Taitung boasts lush tropical landscapes, a lifestyle that drifts along at its own unhurried pace, and a strikingly diverse mix of cultures. It’s little wonder the county, home to about 209,000 people, has become a popular holiday destination for both local and international visitors.
Much of Taitung’s personality comes from the Pacific Ocean. Not including Green Island and Orchid Island (also called Lanyu), each with its own distinct appeal, Taitung boasts 172 km of coastline. Whether you’re arriving from the north after a drive down from Hualien or from the south via Kao-hsiung, the littoral can easily fill two entire days of sightseeing and fun.
Sanxiantai is one of the region’s best-known attractions. A tiny island, which some say resembles a dragon cavorting offshore, is linked to the mainland by a photogenic eight-arch footbridge. The ocean here is often quite rough, and over several millennia crashing waves and grit-bearing winds have carved a landscape that’s as unforgiving as it is beguiling.
Dulan draws surfers, windsurfers, and paddleboarders with its steady swells and laid-back vibe. Shanyuan Bay has the longest sandy beach on the east coast. The small port town of Fugang, meanwhile, serves not only as the departure point for ferries to Green Island and Orchid Island but also as home to some of the nation’s most striking coastal rock formations.
What’s promoted as both East Coast Fugang Geopark and Xiaoyeliu (a name that pays homage to the famous Yehliu Geopark on Taiwan’s north coast) is a 6.1 km² protected area just north of Fugang’s harbor. Sedimentation followed by erosion has given this section of coast a dazzling array of odd-shaped sandstone rocks.
Visitors of all ages delight in exploring the ridged and striated surface, discovering features that resemble honeycombs, turtles, slabs of tofu, or giant mushrooms. The lack of soil means only the most tenacious plants thrive here. As a result, the local ecosystem is quite different from that on the inland side of Highway 11, the scenic road that follows the Pacific from Taitung City to the outskirts of Hualien City.
The community-focused approach taken by the East Coast National Scenic Area (ECNSA) Headquarters — the government unit that oversaw the establishment of the Fugang Geopark — was recognized as one of the “Top 100 Green Destinations Stories of 2024” by Green Destinations, a Netherlands-based tourism management organization.
Recognizing that Fugang was grappling with the environmental toll of mass tourism and a dwindling, aging population, the ECNSA Administration set out from the start to involve longtime residents in revitalizing the area. By developing sustainable alternatives to the traditional fishing-based economy, such as nighttime guided ecotours and environmental education projects, stakeholders hope to restore and bring prosperity to the community.
At least one in three Taitung County residents is Indigenous. Among them are members of the Amis (Pangcah), Bunun, Paiwan, Puyuma (Pinuyumayan), and Rukai tribes, while Orchid Island is the homeland of the Tao people.
This year, the ECNSA Headquarters was once again recognized among the “Top 100 Green Destinations Stories of 2025” with its project “From the Forest to the Shore: A Bunun Story of Home and Reconnection.” The initiative focuses on integrating Bunun culture through local collaboration to promote sustainable tourism practices centered on ecology, local economy, and community participation. Its key actions include working with Bunun communities on ecological monitoring, developing local industries, strengthening tribal tourism organizations, implementing low-carbon and waste-reduction travel models, and creating a safe and welcoming environment for visitors.
These Austronesian communities are key to Taitung’s relaxing, outdoorsy vibe. Indigenous cultures can be experienced during traditional celebrations, such as those by which the Amis people give thanks for the harvest — and they’re reaching a wider audience through modern events like the annual Taiwan Pasiwali Festival.
On December 13 and 14, this year’s Pasiwali festival will fill Taitung Forest Park with music and dance. The venue, just a few kilometers from Taitung City’s bus and train stations, offers an easy escape into nature.
Pasiwali is an Amis word meaning “toward the east,” a fitting name for a festival that looks beyond Taiwan when assembling its lineup. Last year’s event brought together performers from New Zealand, Hawaii, Chile, Mauritius, Indonesia, Japan, and the Marshall Islands. The festival’s cultural displays, large-scale art installations, and markets convey the Austronesian world’s tremendous diversity.
The Indigenous way of life is particularly evident in the townships south of Taitung City. This region, connected to the rest of Taiwan by Highway 9, doesn’t get the attention it deserves, since international visitors tend to focus on highlights within the East Longitudinal Valley, such as Dapo Pond and Luye Highland.
Travelers needn’t venture far from Highway 9 to find a hot spring to soak in or a church adorned with Indigenous art. Along much of the route, the Pacific stretches wide and luminous, a constant companion. Several viewpoints have been developed into ideal stops for taking in the grandeur of the world’s largest ocean.
Since the start of the 21st century, Taimali Dawn Park has been a place where people gather to welcome the first rays of the year. The site has hosted both New Year’s Eve countdowns and New Year’s Day concerts. Taimali’s prime position impressed the area’s first inhabitants, the Paiwan people. They named it Tjavualji, meaning “the place where the sun rises.”
A few kilometers north of where Highway 9 turns inland and begins its winding climb through the mountains, 9420 Coastal Park offers sweeping views in every direction. The park takes its name from its location near the 420-kilometer mark, but its popularity soared after travelers noticed that “9420” sounds, in Mandarin, like the phrase “just love you.”
With the sea and sky a brilliant blue, the mountains cloaked in emerald green, and bursts of imaginative public art, 9420 Coastal Park makes an irresistible backdrop for photos with a loved one. After sunset, it becomes one of the best places in the county for stargazing at sea level.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Travelers planning to visit Taitung can gather additional information from the following websites:
East Coast National Scenic Area (multi-language)
Taitung County Government (multi-language)
Taiwan Pasiwali Festival (multi-language)
Tourism Administration (Ministry of Transportation and Communications) (multi-language)
Taiwan Tourist Shuttle (multi-language)
Meet Taiwan (MICE) (bilingual)
The 24-hour tourist information hotline (0800-011-765) is toll-free within Taiwan and staffed by speakers of English, Japanese, and Chinese.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Tourism Administration and the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ International Trade Administration are collaborating to encourage international travelers attending MICE events in Taiwan to explore the country through its Travel Incentive Program. In 2025, the Program offers travel incentives of up to NT$2,000 per person per visit, and a maximum of NT$600,000 per proposal. The goal is to boost the development of both MICE and tourism industries, thereby promoting economic growth.
