2024 Hualien Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in August)
Hualien City is a must-visit for tourists traveling to the Hualien-Taitung Valley. A transportation hub where you can enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Ocean, it is a good place to ride bicycles and enjoy yourself in a relaxing atmosphere. The place is completely suffused with artistic atmosphere, book shops and cafés . Add to this the pleasant scent and flavor of old-fashioned food and you'll find the charm of Hualien. The center of the city is the intersection of Zhongshan, Zhongzheng, and Zhonghua roads. This is called the "Golden Triangle" and is very lively There is a veritable forest of shops and businesses of all kinds. It is also a popular gathering place for gorments and gourmands.
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Chen Liang under the Mountain | Hualien
A Thai restaurant discovered by chance, with a white exterior full of tropical plants, it's so beautiful to take pictures. The outdoor seating area even offers a view of the sea, adding to the holiday vibe. As you enter, the wooden tables and chairs, along with the plant decorations, create a spacious and relaxing atmosphere. It's time to switch to vacation mode and enjoy. The aroma of the minced pork with basil is strong, but it has a heavier onion flavor, yet it goes well with rice. Am I seeing this right? It's a whole fish, and it's been fried in pieces for convenience. Even the fish body has become part of the presentation. Speaking of Thailand, you can't miss Thai milk tea, especially when eating Thai food, it's a must to order a cup.
Majestic Qingshui Cliff.
The Qingshui Cliff in Hualien, located between Heping and Chongde, is one of the great wonders on the east coast of Taiwan and also one of Taiwan's top eight scenic spots. The Qingshui Cliff is over a thousand meters high and stands almost at a 90-degree angle next to the Pacific Ocean. The road stretches for more than 20 kilometers, winding and twisting. On one side there are steep cliffs, and on the other, the vast sea. The situation is perilous, and the weather is ever-changing, which is both terrifying and breathtaking. Standing on the platform and watching the sheer rock faces of Qingshui Cliff and the sparkling waves crashing against them, just this scene alone fills the heart with wonder and admiration for nature. In the face of such natural beauty and wonder, one can't help but feel humble and respectful towards nature.
A Day in the Arms of Nature
Location: Taroko National Park, Xiulin Township, Hualien County, Taiwan
Admission: FREE
When you travel to Taiwan, Taroko is a must-visit destination. This natural masterpiece reveals its mesmerizing beauty at every twist and turn. Enormous marble cliffs, sculpted by time, create a cathedral of stone that leaves you in awe. Crystal-clear rivers flow through the gorge, their harmonious melody accompanying your every step.
Exploring Taroko's well-maintained trails and viewpoints was like stepping into a dream. Each stop presented a new perspective, from the awe-inspiring Eternal Spring Shrine to the tranquil Swallow Grotto. It's a place where you can truly connect with the Earth's ancient history.
A day in Taroko Gorge is a day wrapped in the embrace of nature, and it's a memory I'll hold dear forever.
My Top Recommendations for Enjoying the Magnificent Scenery:
📍Tunnel of Nine Turns
📍Baiyang Trail
📍Buluowan Terrace
📍Qingshui Cliff
📍Changchun Shrine
📍Qixingtan Beach
Buluowan Suspension Bridge 🌁
#exploreasia
Buluowan Suspension Bridge is the longest and highest bridge in Taroko National Park. It spans across the Liwu Valley at a length of 196m and 2.5m wide.
From the bridge, you will be able to see the twists and turns of Liwu River and also the valley walls that characterized the Swallow Grotto (Yanzikou)
At the Buluowan Service Center, you can have your meal there. They also have an exhibition hall showing the history of indigenous tribe of Taroko, daily video introduction will be screened at certain times of the day.
How to get there?
By public bus or recommended to book a day-trip tour to Taroko
#awesomepic
Swallow’s grotto (Yanzikou) Trail
#exploreasia
One of the must visit when you come visit Taroko National Park. As the name suggest, many swallows forge and play among the rocks that was formed over tens of thousands of years.
The marble was sculpted over the years by the Liwu river running across, with many potholes that pockmark the grotto. The unique structure was indeed the magnificent work of mother nature.
We were lucky to spot a resting swallow and boy it was cute. According to the guide, the number of swallows have decreased over the years so we were lucky to see a few having fun at the grotto.
Safety of the public is of utmost importances so all visitors are required to wear a helmet. Falling stones can be due to animals or rain, hence unpredictable.
The trail is suitable for all as it is flat all the way through and relatively short. Nevertheless the view was great!
#taroko #awesomepic #couplestrip
Lakeshore Hotel Hualien ✨
#hotelreview
Check-in was a breeze and the staffs were very helpful in answering our questions and we arrived post-typhoon and were clueless about the conditions there.
Hotel room was spacious and had a nice big tub with great view! I was told the glass can be seen through from the outside. Bummer.
Breakfast selection was great but not all was nice. The opening hours were long too so you can slowly enjoy your breakfast till as late as 1.30pm!
There are several restaurants and cafe nearby so you can explore by foot or take a taxi to town as well. Hotel can help you get a taxi if you have difficulty getting one so that is a plus!
Rating: 4/5
‼️😍 Top 10 Taiwan Scenery - Beach Day
#beachaholic
What is better than a beach day? It is spending a day at the beach at a Taiwanese national park during your summer holiday!
This beach is Heren Shingle Beach, which is located in Taroko National Park in the center of Taiwan. It makes an amazing day trip from Taipei or Taichung! The beach scenery is voted as the top 10 most beautiful scenery in all of Taiwan! The rugged cliffs and the blue water left me in awe with the canyon and mountains nearby behind the beach! Worth spending a day here!
Deciding where to go in Hualien? Click here!🏞️
The views of Liyu Lake really surprised us 🤩
The surroundings were all mountains, with the clear blue sky and the calm waters!
We didn't expect that a lake can be so beautiful until we actually reached the place and witness how magnificent the view is!
You can easily spend half a day here because Liyu Lake don't only has good scenery! You can rent a boat by the lake, have a picnic, and take a stroll around the area too. There is also a bicycle trail for cyclists as well!
Address: Shoufeng Township, Hualien County, Taiwan 974
#scenicspot #taiwantour
hualien train station
#taipei
hualien train station is the pit stop where we started our Taroko Gorge adventure. there are accommodations located in both the front and back station. if you want to stay away from the crowd, accommodation at the back station will e quieter.
A self-sufficient station, there are shops selling souvenirs, food and also train bento. the stop selling the train bento opens at 9am but the bento do not arrive on the dot. so if you wish to grab a bento for your outbound journey, do cater in this factor.
Container Starbucks Store
This lovely outlet is located in No.505, Section 1, Nanbin Road, Ji'an Township, Hualien County, Taiwan 973. I reached here by taking bus number 301 from Hualien train station, alight at stop New Paradise.
This container Starbucks store is designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.This cargo containers that align with and stack on top one and another in three layers. as the interior of the cafe keep the original features of shipping containers, with only parts of the walls being decorated with wooden panels, and brightly colored wall mural represents the deep heritage of the aboriginal Amis people.
From one end of the container, customers can enjoy the view of the mountain range. There are more tea options on the menu than any other Starbucks store in the World. The store is open daily from 0900-2100.
beautiful beach in Hualien
#taipei
Qixingtan Beach (七星潭) is one of the most beautiful beaches in Taiwan, which is in between Hualien and the eastern entrance of Taroko Gorge National Park.
the view from the beach was amazing - imagine the blue sky meeting an endless Pacific Ocean. The shore is bespeckled with white and black gravel that is smooth to the touch.
it is really nice to spend an hour or so at the beach, to enjoy rhe view and relax!
trying to spot swallows in Taroko Gorge
#taipei
The Yanzikou (Swallow Grotto) trail is about a half kilometre long, starting from the entrance to Swallow Grotto to the Jinheng Bridge. We enjoyed walking along the Liwu River which forms its own trail below us. The river carved some high cliffs and there are many natural holes in the cliff walls that were used by swallows as the sites of their nests. We saw some flying creatures but could not confirm if they were swallows or not.
indeed a very beautiful scenery with the river below, steep cliffs and caves. do visit if you are visiting Taroko Gorge.
The beauty of Taroko⚡️⚡️⚡️
Here are some recaps for one of the most iconic tourist destination in Taiwan, Taroko Gorge.
Situated in Xiulin Township, East Coast of Taiwan, Taroko Gorge is so damned beautiful. Look at those blue clear water surrounded with eyepleasing scenery, how can I forget that? There are also a lot of things to do in Taroko. The national park has lots of amazing hiking trail. It was so much fun when i visit there last time✨
How to get there 🚎 🚎
If you are in Taipei the quickest way to go there is via Hualien by train. A lot of trains run daily from Taipei. It takes 2,5 hours from Taipei to Hualien and costs approx. 450 NTD. After that you still have to ride for almost 40 minutes.
Tips⚡️⚡️
- Don’t forget to bring bug spray, sunscreen, umbrella and a hat. It could be really hot in summer. Also wear comfortable shoes👟 👟
Price 💰💰
Entrance to the park is free
Rating :
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#wecreate
The Tunnel Of Nine Turns
#taipei #taiwan #roadtrip #picturesque #view
Road tripping in Taiwan is fun thing to do, be in a self drive or a hired chauffeur where people normally called it bao che. There is this place where you have to travel from wuling towards hualien called the tunnel of nine turns.
This is a unique tunnel where its build inside of the mountains of Taiwan, where you can do hikes and also on elevated walkways where the view below you is an amazing Gorge with clear views of the water. There is also a stores on geological studies written along these walls. It's not a very long walk but it's wheelchair friendly for sure.
Buluowan Terrace In Hualien City - Taiwan
It’s a Hanging Or Suspension Bridge . It’s name is Buluowan Terrace In Hualien City - Taiwan
Getting There - Can with Tour Bus, Public Bus , Train , Rent Bike and Walk
Attractions - Suspension Bridge and Stone Trails
Hotels - Near by few Hotels
Food & Restaurants - Nice and delicious food
Shopping - traditional goods#Taiwan #hualien #buluowanterrece #travel #travelphotography
beautiful Shakadang Trail
First stop at Shakadang Trail to start our Taroko Gorge experience.
Noted that the Shakadang Trail was built during Japanese Occupation for hydroelectric power. The one-way length of Shakadang Trail is 4.1 km, and we have to do a loop to return to the starting point. it's a relatively easy trail. midway throwing, there are some shops in the 5 cabins where you can buy food and drinks.
the turquoise colour in the river was beautiful, and the magnificent boulders and cliffs are the highlights of this hike. the view was really nice at every turn and twist.
It is one of the best stops of the Taroko Gorge. should put in your itinerary if you are visiting Hualien.
Dongdamen Night Market 東大門夜市
visiting Dongdamen Night Market 東大門夜市, one of the biggest night market that we visited so far. Despite the rain, it was very vibrant and lively with many food and game stalls. there were also live performances around the place.
the night market was divided into many "streets." looked out for some delicious food where the queue might get long. Some stalls gave queue numbers where the waiting time was more than 30 minutes. notable food to try is the grilled corn, the coffin bread.
worth a visit, especially for a night trip if you are in Hualien.
Address
No. 50, Zhongshan Rd, Hualien City, Hualien County, 970
Hualien cultural and creative park
visited Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries Park, which used to be a wine factory.
there is currently only one exhibition on going which is quite interesting. there were some pop-up stores, but I think we missed them as we reached after 5 pm. the park closed at 6 pm.
Admittedly, this park was not the most interesting creative park we visited in Taiwan, but it still merits a quick stop if you have the time before heading to the night market.
Manting Homestay
Manting Homestay is about a 10-minute walk from the back of Hualien station.
We stayed in a quad room where the size of the room is still acceptable with minimal walking area.. So try not to bring large luggage if given a choice. but well, the room is clean, cosy, and bright due to huge windows.
There is a very basic pantry at level 1 where there is a water dispenser, fridge, microwave, and free instant drinks.
The owner of the homestay is very friendly and will give us advice on where to go and the surroundings.
average price for the long weekend is around Sgd150 per room, no breakfast included, but there are recommended breakfast places nearby.
Kindness Hotel Hualien County
My favorite hotel in Hualien. It's located just 5 minutes walk from the train station!
Rooms are very spacious and comfortable. Only downside is that there is a little gap below the main door, so you'll hear noise from the corridor when people walk pass.
They serve a huge breakfast from 7am to 10am, and also a very decent supper from 8pm to 10pm.
Additionally, they got complimentary drinks and ice cream all day, and some other snacks in the afternoon.
Laundry is available for free with lots of washing machines available for usage!
Staff is extremely friendly and always happy to assist. Not all of them speak English but there's always somebody available!
If you visit Hualien, make sure to stay here!
An insta-worthy attraction in Hualien!
山度空间 is a popular attraction especially among the Taiwanese as it offers a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean!
There are several spots to capture the beautiful scenery and the higher you get up, the prettier the sea view would be!
The attraction itself offers a photography options at TWD$50 per photo as well.
The entrance ticket to this attraction cost TWD$80 and you can use TWD$50 of it to offset for a drink!
We would recommend to visit this place during weekdays as weekends would be extremely crowded and you may have to queue to take good photos at their photo-taking spots!
Address: 974, Taiwan, Hualien County, Shoufeng Township, 57號
#taiwantrip #photospot #vacay
Jin Gu An B&B
Book a 6d5n stay at Jin Gu An B&B
Really enjoyed our stay here! There is free pick up and drop off service from train station provided by this B&B, which really make thing really easy for us.
There is also daily house keeping available!
Washer and detergent are provided at the top floor of the building (level 5)
Location is near to night market which has many things to eat till late night.
takoro gorge
A place where nature and peace meet. a must see when on a trip to Taiwan even though the fact that the park is actually a highway for common traffic is a bit disappointing .
We reached it by train and travelled the park through public bus. during weekends the buses only pass 1 time every 1 or 2 hours so make sure to know which stops you really want to see or you might be stuck
Farglory Ocean Park-Hualien
My first ever solo trip to Hualien. I did not miss going to this famous water theme park, the first marine theme park in Taiwan-Farglory Ocean Park. It is located in Shoufeng, Hualien County.
The area is quite huge I did not have time to roam around since I arrived there after lunch. I just took a few pictures. Enjoyed watching the dolphin and sea lion show and of course experience the ocean park itself.
They have many fun activities, thrilling rides and entertaining shows. So the earlier the better!
##mustvisit ##traveling ##solotravel ##touristsattraction
The Gorgeous Taiwan Natural Scenery
#newyearadventure #trail #taiwan #hualian #nationalpark #taroko #hiking #scenic
When you are travelling to Hualien, you will definitely go pass the Taroko National Park a beautiful scenic huge national park located in the middle of Taiwan. And if you like hiking this is the place you should go!
Shakadang Trial is a trial visited by many tourists and its a well pathed and marked trial, it will take you approximately an hour one way and you will be greeted with beautiful rock formations, blue clear waters and fresh air! Half way thru the shakadang trail there is a little shop that sells food, your local Taiwanese food and homemade drinks. Have a good rest here, and if you do decide to head back, this is the half way mark to u turn.
Co-piloting a light powered aircraft ✈️
#newyearadventure #taiwan #hualien
Even after paying for our individual safety insurance as a deposit, there was no guarantee we could take flight the next day. Much to our dismay, our earlier paragliding booking had to be cancelled due to the weather forecast of strong winds (that would probably blow us with our parachutes away to Japan instead 😂) so we figured flying on engine-powered light propeller aircrafts instead would be more doable.
The morning we were scheduled to fly, I was delighted to receive no update from the vendor. No news meant good news. Our driver whisked us away to the takeoff site and we were up in the air before long, co-piloting separate planes with our respective instructors.
Hualien appeared more picturesque from above, with both sea 🌊 and mountainous 🏔 views meeting our eyes as we rose above the cloud cover. My instructor flew the plane into the midst of some thick clouds so I could touch them with my bare fingers and upon my request, agreed to carry out a couple of more thrilling spins & drops in mid-air which were OH SO SATISFYING! 😆 Another favourite moment would have to be my approximate 10-minute glory when I flew the plane ✈️ solo and my instructor praised my performance.
”飞得很稳,很棒啊!” 他说。😄✌️
STARBUCKS CONTAINER store
One of the most incredible recycle architecture! The Starbucks cargo container store was designed by the famous Japanese architect, Kengo Kuma💕
Getting there: 🚗
The one and only Starbucks container store, located at New Paradiso Mall in Hualien. You can take bus 301 from Hualien Bus Stop, and ride around seventeen stops. Get off at New Paradiso Bus Stop. You can also take taxi around Hualien.
Attraction: 🍽️
The store was really crowded, but the ambience was super good. You will need around 30-40minutes to order and found a seat. We order our favorite Chocolate Chip Frappuccino and Creeps cake. Definitely tasty as usual!
Rating: 4.6/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall the experience is super good, you can enjoy unique recycle architecture and beautiful modern interior in the inside. One of the most beautiful Starbucks store!
#tripblazers #2023travelwish #hualien
Farglory Ocean Park 🐬 – Hualien
Farglory Ocean Park is a theme park that combines marine theme natural landscape park with five-star leisure hotel✨ The theme park has eight different theme area, including aquarium and other attractions!
Getting there: 🚗
You can take Bus from Hualien TRA Station or Taxi. I prefer to take Taxi because the waiting time for bus pretty long. Driving your own vehicles also an option.
Attractions: 🐬
Overall, there are a lot of things you can do in Farglory Ocean Park. I really recommend the aquarium. They have a lot of healthy fishes that actively swimming around~ I do really enjoy the dolphin and seal show. You can also enjoy their food and playing in the theme park!
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Strolling in Hualien-Farglory Ocean Park was a really nice experience!✨
#tripblazers #2023travelwish #hualien
Exploring Taroko National Park
#newyearadventure #taiwan #hualien #tarokonationalpark
As we ventured down to a lower altitude via the mountain road, the heavy cloud cover began dissipating and we were thankful for clearer visibility while exploring Taroko Gorge on foot.
HUALIEN INSTAGRAMABLE SPOT✨
🏕️ 山度空間 ✨
Must visited, the famous Hualien photo spot😛
Beautiful mountain with pacific ocean view. The place was not that big, but enough to take many instagramable photos~ People usually spend 2-3hours too take photos.

🚗 Getting There:
I think the best way to go there is with Taxi or motorcycle. It’s pretty hard to wait for the bus.
✨Attractions:
They have a lot spaces to take foto, featuring crystal balls, tent, cabins, with ocean views.
💵 Price:
around 80ntd/weekends and 70ntd/weekends
you can buy the ticket there or from KKDay.
Overall, it was a nice experience! Really recommended when tou go to Hualien⭐️#campingglamping #beachlife #mytripvlog #hualien
Recommended Attractions at Popular Destinations
Popular Restaurants in Hualien