Dulan

Dulan is an Amis village on the coast road north of Taitung that has become the centre of Taiwan's east coast arts and surf scene, largely around the old sugar factory: the mill closed in 1991 and the buildings were taken over by artists, driftwood carvers and a cafe that runs live music on Saturday nights. The break offshore works through the winter, and the village has an unusual mix of Amis families, artists and surfers. Amis tradition holds Dulan to be their people's birthplace, and its Amis name, A'tolan, is usually explained as a pile of stones.

The main sights

• The sugar factory - the closed mill turned into studios, a cafe and a music venue.
• The driftwood carving - a distinctive local craft using wood off the beach.
• The surf break - a reef and point working through the winter months.
• The Amis village - the community the place belongs to, with its own festivals.

When to go

October to April brings the surf swell. The Saturday music night at the sugar factory runs year round. Amis harvest festivals fall in July and August.

Practical notes

The music night is one evening a week and the factory is quiet otherwise. Accommodation is guesthouse level and books out at weekends. The village is spread along the highway with traffic through it.

Nearby

Xiaoyeliu is south, and the East Rift Valley runs inland.

Key facts