Ocean waves in Kenting, Pingtung County, December 2022.

Kenting Beach, Pingtung County, December 4, 2022

Nearly ten years ago, when I first visited Kenting, I noticed that its beaches were quite different from those in northern and eastern Taiwan. The sand in southern Taiwan tends to be golden in color, and under the bright sun and gentle sea breeze, I immediately felt my mood lighten and open up. So even though Kenting has long been infamous for its overdeveloped tourism, I still chose it as my first stop for recording the sound of waves.

I avoided the busiest summer season and went to Kenting in December for a short vacation, using the opportunity to record. The winter weather there is still pleasantly warm, and the number of tourists drops significantly. On top of that, the sound of the waves naturally masks other ambient noises, making it much easier to capture long, uninterrupted recordings.

This particular recording was made at night on the first-floor balcony of my hotel, facing the beach. Perhaps due to the winter season or the tide, the microphone—though about 150 meters from the shoreline—still picked up the strong, undulating low-frequency rumble of the waves. In the recording, you can occasionally hear the calls of geckos.