this Mazu temple is the meet-up point for those who have signed up for oyster harvesting activity
Due to the geographical location of Fangyuan, a port town by the coast, seafood features prominently in the diet of locals. Oyster is a common food here, so for a tourist to Changhua, one of the best experiences to be had is oyster harvesting in Fangyuan.
ready on the cart with water shoes, gloves and face mask
out to the seabed of Taiwan Strait
Be taken on a motorised cart (or bullock cart, depending on the tour operator) to the shore of the Taiwan Strait during low tide for a crash course on oyster harvesting and participate hands-on in this local cultural heritage.
oysters
I’m convinced this is a self-made cart
Off the Taiwan Strait coast, it was exceptionally windy during the time I visited in mid-January. Therefore, we were advised to tie up our hair, tuck in our clothing and wear a windbreaker. We were also provided with a face mask, a pair of gloves and water shoes as we were required to walk on the wet seabed, and harvest the oysters in hard, sharp shells.
cultivating oysters
our guide explains how the harvesting should be done
From personal experience, I wish to alert you that the wind could be exceptionally strong, and there were times when I felt like the wind could lift me off the ground.
I’m trying my hand at it
the crew did most of the work, actually
Also, as we were “in the sea”, the sand was very fine and with that wind, the sand went into our eyes, ears, hair, clothes, skin and even mouth, which explains the face mask that was provided to us by the operator.
guide washes the oysters that have been harvested
one of the activities is to dig holes in the ground with bamboo poles
The time spent out in the sea was probably 1.5 hours; before leaving, we were given joss paper to be thrown into the sky behind us, as a superstitious gesture to appease the sea spirits. Visitors of other faiths other than Buddhism and Taoism, feel free to opt out of the ritual.
throwing joss paper into the air to appease sea spirits
back to land
For all our labour, we were more than welcome to feast on the freshest oysters grilled over charcoal fire, on-site, as a reward for our effort. My oyster harvesting experience in Fangyuan is easily one of the most memorable of my Taiwan trip. If you are in this area, I strongly recommend that you sign up for this package as well.
grilling oysters and clams
freshest oyster ever
For further information, search on Google Maps: 芳苑海牛車隊／潮間帶集合點
Note: View larger images by clicking on an image once this page has completely loaded. Then navigate by clicking on the right or left side of image.
