Hengchun Old Town

恆春古城

Taiwan’s most intact Qing-era county town, with four city gates and walls enclosing a lively neighborhood, plus old streets, night markets, and the natural gas fire that featured in the film Cape No. 7.

Hengchun Old Town lies in Hengchun, about 10 km north of Kenting Main Street. After the Mudan Incident of 1875, the Qing government established Hengchun County here and built the city walls. The name “Hengchun” means “eternal spring,” reflecting the mild climate. The walls, about 2.7 km in circumference, retain four gates on the east, south, west, and north, and parts of the wall survive to this day. It is the most complete surviving Qing-era walled city in Taiwan and has been designated a national monument. Inside the old town is the everyday life of Hengchun residents. On Zhongshan Road, old shops have been serving for a century, including Ah Bo’s mung bean dessert and Xiao Du’s steamed buns. A night market is held every Sunday evening. The film Cape No. 7 made Aga’s House (admission NT$50), the West Gate, and Uncle Mao’s house popular spots for visitors. From the city walls you can walk and watch the sunset and Santai Mountain. About 2 km east of the old town is Chuhuo, a natural gas fire that burns where gas seeps from the ground. It is most spectacular at night and is free to visit. The Hengchun Transit Station outside the South Gate is a bus hub for routes to Kaohsiung and Kenting. Hengchun’s most important folk event is the Ghost Festival “Qiang Gu” scramble and the erection of the Gu pole stands, held in the seventh lunar month each year. Admission is free, and visitors can climb the four gates to the city walls. Travel tip: Plan a half-day visit. Go to the old town in the late afternoon to watch the sunset from the walls, then enjoy old-street snacks or the Sunday night market, and see Chuhuo after dark. Getting there: It is about 20 minutes by scooter from Kenting Main Street. The Kenting Express and Kenting Street Car lines all stop at Hengchun Transit Station, and buses from Kaohsiung also stop in Hengchun. Caution: The South Gate sits in the middle of the ring road traffic, so watch for vehicles when taking photos. Some sections of the city walls have no railings. Do not play with fire or go near the flames at Chuhuo.

Hengchun Old Town

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