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INDIGENOUS Taiwanese have set off on a 24-hour voyage to the Philippines aboard a hand-built wooden canoe, reviving an ancestral maritime route believed to have been unused for centuries, Reuters reported.

The 20-seat canoe, named Ovayan or Golden Friendship, was built by craftsmen from six communities on Orchid Island under a government-backed cultural initiative.

The expedition involves around 60 rowers taking turns across the journey, with support vessels accompanying the canoe for safety as it crosses the Bashi Channel towards the Batanes Islands in northern Philippines.

The Tao people of Orchid Island, located about 50 nautical miles off Taiwan’s southeastern coast, share cultural and linguistic ties with indigenous communities in Batanes.

Officials and organisers said the voyage aims to reconnect historical Austronesian sea routes and preserve shared cultural heritage between the two island groups.

The journey is expected to take approximately 24 hours depending on sea conditions.