Indigenous Story: Mountain People 1 – Village Life Overview

Lesser known to the travelers, Taiwan actually offers tremendous outdoor activities and cultures outside of its capital city Taipei. Formed at a complex convergent boundary in the Pacific Ocean, Taiwan has several peaks over 3,500 m, numerous canyons, gorges, submarine volcanoes, rapids, point breaks, and natural hot springs. Translation: FUN!!

We would recommend focusing on the east part of Taiwan for your adventure holidays. Dominated by five mountain ranges, it includes more than two hundred peaks with elevations of over 3,000 m (9,800 ft). The highest peak Yu Shan (a.k.a. Jade Mountain) at 3,952 meters (12,966 ft) makes Taiwan the world's fourth-highest island. The seafloor contains of various types of rocks and corals, which makes the coast great for water sports. 

Photo souce: wiki

Besides the obvious outdoor fun adventures, the East coast also presents the diversity of the culture in Taiwan. It is the homeland of indigenous people. Researchers believe that the native people in Taiwan are Austronesians that first migrated to Taiwan 15,000 years ago.  

Nine officially recognized tribes live in the villages scattered along the coast and in the high mountains. Many of them still preserve their traditional beliefs, languages and practices. They still hunt for food in a certain season. Most of villagers have their own veggie gardens, farms, hog logs, poultry rings, or goat pens. 

Living in the village for a few days and joining their activities is the best way to experience their life style. Though once famous for their headhunting custom, modern indigenous people are friendly and hospitable… trust me. :D Nowadays it has become a culture adventure without sacrifices.  We highly recommend this unique travelling experience in Taiwan. Please contact us if you questions or need help to set up a trip to the tribe.

We will cover more stories about the indigenous people, the village life style, and their interaction with other cultures in the Indigenous Story series. We hope these stories will help you understand the indigenous people and enhance your travel experience in Taiwan when interacting with locals. Stay tune.   

Please see links below for more information:

Taiwan travel information: indigenous people in Taiwan

Taiwan travelinformation: Austronesian

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