Hualien
Taiwan · 15 m
Description
Hualien (花蓮) is the main city of Taiwan's east coast, a low-rise grid between the Pacific and the wall of the Central Mountain Range. It has long been the base for Taroko Gorge, and since the earthquake of April 2024 closed most of the gorge's trails and roads that role has changed, so the city and the coast around it now carry the visit on their own. Qixingtan is a long crescent of grey pebbles where the mountains come down to the sea, and the Dongdamen night market is the largest on the east coast. Inland lie Liyu Lake, the Amis villages of the rift valley and the daylily fields of Sixty Stone Mountain, which flower in late summer. Whale and dolphin trips run out of Hualien through the warmer months.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 4 days (optimal 3 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: March – April or November
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Dongdamen Night Market
- Qixingtan Beach (Chishingtan)
- Taroko Gorge (limited access)(Day trip)
- Pine Garden
- Hualien Old Railway Culture Park
- Whale and Dolphin Watching off Hualien
- Amis Indigenous Culture
- Hualien Coastal Bike Path
- Qingshui Cliffs(Day trip)
- Liyu Lake(Day trip)
- East Rift Valley Scenic Drive(Day trip)
- Xiuguluan River Rafting at Ruisui(Day trip)
- Ruisui Hot Springs(Day trip)
- Mataian Wetlands(Day trip)
- Farglory Ocean Park(Day trip)
- Sixty Stone Mountain Daylilies (August - September)(Day trip)
- Mugumuyu Valley (Mukumugi)(Day trip)
Getting there
- Airports:
- HUN
- Train stations:
- Hualien
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry