For many years it has had a distinctly aboriginal flavor. Taiwan has altogether nine separate aboriginal tribes, and Taitung is inhabited by six of them. Every year is full of the various tribes 'festivals, making for a lively travel season. (See accompanying chart.)
台東市本是東部的旅遊重心之一，早期以山地色彩濃厚為主要特色，台灣共有九族山地住民，這兒就聚居了六族，每年、每族的豐年祭都成為旅遊旺季（詳見附表）。