New Liumaodao Inn Focuses on "Eco-Friendliness" — Construction Costs 1.3x More, But He Still Insists

Reported and photographed by reporter You T-Ru / Liumaodao
 
It's probably hard to find a new inn in Taiwan that prioritizes the environment like this one, as it insists on using eco-friendly building materials and equipment, and does not provide guests with any single-use consumables. The overall decoration cost is more than 1.3 times that of a regular inn. Yet the owner remains steadfast, all to create a rare eco-conscious inn on Liumaodao. Owner Tsai Cheng-nan said: "I hope guests can learn how to care about Liumaodao’s ecology through their stay."


▲A home-themed, turtle-centered genuinely eco-friendly inn.


Tsai Cheng-nan, born in 1966, is a native of Liumaodao. He left this beautiful island after junior high school, returned occasionally over the years, and finally moved back for good nine years ago. Originally working in engineering, he decided to create an "eco-friendly inn" centered on ecology, where green sea turtles are featured everywhere in the inn.The goal is nothing else but for his hometown, Liumaodao. "Through their stay, guests can come to better understand the importance of environmental and ecological protection."

How does staying here let guests experience the importance of the environment firsthand? Tsai Cheng-nan did it through art.In the blue room, he wrote, "Take nothing but photos," while on the red room wall, he painted, "Leave nothing but footprints." He also carefully drew a map of Liumaodao on the lobby wall, along with a list of intertidal zone precautions.It may seem old-school, but so what? The point is, Tsai Cheng-nan actually did it.


▲ Owner Tsai Cheng-nan.

Tsai Cheng-nan admitted that creating an inn that truly emphasizes "eco-friendliness" is no easy task. Starting with the use of eco-friendly wooden flooring and carbonized wood, plus chemical-free paints; the bed linens and pillowcases are washed using eco-friendly detergents, and toiletries are biodegradable shampoos and body washes, with all electrical appliances bearing eco-labels. The item most affecting guests during their stay—amenities such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, and bath towels—are not provided at all. "If guests need them, they’ll have to buy their own."

Even if some guests find it troublesome and might choose to stay elsewhere, Tsai Cheng-nan stands firm. Just building an inn on Liumaodao is already double the cost of constructing one on Taiwan proper, and the insistence on eco-friendly materials adds another 30% to the cost. Still, Tsai Cheng-nan cheerfully paints his hopes for guests on the walls of every room—the gist being: don’t harm Liumaodao, don’t litter indiscriminately, and protect the marine ecosystem.


▲ % The hopeful messages Tsai Cheng-nan painted directly on the walls for guests.


The reporter stayed at this eco-friendly inn during early summer. To be honest, bringing your own toothbrush, toothpaste, and towels is really not a hassle. Each room has its own themed design, the space is spacious, and the bathroom facilities are very clean and refreshing. The only difference from a typical guesthouse may be the simplicity of the facilities—not fancy or extravagant—but that actually makes you feel the sincere charm of Liumaodao even more.

Zhenghaoyou Eco-Friendly Inn
Tel: (08) 8612 2700; 0966-729-297
Address: No. 153, Zhongshan Road, Liumaodao, Pingtung County
Two-Day-One-Night Package:
1. Round-trip ferry tickets from Donggang to Liumaodao
2. One night’s stay at Zhenghaoyou Eco-Friendly Inn
3. One scooter for two people for 24 hours (driver’s license required)
4. Breakfast at Zhenghaoyou
5. Liumaodao map and guided tour
6. Coastal ecological island tour
7. Nighttime ecological tour
8. Sea turtle ecological tour
9. Exclusive postcards from Zhenghaoyou
Weekend rate per person (double room): NT$2,500; Weekday rate: NT$2,000
Weekend rate per person (quad room): NT$2,200; Weekday rate: NT$1,800