Alangyi Historic Trail Introduction
The Alangyi Old Trail spans over 200 kilometers, connecting Nantian Village in Taitung County's Darin Township with Xuhai Village in Pingtung County's Mudan Township. This ancient path runs along the southeastern section of the Central Mountain Range, adjacent to the Pacific coastline, and has a history of over 100 years. Originally, the trail served the indigenous peoples for farming, hunting, and military movements, as well as for migration. With no roads leading to this area, the scenic views and cultural history along the trail have preserved their original beauty. It showcases beautiful cultural relics, stunning coastal erosion landforms, rich tropical vegetation, and magnificent cliffs, representing a rare glimpse of Taiwan's pristine landscapes. In terms of natural scenery, the Alangyi Old Trail extends to the coastal section of Taiwan, and due to its undeveloped state, the coastal landscape here remains largely intact. Notably, the long gravel beaches are dotted with smooth pebbles of varying sizes, resembling a set of stone plates; the original coastal vegetation is also well-preserved, home to many rare plant species, especially in the Xuhai Grassland along the trail, where the diversity of plant life is exceptionally rich. The wildlife encountered along the trail is equally varied, with sightings of wild boars, macaques, badgers, black-crowned night herons, white-browed shortwings, bamboo partridges, black-browed bulbul, Eurasian redstarts, little rain frogs, and Aisylla tree frogs. Regarding cultural history, early residents had a deep reliance on the Alangyi Old Trail, including the Puyuma people’s Jhiben community, the Amis, the Paiwan, the Makatao people, as well as Han people from Hakka and Fujian backgrounds. Throughout the processes of migration and settlement, they left behind valuable cultural legacies, such as ritual customs, architectural relics, marriage ceremonies, and everyday utensils, making this a captivating chapter of history.
