwan Beach with Maanshan Nuclear Plant on the back
Nanwan Beach in Kenting is a white, soft shell-sand beach. It is considered comparable to the beaches of Hawaii in the United States and Pattaya in Thailand, with its backdrop of coconut palm groves, blue skies, and white clouds.
Located conveniently along Provincial Highway 26 in Nanwan Village, it offers easy transportation, ample parking, and a wide range of accommodation options, as Nanwan Station Hotel as a good choice. As a result, it has become the reigning champion of water activities in Kenting, attracting a large number of visitors.
However, it is also the most complained-about recreational beach, with visitors expressing dissatisfaction about the haphazard landscape of equipment scattered by beachside vendors and their aggressive solicitation of customers, not to mention the frequent appearance of black wastewater stains. It has been criticized for having the reputation of an international-class beach but lacking international-level management standards.
The management of the highly popular Nanwan Recreation Area was divided into two parts, land and sea, by the Kenting National Park Management Office 15 years ago. The land area was successfully outsourced to private entities, while the sea area faced strong opposition from local operators who feared exploitation by winning bidders. The subsequent disagreements among the operators could not be reconciled, leading to a standstill.
Nanwan Beach Virtual Tour
In the previous year, the Kenting National Park Management Office established guidelines for the management of beach recreational activities.
The 800-meter-long beach was divided into three sections, with operators forming their own teams to manage each section. Additionally, designated public storage and parking areas were set up for water sports equipment.
Over the past two years, the Kenting National Park Management Office has held multiple communication and briefing sessions with local water sports operators.
They also sought assistance from professors at Kaohsiung Hospitality College to help the operators prepare their application proposals.
In April of this year, they announced the acceptance of operational applications, and in May, three locally-based companies received approval after the review process.
The operators complied with the regulations and paid an operational fee of 4,000 NTD per jet ski and 2,000 NTD per umbrella rental, and a 30,000 NTD deposit.
After signing the contracts next month, the new regulations will be implemented. The most significant change is that umbrellas in the same area must be of the same color.
At the end of the operating hours, all equipment must be arranged according to regulations, and there will also be designated visitor reception areas. The three companies will monitor each other’s operations.
Nanwan Beach Bar & restaurant area virtual tour
Pan, a water scooter instructor at Nanwan, said that the upgrade of services and recreational environment can attract more visitors, which is the common aspiration of operators.
In the past, it was known that the haphazard arrangement of equipment on the beach and soliciting customers along the roadside hindered the overall aesthetic and image.
However, over the years, it became an accepted practice. The concept of “user pays” for public beaches is acceptable, and the guidelines for management provide everyone with a clear framework to follow.
It is gratifying to see this development. While there is competition among operators, there is also cooperation as we work together to expand the tourism industry.
The Kenting National Park Management Office has taken steps to address the disorderly management of Nanwan Beach, including dividing the beach into zones for outsourced operation, implementing regulations for equipment placement, and establishing designated visitor reception areas. The changes aim to enhance the recreational environment, attract more tourists, and promote both competition and cooperation among operators to boost the tourism industry.