Like the aborigines of Taiwan proper, the Tao are members of the Austronesian ethno-linguistic group. Because they are isolated at sea, they have retained their traditional culture better than any other group of Taiwanese aborigines.
達悟人與台灣本島原住民同屬南島語族，由於居地孤懸海中，是全台原住族群文化保存最完整的一族。