The East Longitudinal Valley National Scenic Area Headquarters, Tourism Administration, MOTC (hereinafter the Valley Headquarters), is bringing back its widely acclaimed flagship program, “Taste of Native Cuisines, The Journey to Tribes”, which enters its ninth year in 2026.

This year’s program centers on “the Red Honor Roll,” drawing inspiration from a distinctive culture of celebration in which good news, achievement and pride are shared throughout the community. The concept is reinterpreted through local cuisine and immersive cultural journeys, inviting travelers to experience the landscapes, flavors and living traditions of the East Longitudinal Valley. 

Tickets are now available for the 2026 program, bringing together six representative indigenous communities across Hualien and Taitung. Through hands-on experiences, guided tours and distinctive local cuisine, travelers are invited to gain a deeper understanding of the cultures and ways of life found throughout the valley.

Travelers who complete their booking by September 15 can enjoy an early-bird discount of NT$200 per person and discover signature experiences that embody the pride and craftsmanship behind this year’s Red Honor Roll.
Director Tsung-Min Hsu noted that since the East Longitudinal Valley Tour was launched in 2018, the program has explored a different cultural theme each year. As participating communities revisit their own histories, cultural knowledge and traditions, they continue to deepen and refine their programs, moving beyond conventional tourism presentations toward more meaningful forms of cultural interpretation.

This year’s theme, the Red Honor Roll, represents more than the announcement of good news. It symbolizes the finest expression of knowledge, skills and achievements cultivated over time by both individuals and communities.

By incorporating this cultural symbol into the design of the 2026 program, the Valley Headquarters is bringing back some of the most popular highlights from the past eight years. Signature hands-on experiences and representative dishes that have earned strong responses from travelers will return, presenting a collection of community classics refined through time and experience. 
This year’s signature dining and cultural experiences will run from October through late November, with each community drawing on its distinctive way of life and local environment to present an immersive journey of its own.
 
Led by Bunun hunters, travelers will venture onto mountain hunting trails, try traditional archery and spear throwing, and listen to Bunun blessing songs and Malastapan (traditional recountings of hunting achievements).

At a venue nearly 1,000 meters above sea level overlooking the East Longitudinal Valley, guests will enjoy signature Bunun hunter-inspired dishes featuring the flavors of the mountains, offering an intimate glimpse into generations of knowledge about living in harmony with the natural environment.
 Built around the spirit of Mipaliw(mutual support and collective effort within the community), this experience brings back the much-loved “Footprints in the Rice Fields” dining experience.

Travelers will also take part in handmade arrowroot-paper making and the classic colour-rice experience. Amid a large-scale footprint landscape created in the rice fields, guests will enjoy traditional home-style dishes that embody the community’s culture of cooperation and mutual care. 
 
After weathering a series of challenges, Tafalong returns with resilience at a new venue. Led by local Ina (the elders female), travelers will venture into the community’s “secret base” to gather seasonal wild vegetables, then take a walking tour to learn about the revival of traditional red glutinous rice and the beliefs and cultural traditions surrounding the Kakita’an (ancestral house).

Participants will also make their own fermented red glutinous rice chili sauce, combining fermented rice with chili and sealing it in a jar to take home. As traditional harvest songs fill the air, guests will gather around the table for a field feast celebrating Tafalong’s treasured red glutinous rice.
 
Members of the Truku community will guide travelers through the settlement and surrounding landscape, gathering bird’s-nest fern and bamboo along the way. Participants will also prepare traditional bamboo-tube rice themselves.

At dinner, a signature dish of smoked meat with prickly ash, accompanied by six distinctive dipping sauces, will take center stage, reflecting the community’s deeply rooted traditions of sharing food and supporting one another. 
 Rooted in Amis traditions of fermented rice wine and knowledge of wild edible plants, the program begins with a walk through the historic settlement of Chishang.

Travelers will experience traditional glutinous-rice wine making and take part in a guided tasting. During the feast, the chef’s signature dishes showcase the refined Amis knowledge and creative use of aromas and flavors derived from plants. 
 
Set beside the millet fields, the experience introduces travelers to the annual rhythm of Bunun food culture, farming and seasonal ceremonies through a Bunun food calendar.

The menu makes creative use of aromatic plants from the ginger family, while a performance by Kamcing’s traditional polyphonic singing ensemble brings the rhythms and sounds of Bunun life into the evening. 

Take Home a Taste of the Valley: Exclusive “Community Signature Sauces” and Early-Bird Savings through September 15

Echoing the Red Honor Roll theme and its celebration of time-honored classics, organizers have created an exclusive annual gift for participants: “Community Signature Sauces.”

Each sauce captures flavors passed down within the participating communities and brings their culinary traditions together in a bottle, allowing travelers not only to enjoy the feast during their visit but also to take home a taste of the East Longitudinal Valley. 

Seats for the 2026 ‘Taste of Native Cuisines, The Journey to Tribes’ are limited, and bookings for the first-round programs are now available through the official event website.

Travelers who complete their booking and ticket purchase by September 15 will receive an NT$200 early-bird discount per person.

During the event period, optional shuttle services between nearby railway stations and participating communities will also be available, making it easier for travelers to explore the landscapes, cultures and flavors of the East Longitudinal Valley. 

For complete program schedules, event information and booking details, please visit the official website or follow the East Longitudinal Valley Tour Facebook page.

👉 Official Website 👈 
Facebook: Search for “縱谷原遊會” (East Longitudinal Valley Tour) on Facebook.