Kaohsiung Airport to Kenting: Your 2026 Transit Guide

Hey there, I'm Bamkki!

The most important thing for this Taiwan trip was

transportation!!!!!

Kenting, where I went surfing in Taiwan,

is a 2-hour drive from Kaohsiung,

and a 4-hour journey by bus.

Back in 2018, when I traveled with my dad,

we simply took the bus to get there and back,

but this time, I really wanted to save time,

so I explored various options.

For those of you short on time,

Kaohsiung → Kenting, Hengchun

let's compare the transportation methods!

1. Express Bus

This is the method I, Bamkki, used when I traveled with my dad in 2018.

Here, you also have two options:

1. Take bus 9117B from Kaohsiung Airport

(3 hours 44 minutes travel time, one-way ~$0)

*Route A is a local bus, so let's avoid it.

*They say there's a half-price event if you use a transit pass

(~August 2025)

2. Take bus 9189 from Zuoying Station (Zuoying 역)

(3 hours 2 minutes travel time, one-way ~$0)

Even though you have to take the subway from Kaohsiung Airport to Zuoying Station,

this bus seems to have fewer stops,

so it gets there faster.

Considering your landing time and other factors,

you can choose whichever option works best for you..!!

On Kkday,

they sometimes sell these in a bundle with Kenting shuttle bus tickets,

which are a must-have for exploring Kenting.

If you're curious, check out the link below⬇️⬇️

*Kaohsiung has a high-speed rail, but

Kenting doesn't,

so high-speed rail isn't an option at all!

2. Renting a Car in Taiwan

Now, this....

wasn't really an option for me, Bamkki, with my 'closet license' (meaning I rarely drive),

LOL

Since transportation in Kenting is quite inconvenient,

if only I could drive,

I'd really love to explore with a rental car next time.

My heart was set on it :)

For anyone heading there for surfing,

especially if you need to carry your board,

this is definitely an option worth considering!

Budget Rent a Car is one of the world's top 3 rental car chains,

and their service is guaranteed!

In Kaohsiung, pickup is available at Zuoying High-Speed Rail Station.

Compared to buses or taxis,

it would naturally be more expensive,

but the convenience and freedom of movement are overwhelming,

so it's definitely worth considering.

P.S. Another option is to first travel to Kenting or Hengchun and then rent a scooter.

The Hengchun Bike Shop where you can rent scooters in Kenting is here.

Riding a scooter

and driving along Kenting's beaches,

I wonder when I'll get to do that... hahahaha

3. Using a Private Pick-up / Drop-off Taxi Service

Finally, the method I, Bamkki, actually used!

I joined a group chat for the surf shop in advance,

talked with people whose schedules matched mine,

and we decided to look for a shared pick-up/drop-off taxi together.

Because for a working professional, time is gold,

I wanted something that could take us directly from the airport to Hengchun. :)

While searching online,

a kind blogger provided some excellent information,

so I immediately messaged someone named 'Boss Wang' on WeChat!

If you'd like his ID, please request it in the comments😉

(He even created a KakaoTalk account recently, hehe)

Even when I spoke in Korean using a translator,

he understood perfectly!

However, sometimes the translation was a bit strange,

so there were times I had to perfectly understand what he meant, LOL.

Above, 'rent' = renting Boss Wang and his car.

You can even book on the same day with our Boss Wang...!!!!

When I mentioned my flight details, he even adjusted the pick-up time

to match perfectly on his own.

However, it's not Mr. Wang who drives all the cars himself.

On this particular day, for the transfer from Kaohsiung to Hengchun,

I was sharing a car with other people.

But "sharing" doesn't necessarily mean other passengers are always in the car.

It's more that the driver was simply heading to Hengchun,

so they pick up passengers along the way and charge a small fee for their trouble.​

Shared ride = Car share

Kaohsiung Airport → Hengchun was ~$0 per person.

If you were to charter the entire car,

it would mean ~$2.

Honestly, it's not an official company,

and I just went based on a recommendation,

so at first, I was a bit skeptical and asked a ton of questions, haha!

Anyway, for the transfer from the airport to Hengchun,

I met the other driver who was introduced,

and was able to get there safely.

And then, on the day I was heading back to Kaohsiung from Jialeshui, where I was surfing,

I booked a car with other surfers who had a similar schedule.

The fare from Hengchun or Kenting to Kaohsiung is ~$0,

but we were just told to come to Jialeshui! 🤣🤣

And guess what, Mr. Wang himself came to pick us up!!!!!

Since he has an official taxi registration certificate,

his trustworthiness shot right up!

I can confidently recommend him to all of you.

Even though we chatted in my broken Chinese,

he suddenly gave me onion crackers,

and introduced me to a fruit called "Wax Apple" (연무, *lianwu*).

Then, when we stopped at a rest area/convenience store,

he even bought some wax apples from the shop next door for me! O_O

He's so kind... incredibly kind...

That's precisely why I'm promoting

Mr. Wang like this! T_T_T_T

While waiting for other car-share customers,

he asked me what "Zaijian" (Goodbye) meant,

so I diligently coached him and taught him.

He then asked me to record "bye-bye" for him,

so I sent it to him on WeChat, lol!

First of all, Mr. Wang's WeChat ID itself, which translates to "Mr. Wang's Happy Everyday~"

reveals he's such a positive person.

He's also dedicated to learning Korean,

and most importantly, he's kind, offers great value, and ensures a comfortable ride!

That's why I highly recommend him.

And I think he probably offers half-day or full-day tours if you request them!

If I ever go to Kaohsiung and Kenting again,

Mr. Wang will be the first person I look for.

(That's why I can't delete his WeChat, haha!)

If you'd like his WeChat/KakaoTalk ID, please request it in the comments!

He even made a KakaoTalk account because he started getting so many Korean customers, lol!

Taiwan Travel: Kaohsiung Airport to Kenting & Hengchun

High-Speed Bus vs. Car Sharing Pickup/Drop-off Price Comparison Review - The End

Went surfing in Kenting ⬇️

Taiwan Surf Camp: December & January Surfing in Kenting Jialeshui - Surf Only Review