Hualien City

城市概覽

Located on a strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Central Mountain Range, Hualien is considered one of the most pleasant cities in Taiwan. Many tourists visit the city to enjoy the scenery and fresh air and also to tour the famous Taroko Gorge, which is a few kilometers north of the city. It has a large population (12,500 in 2022) of indigenous people. Due to this large indigenous population, Hualien has traditionally been a KMT stronghold, though the DPP has made inroads among the younger generation.

1 Visitor Information Center (in front of Hualien Station (right side)), ☏ +886 38360634. It is hosted by Taiwan Hospitality and Tourism College, that has been authorized, by the Hualien County Government to operate and manage the Visitor Information Center (VIC) at Hualien Airport and the Hualien Railway Station. These two centers provide general services such as tourism guide and tour bus information, home-stay information, bi-lingual traveling brochure, travel inquiry, emergency handling and so on. (updated Nov 2017)

如何抵達

By train 1 Hualien Station (花蓮車站), 100 Guolian 1st Rd, ☏ +886-3-8355941. 06:00-00:00. There are frequent trains from Taipei, and depending on the type of train, the journey can take from two to three and a half hours. Express trains (Puyuma Express or Tze Chiang Limited Express) take 2 to 3 hours and cost NT$583 adult fare or NT$292 for child or senior discounts. The trains follow the coast for part of the journey, through Yilan and Luodong, and the left side of the train offers the best views. There are also frequent trains to Kaohsiung (about 2 hours and NT$859) and then to Tainan, and less frequently to Tainan (about 3 hours and NT$962) on Tze Chiang Limited.During peak travel season, train tickets are sometimes are hard to get. It is recommended to book your trip early to ensure your seat. There is also the option to take a bus to Luodong and switch to the local train to Hualien. Combined tickets for bus and train can be bought at the Kamalan counter at Taipei bus station and the Capital bus counter at City Hall Station. To continue to additional townships would be to transfer to a local train at Hualien Station or take the fast local train from Taipei and get off at an intermediate stop between Ludong and Hualien which may or may not require a transfer to a local train, bus or taxi to reach your final destination. The following are additional train stations nearest to Hualien City that may be closer to where you are staying: (updated Apr 2020) 2 Ji'an Station 吉安 Served only by Tze Cheng Limited from Taipei via Hualien Station and by local trains from Hualien Station. Closest Township next to Hualien City serving as a suburb and rural township adjacent to Hualien City. 3 Beipu Station 北埔 Next station north of Hualien City in Xecheng Township a northern suburb to Hualien City. It is closer to the airport and to some of the hotels in the "Splurge" category. It is served only by local trains from Hualien Station. 4 Jingmei 景美 Served only by local trains from Hu

當地交通

The city center is small and easy to navigate on foot, although scooters are available for rent several places around town for about NT$400 a day. Pony rental near chin yen hotel (across from the train station) is the only rental agency that will rent scooters to foreigners. Getting around by scooter is the best way to see the gorge. Hualien is a small city without an extensive public transport system, and so it is worth considering taking taxis to areas outside the city center. Hualien station is at least a 30-minute walk from the center of town.

必看景點

History and culture

1 Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries Park (花蓮文創產業園區), No.144, Jhonghua Rd, ☏ +886 3 831 3777. 10:00–18:00, closed M. A pedestrian area made up of 26 old factory warehouses which hosts a number of cultural establishments, mostly showcasing local arts and crafts. (updated Apr 2026) 2 Hualien Martyrs' Shrine (花蓮忠烈祠). 09:00–17:00. Built on the site of the Karenkō Shrine, this is a memorial to those who have lost their lives in service of Taiwan. (updated Apr 2020) 3 Pine Garden (松園別館), No.65, Songyuan St (Zhongmei), ☏ +886 3 835 6510. 09:00–18:00. A peaceful garden with 63 pine trees built around a historic building originally constructed to house the Japanese military. 4 The Former Residence of Kuo Tzu-Chiu (郭子究音樂文化館), No.10, Ln. 1, Mincyuan 7th St, ☏ +886 3 8235466. 09:00–15:00, closed M Tu. The former residence of Kuo Tzu-Chiu, a famous musician and teacher from the area. (updated Apr 2026) 5 Chihsing Tan Katsuo Museum (七星柴魚博物館), No. 148, Qixing Street, Xincheng Township, ☏ +886 3 823 6100. 08:30-17:30. A museum in Xincheng Township dedicated to dried bonito fish. The museum is accessible east from Beipu Station. (updated Oct 2019)

Temples 6 The Abode of Still Thoughts (花蓮靜思堂), No.703, Sec. 3, Jhongyang Rd, ☏ +886 3 8560260. 09:00–17:00. This small Buddhist temple at the foot of Mount North Jialiwan is the original facility of the world-famous Tzu-zhi Buddhist foundation. In keeping with the foundation's ideals, the temple is very simple, and incorporates a Japanese-style garden. Information on Tzu-chi's international activities is also available at the temple. (updated Apr 2026) 7 Yenpin Prefectural Temple (延平王廟) (near Zhongyang Rd, sec 4.), ☏ +886 3 8560110. 05:30–20:30. Established in the Qing Dynasty, this is the oldest temple in Hualien. (updated Apr 2026) 8 Hualien Al-Falah Mosque (花蓮清真寺), No. 78, Fuji Road (walk northwest from TRA Hualien Station). The 9th mosque built in Taiwan. (updated Feb 2021)

Museums 9 Hualien County S

體驗活動

The activities in and around Hualien include mountain hiking, beaches, hot springs, river tracing, whale and dolphin watching and a lot of other wild places. Ask around with the local travel companies.

Events International Stone Sculpture Festival (國際石雕藝術季). An annual event featuring stone carving skills from around the world. (updated Apr 2020) 1 Pacific Ocean International Festival Of Rock Balancing And Arts (太平洋國際疊石藝術季), Cising St. (updated Apr 2026)

Sports

2 Hualien Baseball Stadium (花蓮縣立德興棒球場), ☏ +886 3 858 0686. A 5,500-seat stadium that regularly features professional baseball games. (updated Apr 2020)

Amusement parks 3 Farglory Ocean Park. M-F 09:00-17:00, Sa Su 08:30-17:00. Hualien's biggest man-made tourist attraction. As well as Ferris wheel and cable car, the park contains eight zones showing different aspects of marine life. Children, in particular, will have an enjoyable time but for the more adventurous or those wanting a more local experience, there are many places that are much cheaper and provide a better experience of Taiwan. Adults NT$890, children NT$790.

Parks and nature 4 Qixingtan Beach (七星潭) (north of Hualien City; follow the bike path from Nanbin Seashore Park), ☏ +886 3 8221592. One of the most popular attractions of Taiwan, although maybe not the most spectacular one. Crescent bay and clear blue waters with a beach full of colorful agate