歡迎光臨高雄市新聞局

Cishan's Popular Banana Tourism

◎English translation: Peng Hsin-yi　◎Photos by Pao Chung-hui

　　Cishan District's famous bananas are part of a historic industry that dates back to the Japanese Colonial period. The tropical climate in southern Taiwan is superb for growing a variety of fruits, but the soil composition in Cishan particularly favors bananas. By 1960, Cishan had both the largest plantation and the most banana trees in Taiwan, earning it the prestigious title of "Taiwan's Banana Kingdom". The people of Cishan love bananas and are always coming up with new promotional products such as banana cakes and banana ice cream. There are banana stands on every coroner and even a band called "Youth Banana" which sings about banana farmers and their famous products.

　　The Chishan banana industry is also a growing tourist attraction. In 2011, Japanese tour groups began bringing visitors out to see the banana fields. In 2012, the Taipei-based agency Tabix Travel took approximately 158 groups to Cishan. According to Tabix manager Ms. Chen Li-wen, in 2008, the company began including banana orchards in Cishan, Kaohsiung in their five-day tours. Since bananas are the only fruit that grows all year round, the orchard tour became more convenient to make the tours exclusive to the banana plantations. It became evident Japanese tourists loved going to the banana fields and enjoyed tasting the various banana snacks. It has certainly become a win-win solution for all participating parties.

　　Since banana tourism has become so popular, some farmers have also become tour guides. Mr. Chang Hong-shi had been planting bananas for more than a decade, but 7 years ago when banana tourism began to blossom he became a passionate and animated tour guide, proudly exhibiting the regions golden fruit. As he takes groups on walks around his plantation, he likes to hand out bananas to visitors, so they can get the opportunity to sample the fruit while he explains the fruit's life-cycle. He finds most people don't realize it takes a full year for a banana tree to mature and produce fruit. He is always delighted to see the tourists take a genuine interest in the bananas. With several years of tour guide experience, Mr. Chang now knows tourists enjoy seeing bananas at every stage in the growth cycle, especially the flowers. He encourages them to walk around, take pictures and enjoy their time in the fields. When they are preparing to leave, he gives them another bunch of ripe bananas as a parting gift. Mr. Chang feels being a tour guide is not just a job; he genuinely wants everyone who comes to his farm to appreciate the delicate texture and sweet aroma of his wonderful fruit.

　　Farming may be a way of life for these banana farmers, but for tourists who come from a much colder climate find trees laden with ripe fruit beholds an exotic tropical allure. Kaohsiung's banana harvest peaks in April and is one of the famers' busiest months, especially for those who double as tour guides. However, Mr. Jhang sees it as a labor of love and doesn't mind the hard work. He considers everyone who comes to his farm a friend and hopes they will all come to love the wonderful fruit as much as he does.

旗山香蕉果園 觀光正夯

◎文／侯雅婷　◎攝影／鮑忠暉

　　旗山栽種香蕉始於日治時代，老天爺給了旗山栽種香蕉所需的氣候和土壤，日治時期至六○年代，旗山無論是香蕉栽植面積或密度，均居全國之冠，因此而有「香蕉王國」的美名。

　　旗山居民擅於開發香蕉財，除了隨處可見水果攤販售各種類的香蕉，還開發出一系列香蕉食品，從蛋糕到冰淇淋；甚至旗山長大的孩子，組了名為「台青蕉」的樂團，以家鄉的蕉農和香蕉為繆思，用音樂記錄這片生長的土地。有趣的是，從2011年起，有為數頗多的日本觀光團赴台環島旅行時，其中一站行程選定到旗山香蕉田觀光，單單去(2012)年 ，台北的泰美旅行社就帶了158 團至旗山香蕉園，泰美旅行社陳麗文經理表示，旅行社從2008年起就致力於開拓高雄觀光點，在五日遊行程之中，推出果園觀光行程。旗山香蕉雀屏中選，主要是香蕉一年四季都有，符合旅行社常態性行銷宣傳作業及行程安排，對於能在景點或都會行程中，到香蕉園走走，品嚐香蕉同時安排香蕉種植過程解說，頗受日本遊客喜愛。

　　擔任日客團體的香蕉導覽員為蕉農張宏士，栽種香蕉資歷逾10年。他談起約莫7年前，開始有旅行社開發出帶日本觀光團至香蕉田導覽，意外啟動這股香蕉田觀光潮。張宏士的香蕉導覽生動活潑，他會招待客人邊吃香蕉邊解說，日本遊客在香蕉樹下，吃著香甜的香蕉，每當聽到香蕉從栽種到採收需要一年的時間，遊客們會一起發出驚嘆聲，張宏士會介紹香蕉的生產過程、香蕉花，遊客們四處張望、拍照，在香蕉田裏享受了一段悠閒、自在的田野時光，介紹完畢，遊客上車離開之際，張宏士會再熱情的遞上香蕉，希望讓前來參觀的日本遊客，細細品嚐香蕉細緻的口感和絕佳的風味。

　　蕉農視為再平凡不過的香蕉田，卻是日本觀光團的新鮮體驗，一大串香蕉高掛香蕉樹的吸睛魅力顯然不容小覷。四月是香蕉採收季節，綠色蕉葉隨風搖曳，蕉農忙著採收成串的香蕉，期盼這樣美麗的香蕉印象，烙印在日本友人心中，串連起長長久久的友誼。