Authentic Taitung Travel Experiences

A few years ago, international travelers exploring Taitung often described the county as highly rewarding, yet not the easiest place to navigate. Compared to Taiwan’s big cities, fewer people speak English, and most tourism businesses are geared to the needs of domestic sightseers.

That’s fast changing, however. Thanks to the efforts of the Taitung County Government and expert advisors, several local businesses are now able to provide in-depth experiences to visitors from afar. And in this issue of Hello Taitung, we’re delighted to introduce some of them.

Juhu Ecological Park

If the great outdoors is calling to you, Juhu Ecological Park might be the right place to spend a day or a night. An expanse of forest with top-notch food and accommodation, the park has one of Taiwan’s most exciting ziplines, plus other facilities that’ll give you hair-raising yet entirely safe thrills.

Wild Veggie Queen

To open a door into the culture of the Pinuyumayan indigenous people, book a morning or afternoon interactive tour of the Palang Mountain Site. In addition to learning something of the tribe’s history and rituals, you’ll see firsthand how the area’s unspoiled environment serves as a bountiful larder, providing a range of nutritious wild vegetables.

Kaiana Workshop 蓋亞那工作坊

Anyone fascinated by the foodways of yesteryear might also like to sign up for one of Kaiana Workshop’s Bunun pickled mustard making sessions. At the end, you’ll sit down to a meal featuring Bunun delicacies including smoked pork and millet.

Hani Art Studio 哈匿藝術工作室

For the artistically inclined, learning how to make a traditional Amis two-handled ceramic vessel with master potter Hani Caki is both a satisfying creative experience and a solution to that perennial travel problem: How do you find a truly unique and memorable souvenir?

Tuban Community 土坂部落

Tuban Community is the venue of the Paiwan tribe’s famous Maljeveq Festival. There won’t be another of these exhilarating get-togethers until 2028, but between now and then a local social enterprise is encouraging outsiders to get to know the village through a tour that includes a woodcarving studio, a chieftain’s home, the Catholic church, and a site devoted to the cultivation of edible plants. For an extra fee, visitors can enjoy a scrumptious meal with a choice of proteins. If you’re a gonzo gourmand, go for the snail pizza!