Manzhou - The quiet and wild side of Kenting National Park in Taiwan

The laid-back side of Kenting National Park

manzhou fields kenting — Fields and mountains in Manzhou

manzhou kenting national park taiwan — View of Manzhou Town from the sky

Manzhou is a beautiful countryside township in the north-eastern part of Kenting National Park. I know this area very well because that is where I live. In the summer of 2017, I decided I’d had enough of living in the nasty pollution of Taichung, and got a house here, in a tiny community called Binlang.

jialeshui kenting beach 佳樂水 — Jialeshui and road #26 viewed from above Longpan Park

taiwan house countryside — My “basecamp” in Binlang, Kenting National Park

Moving to the southern part of Taiwan has been the best decision of my life! I really, really love the slow-paced, relaxed lifestyle of this part of southern Taiwan. And there is SO MUCH stuff to do around here. It’s a true paradise for nature lovers!

binlang house in manzhou — My “office” on the balcony where I work on this website

taiwanese monkey macaque — Riding or walking around Manzhou, you’ll probably stumble upon some Taiwanese macaque. They are not aggressive, and will most likely run away in the jungle as soon as they see you.

Who goes to Manzhou?

Not many people visit Manzhou and that’s a great thing if you ask me. This is the quiet part of Kenting National Park. No traffic jams, no problem parking your car, no lineups for restaurants, and best of all, no noise pollution! Prices are also much cheaper than in busy Kenting Village.

Manzhou drone shot taiwan — Drone view of Manzhou

My favorite guesthouse / B&B in Manzhou: Wild East! Take a look…

Orientation

Some people get confused, because Manzhou is both a township and a village. The township is a large area of Pingtung County which contains many small villages. One of those villages is called Manzhou. This village is the second biggest in the area after Hengchun.

In central Manzhou, the main “downtown” part is at the big tree, next to 7-11. This is where you can find some of the best (and cheapest) food in all of Kenting National Park.

manzhou village, pingtung county, taiwan — The big tree! You can see the restaurants behind.

Things to do in Manzhou / Attractions

hike to waterfalls
surf or chill on the beach at Jialeshui (yes, Jialeshui is in Manzhou Township!)
walk around (or ride a jeep) on the Jiupeng sand dunes
visit Zhongshan Harbor with beautiful sea & mountain views
cycle or ride a scooter along country road 200
take pictures of very old houses / ancient Taiwanese architecture in Manzhou Village
visit aboriginal Paiwan villages
swim in the ocean!
eat at one of the excellent local restaurants

hiking in kenting — Manzhou, viewed from Buffalo Hill, one of the best spots to do a short hike.

Qikong Waterfall Kenting — Hike to Qikong Waterfall

stars night sky taiwan — Watch the stars on a clear night.

visit Jialeshui kenting taiwan — Go for a dip in the ocean at Jialeshui.

Zhongshan Harbor, kenting national park — Take pictures of boats at Zhongshan Harbor near Jiupeng

deep south east coast of taiwan — Witness local art along the blue coastline of the “deep southeast”.

Paiwan aboriginal tribal culture taiwan — Learn about the Paiwan aboriginal tribal culture.

taiwan old house — Check out the old houses in Manzhou Village

taiwan water buffalo — Water buffalo at Nanren Village by the East Coast

japanese shrine in gaoshi 高士 — Gaoshi Shrine, lost in the mountains of Manzhou

Restaurants / Food / Drinks

Vietnamese Restaurant

The following dishes are super delicious, fresh, and pretty cheap. That’s what my wife and I eat 90% of the time when we’re in Manzhou. The cook is a lady from Vietnam.

beef noodle (pho) 90$
papaya salad 80$
seafood fried rice 70$
deep fried spring roll 60$
wonton soup 30$

Vietnamese restaurant kenting — Vietnamese Restaurant in Manzhou Township

Business Info
Address: 74 Zhongshan Road, Manzhou Township
滿州鄉滿洲村中山路74號
Phone #: 0960-907106

Fruit Juice Bar

Simply the best juice bar in the whole Kenting area! The fruit are not certified organic, but the owner lady told my wife (actually tells her every time) that her fruit are grown locally, some even on her own land, and they have absolutely no pesticide, zero chemical / GMO stuff done to them.

The juices are AMAZING! You can make your own mix or you can order what’s on the menu (Chinese only). She’ll ask you if you want to add ginger to your juice… I say go for it. It’s good for the liver! Enjoy!

This juice bar is just to the right (across the street) from the big tree when you come from 7-11. Address: #2-1 Zhongzheng Road, Manzhou Township

Juice bar manzhou — Juice Bar in Manzhou, near the big tree

Accommodation in Manzhou

Hotels, guesthouses / B&B in Manzhou tend to not be as busy as their counterparts in Kenting Village and Hengchun, because they are further away from the nightlife that so many tourists expect to enjoy here. There are some very good options in both Manzhou village and Jialeshui.

My top pick in Manzhou is Wild East Guesthouse, an amazing rustic country house villa located in a quiet part of the national park. I have stayed there with my wife Ruby, and we had the most amazing experience! We had the whole place to ourselves and could use the living room, kitchen, front yard and hot tub without being disturbed. It’s the only such guesthouse in Kenting National Park where you can get the entire place, such a massive and comfortable space, to yourself, for such low price. Check it out and book it in advance if it’s still available.