Taiwan’s southernmost natural air conditioner — take a fantastical drift through the Banyan Garden with Pi!

▲ The Hengchun Harbor Banyan Garden is one of the filming locations for *Life of Pi*.

Reported and photographed by Yu Jiayun / Hengchun

Do you remember the scene in Ang Lee’s 3D film *Life of Pi*, where the protagonist and the tiger drift ashore to a bizarre, hyena-infested cannibal island? The film shows countless twisted tree trunks and tree canopies that seem to stretch across the sky, creating a backdrop like a mysterious primeval rainforest. But this place isn’t in some far-off tropical jungle — it’s the “Banyan Garden” in Hengchun, southern Taiwan. Even more unbelievable is that all these densely packed tree trunks come from just two parent trees. Standing beneath these massive trees, one can’t help but be awed by the power of nature.

▲ The Banyan Garden is lush with green foliage.

Located in Gangkou, Manzhou Township, Hengchun, the Harbor Banyan Garden is managed by the Forestry Research Institute under the Council of Agriculture. General visitors must apply through the Gangkou Community to the institute and can only enter under the guidance of a designated staff member. Upon entering the Banyan Garden, you’ll instantly feel as if you’re surrounded by hundreds of giant trees. In reality, however, these tree trunks of varying thicknesses are all aerial roots of the garden’s two banyan trees. One covers an area of 2,750 square meters with 207 aerial roots, while the other spans 1,400 square meters with 80 aerial roots. From the viewing platform in the garden, the dense network of banyan roots stretches endlessly. Looking up, the crisscrossing branches and leaves block out the sky and blazing sun. When a cool breeze blows through, it becomes a natural air-conditioned room.

▲ The Banyan Garden covers a fairly vast area.

▲ This angle is the very spot where Pi and the tiger appear in the movie.

Tour guide Sister Fengzhu said that when she first came here in 1976, there was only one mother banyan tree. In the blink of an eye, it has grown into a whole forest. Although the age of the banyans is unknown, it’s certain that these two trees continue to climb and root. Sister Fengzhu also reminds visitors not to cross the guardrails and enter the tree area for the sake of taking photos. The ground is covered with the banyan’s aerial roots, and stepping on them can affect the trees’ growth and damage the environment.

▲ Aside from the two parent trees, everything else consists of banyan aerial roots.

▲ The sky is almost entirely shaded by the banyan trees.

Besides the Banyan Garden, the Harbor Suspension Bridge, located less than a five-minute walk from the Forestry Research Institute, is also worth a visit. From the bridge, you can not only cross the Harbor River but also gaze at the distant Pacific Ocean. When visiting the Harbor Community, don’t forget to try the local specialty, Harbor Tea. With its mellow aroma and sweet aftertaste, paired with a soft, fragrant homemade steamed bun, even the heat of summer surprisingly fades away.

▲ The Harbor Suspension Bridge spanning the Harbor River.

▲ Harbor Tea is grown in Taiwan’s lowest-altitude and southernmost tea region.