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Green Taiwan through the local lens

These photos from local photographers show Taiwan as Asia’s most surprising green destination

erhaps it’s cultural, perhaps it’s just the considerateness that comes with living on a small island. Either way, sustainably minded living seems to be ingrained in Taiwanese daily life.

The country’s nine national parks – a huge number for a nation less than half the size of Ireland – preserve a wealth of natural treasures, from rare birds to coral reefs. Well-maintained hiking trails and a vast cycle network mean you can explore them with minimal impact. And over longer distances, the nation’s railways offer a fast and efficient alternative to plane travel.

Maintaining the traditional ways of the island’s oldest peoples is also key to the conservation of its environment. Hakka, Minnan and Indigenous peoples share this land, working side-by-side to preserve their cultures. This includes religious practices tied to Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and animism, from the million-strong Mazu sea goddess parade to the eight-part polyphonic singing of the Bunun’s harvest song.

Speaking of harvest, the Taiwanese table astounds with its sheer variety of local produce. Restaurants are embracing sacred Indigenous ingredients, reclaiming ancestral techniques and – at the country’s new Michelin Green-starred establishments – pushing the limits of sustainably focused dining. Going green in Taiwan never felt, or tasted, so good.

To celebrate, we teamed up with three photographers from Taiwan and asked them to capture the country’s most surprising sustainability success stories. From national parks and wildlife to locals keeping traditions alive and farmers keeping the fare fresh, here is what they discovered…

Meet the photographers

Andy

“I am a photographer from Taichung, Taiwan. What brings me joy in photography is capturing cultural and historical moments, blending tradition with modern life.”

Charlie Chu

“I am a passionate traveller with a camera who grew up between Taipei, Taoyuan and Hsinchu. My love of photography comes from my love of travelling into wild nature and unknown places: climbing mountains, swimming in cold water, wandering small lanes, and encountering and talking to locals.”

Dilip Bhoye

“I’m Dilip Bhoye, a professional photographer based in Taipei, Taiwan, where I’ve been working for nearly two decades. I began photography from a love of visual storytelling, capturing people, culture, and landscapes in authentic ways.”

Why Taiwan thrives on its park life

Part of the beauty of Taiwan’s national parks and forested areas is just how accessible they are, with some incredible wildernesses found just a short drive from major cities.

For a comparatively small country (36,197 sq km), Taiwan has many wild corners, and it works hard to protect them. The islands include nine national parks, eight of which are accessible to visitors. The country also boasts 22 national forest recreation areas, meaning there are so many options for a green escape.

Located just outside Tainan, Taijiang National Park is something of a social media darling, thanks to the Sicao Green Tunnel, a natural mangrove tunnel through which visitors can cruise on a bamboo raft. But it’s also a park known for its birdlife. It spans 4,905 hectares of land (plus an area of sea nine times that size) and is home to 120 bird species.

Yangmingshan National Park is extraordinary not just for its scenery, but for its sheer accessibility. From Taipei’s Jiantan bus station, you can be in the heart of the mountains within just 30 minutes. For convenience alone, it is worth a day trip from the capital. The park itself is a volcanic wonder. The same geothermal groundwaters that feed Beitou’s famous public baths bubble up here in natural hot springs, creating plumes of steam as the hot and cool air collide around you. At the visitor centre, you’ll find a short film and information about the park and its origins. From there, paved routes wind around the peaks and fumaroles.

Photography ©Dilip Bhoye

“Taiwan is a truly unique island”

Andy

Cows laying on a field, Yangmingshan National Park, Taiwan (Andy)

Horse grazing in a field, Yangmingshan National Park, Taiwan (Andy)

Cows grazing in a field, Yangmingshan National Park, Taiwan (Andy)

Meet the locals

The Hakka ethnic group trace their roots to the Han Chinese, having originated from China’s Guangdong, Fujian and Jiangxi provinces. Today, they make up about 20% of Taiwan’s population, living mostly in the north-west (Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli) and south (Kaohsiung, Pingtung), although there are also smaller communities along the east coast. There are a number of ways that visitors can experience Hakka culture including visits to tea fields, eco-villages and participating in craft workshops.

The Minnan (or Hokla) are Taiwan’s largest cultural group, accounting for 70% of the island’s population. They originated in China’s Fujian Province, arriving in Taiwan as fishermen and traders in the 17th century. Today, their culture permeates most of Taiwanese life, from food to worship.

Photography ©Charlie Chu

“The indigenous people who have long lived in harmony with nature in the beautiful green mountains, have developed over ten distinct cultures and languages.”

Charlie Chu

Taiwanese man throwing out fishing net into water (Charlie Chu)

Taiwanese man rowing on makeshift raft (Charlie Chu)

Taiwanese man throwing out fishing net into water (Charlie Chu)

On the farms

There are plenty of opportunities to taste fresh and sustainably produced food and drink across Taiwan, from tea plantations to Michelin-starred restaurants.

Deep in the mountains of Yilan is a local agritourism pioneer. Toucheng Leisure Farm was founded in 1979 by ‘farming grandma’ Chen-Ming Cho. At the age of 40, Cho, a former teacher, spent her life savings on her dream of a pastoral life, becoming Taiwan’s first female ‘resort farmer’. Today, she and her family still manage the farm, which now spans more than 100 hectares and includes a hotel that Cho herself helped to build.

Inspired by the teachings of the Chinese poet Tao Yuan-ming, the farm cultivates native species such as Japanese bay and Taiwanese cherry. Experiences available include seasonal cooking lessons, sustainability-themed farm tours, bottle-garden workshops and a five-day ‘Slow Living’ programme that offers immersion in the farm’s ecology.