What is the distance and duration of the voyage?

The crew paddles over 100 nautical miles across the Bashi Strait, reaching Batanes in about 36 hours.

How was the 'Golden Friendship No. 1' constructed?

Built entirely by hand using 27 types of wood with no iron nails, following traditional Tao methods.

Why is this voyage said to be after 300 years?

Historical records indicate regular seafaring between Tao and Ivatan people ceased about 300 years ago.

How do navigators find their way without instruments?

They rely on stars, wave patterns, wind direction, and flying fish migration routes.

What are the main goals of this project?

To revive ancestral heritage, strengthen cultural ties, and preserve indigenous maritime knowledge.

Orchid Island's Tao People Launch Traditional Plank Canoe to Batanes, Reviving 300-Year-Old Seafaring Route [Video]

Published Jun 15, 2026 4:14 PM ・ Updated Jun 27, 2026 8:06 PM ・ 5 min read ・ Source: CNA (Central News Agency)

The Tao people of Orchid Island launched the traditionally crafted 'Golden Friendship No. 1' canoe today, sailing to the Philippines' Batanes Island to revive a 300-year-old ancestral maritime route, symbolizing deep cultural ties and heritage preservation.

(CNA reporter Li Hsien-feng, Taitung County, June 15) Reviving the 300-year-old seafaring route of their ancestors, the sailing expedition from Orchid Island to the Philippine island of Batan officially set off today. The 'Golden Friendship No. 1,' a traditionally built plank canoe funded at a cost of NT$6 million and constructed over 18 months, departed from Longmen Harbor on Orchid Island this morning. Crossing the Kuroshio Current, it is expected to arrive in Batanes by tomorrow afternoon.

At the morning departure, large numbers of Tao people gathered at the harbor to send off the 60 seafarers with blessings and cheers.

Co-developed by the Council of Indigenous Peoples, the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Foundation, and the six Tao tribes of Orchid Island, the 20-person canoe was completed in March, underwent a trial run on April 28, and held its traditional launching ceremony on June 9. Today marks its historic journey from Orchid Island to Batanes.

Maraos, Chairman of the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Foundation, stated that the Tao people of Orchid Island and the Ivatan people of Batanes are ethnically related maritime communities, with over 80% of their languages still mutually intelligible. This inaugural voyage was planned by the Foundation, with tribal artisans using traditional methods to assemble 27 types of wood without a single iron nail. Navigation training was also conducted based on stars, ocean currents, and flying fish migration patterns.

The voyage involves 60 crew members rotating shifts to paddle manually across more than 100 nautical miles of the Bashi Strait and the Kuroshio Current, aiming to strengthen ancestral bonds between the two regions.

The Foundation noted that the 'Orchid-Batanes 300-Year First Voyage' project took three years of preparation. The 'Ovayan Golden Friendship No. 1' is one of the largest modern traditional Tao plank canoes, measuring approximately 12 meters in length and capable of carrying 20 people. 'Ovayan' means 'golden male chest ornament' in the Tao language, symbolizing the important cultural memory of maritime trade between Orchid Island and the Batanes Islands in ancient times. (Edited by Li Heng-shan) 1150615

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Source: CNA (Central News Agency)
Category: Event

Orchid Island's Tao People Launch Traditional Plank Canoe to Batanes, Reviving 300-Year-Old Seafaring Route [Video]

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