Experience the best of Hualien

Hualien sits on the Pacific coast of eastern Taiwan, between the sea and the steep Central Mountain Range, and is the main city of the east. Its seafront has a pebble beach, and the old town has small shrines, temples and markets, while the Dongdamen night market sells food from Taiwan's Indigenous communities alongside Taiwanese street snacks.

Taroko National Park begins a short drive to the north, where the Liwu River has carved a gorge through marble and limestone, with tunnels, cliff paths, suspension bridges and shrines. The Qingshui Cliffs rise from the sea along the coast road, and Qixingtan beach, a crescent of pebbles, is nearby. Boats go out in search of dolphins, and further south the Rift Valley offers hot springs and river rafting.

Hualien has long worked marble and jade, and Amis and Truku communities keep Indigenous traditions alive in the region. Local food includes mochi, wild vegetables, grilled mountain pork, millet wine and fresh Pacific fish. Typhoons can arrive in late summer and early autumn, while spring and winter are cooler and often wet in the mountains.