Hidden Formosa: Life and Travels in Rural Taiwan

By M.A. Aldrich, Steven Crook, Scott Ezell, David Frazier, John Groot, Ray Ko, Simon Pridmore, Mark Roche, John Ross (editor), Richard Saunders

In Hidden Formosa, nine long-term foreign residents take you into Taiwan’s overlooked corners. These are stories born of years – and often decades – of living, working, and exploring beyond the cities. Join Ray, a former stockbroker, as he starts a new life as a freediving instructor on Xiaoliuqiu Island. Climb the rugged peaks of the Central Mountain Range with Mark, one of Taiwan’s most experienced outdoor guides. Meet Indigenous musicians, eccentric temple caretakers, fishermen, farmers, and islanders whose lives rarely appear in guidebooks. Explore abandoned settlements, remote coastlines, family histories, and experience unexpected moments of friendship and belonging. Hidden Formosa will inspire you to venture beyond the familiar and discover the parts of this remarkable island that lie just out of sight.