Honestly, finding a "tea shop" in Kenting feels quite different from visiting Jiufen or Alishan. This isn't a high-mountain tea-producing region—when the sun is blazing hot, most people aren't looking to sit down and slowly savor tea; they want an ice-cold drink instead. So in this article, we won't discuss traditional tea ceremony—we'll just chat about—if you're visiting Kenting and looking for somewhere to grab a cold drink and take a break, which places are worth stopping at.
Kenting Night Market (Hengshan Road, Hengchun Town) is the busiest tourist night market in the entire southern region, with hand-shaken drink shops lining the street—but quality varies widely. However, along the coastal road heading toward Jialeshui, and in Manzhou and Shrimp Village areas, a few uniquely styled small shops have popped up in recent years, worth making a special trip to visit.
【Around White Sand Camping Area】
White Sand is one of Kenting's earliest opened beaches, less crowded than Nanwan, and has attracted many young people for camping andpicnics in recent years. Near White Sand along Provincial Highway 26, there are a few simple drink supply stations, specializing in coconut water, fresh-squeezed fruit juice, and Thai milk tea. Thai milk tea is surprisingly common on the Hengchun Peninsula—because Pingtung is close to the Southeast Asian cultural circle, there are many Thai migrant workers locally, and the flavor is more Southeast Asian-style than in the north—the tea is rich and bold, with generous condensed milk, priced around NT$50-70. If you're just looking for a place to sit and enjoy the sea breeze, there's a small stall by White Sand's viewing platform offering takeout—better suited for drinking in your car or on the beach.
【Houbihu Intertidal Zone】
Houbihu is not only a famous diving spot; in recent years, a small tourism commercial district has developed there. Near the harbor, newly opened "Houbihu Handmade" specializes in fruit tea—the boss is a young person who returned to Pingtung from Kaohsiung, insisting on using seasonal fruits from Hengchun. Winter is cherry tomato season, while summer brings Irwin mangoes. Their signature "Sunset Lemon" is around NT$80, made with freshly scraped perfume lemons—it packs a satisfying sour punch. The shop has very few seats, maybe only three or four—but if you're not in a hurry, watching fishing boats come and go at the harbor gives a nice vacation vibe.
【Hengchun Old Street, Zhongshan Road】
Most people drive straight to the beach, but actually, there are some interesting shops hidden in Hengchun's old streets. "A-Jia's Tea" near Hengchun Post Office on Zhongshan Road is a recently popular cultural-style shop. The boss is a tea enthusiast himself—although Kenting isn't a tea-producing region, he insists on importing tea leaves from Lishan and Alishan to make hand-brewed tea drinks locally. This is a rare approach in Kenting—not your ordinary hand-shaken drink, but genuinely serious tea brewing. Prices range from NT$120-180, depending on the tea type. The shop has a simple style with air conditioning—a great escape from the sun if you've been walking in the heat. Their Honey Fragrance Imperial Oolong is definitely worth trying, with low sweetness and obvious returning sweetness in the tea.
【Rural Style Near Lid Bridge in Manzhou】
Heading from Hengchun town toward Manzhou, you'll pass through a scenic industrial road. "Field Wild Cafe" near Lid Bridge is a mixed-use coffee and tea space—converted from an old house with a large courtyard. They specialize in "Seasonal Flower and Herb Tea," with formulas adjusted according to the season—for example, in April-May it's mulberry season, when they launch Mulberry Osmanthus Tea; in fall and winter, they switch to Hibiscus Tea. Priced around NT$90-130. The owner is a local from Manzhou and is very talkative—she often gives you a small plate of her own pickled salty clams as a snack. This is about a fifteen-minute drive from the harbor beach—many people heading to Jialeshui stop by here on their way.
【Small Reminder】
Hengchun Peninsula weather changes quickly—it might be sunny in the morning, then southwesterly winds arrive in the afternoon with thunderstorms. We recommend looser scheduling and choosing shops with indoor seating for safety. Kenting's hand-shaken drink shops generally close early—popular shops usually stop taking orders around 8 PM, so don't go too late.
【Price Range】
Hand-shaken drinks: NT$50-80
Single-origin hand-brewed tea: NT$120-180
Fruit tea/specialty: NT$80-130
【Best Season】
Year-round is fine, but April-June has stable weather and relatively fewer tourists—the most comfortable period. Be careful of afternoon thunderstorms in summer.
【Transportation】
Drive from Kaohsiung via Expressway 88 to National Highway 3, exit at Nanzhou Interchange, then head south on Provincial Highway 26—all clearly marked. Hengchun Airport now also offers car rental services, giving maximum freedom with a car. It's best not to completely rely on public transportation—bus frequency on the Hengchun Peninsula is very limited, and waiting wastes time.
【Extra Tip】
If you're really interested in "tea tasting," it's actually hard to find a professional tea house in Kenting—the strong point here is beach activities, not tea culture. To experience Taiwanese tea, Alishan or Pinglin would be more suitable. However, "A-Jia's Tea" in Hengchun town is genuinely serious about tea—you can give it a try.
