The tranquil Taiwanese town of Fenglin, known for its unhurried pace of life, has embraced an unusual attraction to boost tourism: snail racing. The initiative follows a powerful earthquake in April 2024 that killed 19 people and injured over 1,100, significantly dampening travel to the region.
Fenglin, with a population of around 10,000, has been part of the Cittaslow network since 2014, a global movement of small cities focused on quality of life and locally sourced foods. The town is also an example of Taiwan's 'super-aged' society, with more than 20 per cent of residents aged over 65.
Resident Hsu Lu explained: 'The earthquake two years ago had a relatively big impact on tourism because people are worried an earthquake may happen again.' Organiser Cheng Jen-shou said residents decided to host the first snail race in May 2024 to help reinvigorate local tourism. 'We thought that our event could attract people, and that would be a small help,' he said.
This year's third edition took place over the May Day holiday, with six races and a final. Winners were the first to cross a 33-centimetre tablecloth. The champion, Brother Snail, owned by Tanya Lin from Hualien, won in 3 minutes and 3 seconds, earning a prize of organic sweet potato leaves.
Participants included 70-year-old retiree Li Cheng-wen, who raised snails from his garden as pets instead of killing them. Kelvin Hong and Tiara Lin travelled five hours from Kaohsiung with their daughter and giant African snail, Aquaman. The couple had planned to race Aquaman in 2024 but were delayed when Lin went into labour.
Besides snail racing, the local government offers guided e-bike tours to historic sites. Visitors Annette Lin and Tanya Liu from Hualien enjoyed the leisurely pace as a respite from city life. 'I think for travel or a trip, it's a great choice,' Liu said.
