Author Julien Huang
Photos East Longitudinal Valley National Scenic Area
Editor Levarcy Chen
If you visit the Hualien (花蓮) and Taitung (台東) area during summer, you’ll often encounter the most important annual harvest celebrations of indigenous peoples, where traditional festivals give thanks for the earth’s blessings and strengthen family and community bonds. Many tourists want to witness these traditional celebrations, but don’t know how to connect with indigenous culture.
Therefore, every year at summer’s end, around late August, the “East Longitudinal Valley Festival” was born, specially inviting tourists to learn about tribal culture, bringing in local indigenous wisdom, and creating a summer festival combining tribal cuisine, markets, music, and hands-on experiences.
Now in its fifth year, this year’s event takes place on August 30th-31st, with the theme of “preservation,” showcasing the cultural and culinary wisdom of extending food shelf life. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about tribal authentic cuisine using techniques like smoking, pickling, and fermentation, paired with local music and dance performances, connecting people with culture through the senses. This year, all food vendors at the market are responding to the theme, with each stall offering at least one “preservation” dish, such as smoked meat, pickled vegetables, SIRAW(a type of cured meat from Amis) sticky rice, millet wine lees made desserts, etc., presenting deeply rooted tribal flavors.
Having participated for four years, I strongly recommend using that weekend as a good excuse to travel to Hualien and Taitung. Stay overnight in Chishang (池上), enjoy the beautiful rice field scenery in the morning, perhaps even take a short casual cycling (careful with the heat though!), then take the free shuttle buses from Chishang Station or Yuli (玉里) Station in the afternoon for a completely thoughtless journey ahead – getting pleasantly tipsy, enojoying the gourment until full, listening to wonderful music, and chatting with tribal friends at every stall, pressing pause on life.
If you happen to bring foreign friends for the experience, I recommend booking hands-on workshops with tribal hunters, craft artisans, or culinary masters. Through forest foraging, plant dyeing, and smoking workshops, you’ll not only learn skills but also build deep connections with the land and food. The first 50 visitors each day receive handmade traditional Puyuma flower garlands from the Shiabinlang tribe and can join hands in dance with the performance groups. The event is not only exciting and rich in content, but best of all? The entrance, market browsing, and performances are all completely FREE!
Bilingual volunteers are available on-site to assist with English translation, so there’s no need to worry about language barriers. The only things to remember are insect repellent and sun protection, bringing cash to spend, and picnic mats for maximum relaxation comfort.
For tickets and experience registrations, please check the official website (available in English). (Besides DIY experiences requiring ticket registration, the Tribal Food Paradise is open for free entry.)
Honestly, gathering over fifty indigenous vendors together is no easy feat – there’s only one such opportunity per year. If you miss it… you can still get a chance to the Amis Music Festival on November 8th-9th, or the Taiwan PASIWALI Festival Indigenous International Music Festival in November! So if you truly miss it, it wouldn’t be the most regrettable thing of the year. But if you secure it, I can guarantee you an unforgettable summer memory!
Event Information
East Longitudinal Valley Fair
Date: Aug 30th-31st, 2025
Place: 983, Hualien County, Fuli Township
Time:
Aug 30th 14:00-21:00
Aug 31st 14:00-21:00
Ticket: Free entry
Workshop Register: https://newpacific1.rezio.shop/en-US/product/CJDXJM
Outdoor Picnic Feast Register: https://newpacific1.rezio.shop/en-US/product/DTEU85
How to get there:
(A) shuttle bus service
Yuli Station -> Venue
13:00 14:15 16:00 18:00 20:00(Last bus)
Chihshang Station -> Venue
13:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 19:00(Last bus)
Venue -> Yuli Station
15:00 17:00 19:00 21:15(Last bus)
Venue -> Chihshang
16:00 18:00 20:00 21:15(Last bus)
(B) Driving
Northbound: Travel north along Taiwan Route 9, then turn at Hua 79 Township Road (295.3K).
Southbound: Travel south along Taiwan Route 9, then turn at Hua 79 Township Road (295.3K).
For more information, please check the official website!
