Understand
Taitung is situated on a small plain between the mountains and the ocean at the southern mouth of the East Rift Valley. This provides Taitung with not only spectacular scenery but also an ocean breeze that makes this tropical city surprisingly comfortable. Taitung was developed by the Japanese in the early part of the 20th Century and were responsible for both the construction the road and railroad to the area. This in turn brought an influx of Taiwanese settlers into the area that already had several aboriginal groups, creating a diverse city of aboriginal, Hakka, and Hoklo populations.
This uniquely Taiwanese blend is still easily discernible in part because a lot of the recent advances in Taiwan's economy have passed Taitung by. This has prevented Taitung from devouring itself the way more successful cities have. There are still large areas filled with Japanese houses in various states of use and disuse and repair and disrepair. There are still winding alleyways filled with single story chinese style houses with their unapologetic rustic appearance. There are still neighborhoods that are largely aboriginal with their own celebrations and unique attributes. One thing that is relatively sparse however, are seven-elevens. All this surrounded by miles of quiet rice fields and orchards. All this give Taitung an aesthetic unlike any other in Taiwan, something that is purely Taiwan.
