Remote, ruggedly beautiful and mostly forgotten by the rest of the Taiwanese population, Orchid Island sits 90km to the southeast of Taiwan in the South China Sea. After an often harrowing ferry ride or flight, the island lays waiting to be explored.

The 44.6 square kilometers island is home to only 3000 inhabitants, roughly two thirds of them aboriginals from the Yami tribe. Orchid Island, or Lanyu is considered the northernmost reach of Polynesia. The local culture is closer to that of the northern Philippines than to Taiwan. While things are rapidly changing – most young people venture to the mainland for school and work – life is largely unchanged for many locals.

The best way to see the island and meet its inhabitants is to go for a walk. While the walk around the perimeter road can be done in a day, it is far more comfortable to spend at least a few days on the island; a flexible schedule is also important because flights and ferry crossings are often cancelled do to weather conditions.

Written by  chris.

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