Sinan Jiotok Workshop is located in Langdao Village on the northern coast of Orchid Island (Lanyu). Its founder, Sinan Jiotok, is a Tao weaving master who learned traditional weaving through her own research and years of trial and error, and later became a weaving instructor. Today she teaches traditional weaving to local women and children, helping keep Tao culture alive in everyday island life.
The workshop is also known for the Tao women’s hair dance, a traditional dance in which women swing their long hair in rhythm, like waves rolling in from the sea. Sinan Jiotok is a well-known hair dance teacher on the island. Visitors can join a hair dance session that includes an introduction to traditional weaving, or dress in traditional Tao clothing and take photos beside the village’s traditional underground houses, gaining a closer look at the island’s culture and way of life.
To reach Orchid Island, take a ferry from Fugang Fishing Port in Taitung or fly from Taitung Airport; the workshop is about a 10-minute drive from Kaiyuan Port. The hair dance and weaving experience lasts about two hours and is open to women only, while the traditional clothing experience takes about one and a half hours. All experiences require advance reservations; it is recommended to contact the workshop to confirm times before departure. Please respect local customs in the village and be sure to ask for permission before photographing residents or their homes. (Photo credit: Sinan Jiotok Workshop, yam travel)
Sinan Jiotok Workshop offers bilingual (Chinese and English) guided tours showcasing the hair dance, a unique expression of the Tao people’s maritime culture.
By appointment
