East Coast Tribes: 3 Days

The Pacific of the East Coast is a different Pacific.

Unlike the bustle of Kenting or the harbor towns of the North Coast, this stretch of sea along Highway 11 in Taitung hugs the mountains, runs alongside the tribes, and makes its peace with time.

On this 3-day journey, we don't chase sights. We follow people — from the artists of Dulan and the woodworkers of Donghe to the harpoon fishermen of Chenggong. What you take home isn't photographs, but a line or two that these people once said.

The tribal community members we work with have all given prior consent to share their culture. The text on this site is only an introduction; what matters is what the community members tell you in person. Information is drawn from public sources of the Council of Indigenous Peoples and the tribal self-governance associations.

Day 1 — Dulan (都蘭)

• 11:00 Pickup at Taitung Station, heading north along Highway 11
• 12:30 Local lunch in Dulan (都蘭) — Amis (阿美族) home cooking
• 14:00 Xindong Sugar Factory (新東糖廠) arts colony, in conversation with the resident artists
• 16:00 The lower section of the Dulan Mountain (都蘭山) trail, watching the sun bow out over the sea
• 18:30 A family feast with the tribe (your guide arranges it with a local Amis household)
• 20:30 Check in to a local guesthouse in Dulan

Day 2 — Donghe (東河) → Chenggong (成功)

• 07:00 Sunrise at the Jialulan (加路蘭) coast — the Pacific at morning
• 09:00 Donghe (東河) woodworking studio — getting to know driftwood and the craft of the plank canoe (a Tao / 達悟族 cultural tradition)
• 12:00 Donghe pork-bun lunch, driving slowly down the coast
• 14:00 Sanxiantai (三仙台) footbridge, and the Puyuma (卑南族) legend behind it
• 16:30 Pisirian (比西里岸 / Baishoulian) village — driftwood art and the goat-horn beast land sculpture
• 17:30 Donghe (Duli) Visitor Center (都歷遊客中心) — the main venue of the 2026 East Coast Land Arts Festival, "We Are the Ocean," with large-scale land art spreading out along Highway 11; on summer weekend nights there is the "Moonlight Sea Concert"
• 18:00 Dinner at Chenggong Fishing Harbor (成功漁港) — seasonal seafood, with harpoon swordfish on the menu from September to November
• 20:00 Check in to a local inn in Chenggong

Day 3 — Chenggong (成功) → Chishang (池上)

• 05:30 The auction floor at Chenggong Fishing Harbor, watching the fishermen haul this morning's swordfish ashore
• 08:00 A talk with the harpooners (occasional; arranged according to the day's fishing conditions)
• 10:00 Heading south along Highway 11, passing Xiaoyeliu (小野柳) and Fugang Fishing Harbor (富岡漁港)
• 12:00 Seafood lunch in Fugang, with the scent of the Orchid Island (蘭嶼) ferry dock in the air
• 14:30 Drop-off at Taitung Station

What's Included

• A private 6-seat vehicle and a tribal guide throughout
• 2 nights' accommodation (Dulan guesthouse + Chenggong inn)
• 3 breakfasts + 3 lunches + 2 dinners
• Guided art tour of the Xindong Sugar Factory
• A Donghe woodworking studio experience (includes a small finished piece)
• A tribal family feast (dinner included)
• Travel liability insurance

What's Not Included

• Personal expenses
• An extra gift for the tribal tour (if a community member's introduction goes especially deep, a small token of thanks is recommended; your guide will advise)

Things to Note

• Harpoon swordfishing is an endangered traditional skill; whether close observation is possible depends on the day's fishing conditions and cannot be guaranteed.
• The tribal family feast must be booked at least 7 days in advance; last-minute cancellations are non-refundable.
• September to November is swordfish season, when seafood restaurants serve their richest menus; in other months, the catch of the day takes its place.
• When entering a village, please respect the community's customs, and ask before taking photographs.

Here on the East Coast, we suggest you take a few less photos and sit a while longer.

This itinerary is illustrative. The actual partner guesthouses, restaurants, guides, and tribal experiences will be confirmed with you item by item before departure. We don't sell what you can't see.