Haikou Village 海口村

Haikou Village is a small fishing village located northwest of Checheng  Township, between the mountains and the sea. It is home to the endpoint of the Blue Highway – Haikou Port.

The village was initially named “Haikou Camp (海口營),” meaning “to set sail from here.” After the construction of the port, residents of the Hengchun Peninsula began to travel north from here, leading to the name “Haikou.”

The villagers here have traditionally relied on the sea for their livelihoods. In the past, they were engaged in transporting charcoal. During the Japanese colonial era, Haikou served as a commercial trading center for ships in the Hengchun Peninsula. The village is home to the Haikou Station of the Coast Guard Administration and the Haikou Daycare Center.

“Jian Shan (尖山),” also known as “Dou Li Shan (斗笠山),” is located to the northeast of the village, standing alongside National Highway No. 24. It is an independent small mountain peak on the eastern side of the Provincial Highway No. 26.

As you approach the mountain base, you’ll notice the road bending significantly, so caution is required during windy times. “Jian Shan” not only serves as a physical landmark entering the Hengchun Peninsula, but it’s also a symbolic gateway into the peninsula.

The western coast of the Haikou village features a distribution area of fringing coral reefs. There is a narrow, extended sandy area where beautiful sand patterns and ridges are often seen.

However, vegetation struggles to grow here, and the landscape is always changing, resembling a desert. As a result, it’s often referred to as the “Haikou Desert.” In recent years, developers have heavily extracted sand, causing the unique landscape to disappear. Nevertheless, a couple of consistent old sand dunes, approximately 15 meters high, remain in the beach area.

The sand quality glimmers like gold, earning the nickname “Jin Sha Lun (金砂崙)” among locals. While the extraordinary sight has faded, these small hill-like sand dunes still allow people to witness the “desert” of the fishing village.

Haikou Fishing Port is at the end of the desert, connecting to Haikou Beach, a tranquil and picturesque place resembling a paradise. People often play in the water here and stroll along the beach to enjoy the fun of picking up seashells and catching crabs.

In recent years, the Pingtung County Government has transformed the waiting room at Haikou Port into the “Sea View Art Museum 看海美術館,” featuring various exhibitions periodically to boost local tourism trends.