They say travelers go to Hualien to soak up nature. Like most part of Taiwan’s East Coast, the natural environment here is unspoiled and the pace is unhurried.  The landscape here is impossibly picture-perfect that you have to travel to Hualien to believe they’re not photoshopped. Here, rising limestone hills and cloud-capped mountains fringed the tempting turquoise sea.

I arrived in Hualien via train from Taipei. My trip only took 2 hours, passing by gorgeous, green rice fields and verdant farmlands. The scene reminds me of my hometown in the Philippines, so it was sort of heartwarming. I never imagined Taiwan like that so I was a bit surprised. I remember before I visited Hualien, I was chatting with a close friend who went here a few years ago, and he was raving how beautiful Hualien is. I told him how I liked my Taipei trip, then he said something like “Wait until you see Hualien”.  Too bad it I was there during the wrong season, it was raining a few days prior to my visit, so the river fringed by towering canyons wasn’t as emerald-green as I saw on the pictures online. Nevertheless, I was still blown away by Hualien’s raw appeal and varied landscape.

So as promised, here’s my Hualien Travel Guide to assist you in planning your trip.  If you find this Hualien blog helpful, please share this.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT HUALIEN

When planning a trip to Hualien, one of the important questions is, “When is the best month to visit Hualien? Or “When is the best month to travel to Taroko Gorge?”  Like I said, I went there during the wrong season, Hualien like the rest of Taiwan is not sunny year-long, you might end up drenched if you don’t check the weather updates, so always do that before proceeding with your trip.

Taiwan is divided into 2 climate zones: Southern Taiwan belongs to the tropical zone while Northern Taiwan is under the sub-tropical zone. Hualien is located on the East Coast near Northern Taiwan. About 2.5-3 hours away by train from Taipei on the north.  Typhoon season in Taiwan is around July to September.  In Hualien, the rainiest months fall around June, August and September.

The best month for travel to Hualien is around October, because of the transition to summer to winter, there’s less crowd. And accommodations are cheaper.  November to April are also best months to travel to Hulien.  However, the peak season and most expensive months for Taiwan travel is January to February because of the Chinese New Year.

HUALIEN WIFI

Getting connected online is important in Hualien and the rest of Taiwan since English is not widely spoken.  You might have a hard time asking for directions. So best to have Google Maps in handy, which only works when you have internet access.

Buying a sim card in Hualien is quite daunting, they were asking me for two government IDs and unfortunately, I only have my passport with me.  I suggest you rent a pocket Wi-Fi in advance and just pick it up at Taipei Airport for less hassle and less paperwork.  You can RESERVE A POCKET WIFI HERE.

But if you really need a local simcard, you can PURCHASE A TAIWAN SIMCARD HERE.

HUALIEN MONEY EXCHANGE

I didn’t want to withdraw in Hualien because I was going to receive my travel allowance in Taiwanese dollars the next day, so I decided to look for a money changer in Hualien. That’s when I learned that I needed to go to the bank instead of money changers.  And because my hostel is quite far from the banks, I had to bike for a few minutes to change my money, not to mention the quite long queue.  Thankfully, my host was kind enough to assist me.

So yeah, if you want to avoid such hassle, change your money in Taipei, bring Taiwan dollars or withdraw money from ATMs in Taipei.  There are ATMs in Hualien by the way but I will still suggest you withdraw in Taipei since there are more machines there, and the ATMs in Hualien can be quite a distance from your hotel.

TAIPEI TO HUALIEN

From Taipei to get to Hualien, the fastest way is by taking the train at Taipei HSR Station, adjacent to Taipei MRT Station.  If your hotel is near Songshan Train Station, you can also take the train there.

I actually took the train from Songshan Train Station to Hualien and Puyuma express train fare is NTD 426 (PHP 704/USD 14/SGD 19.43/MYR 60.24).  To get to Songshan Train Station, you can take the MRT or take a cab, but make sure you tell the driver it’s Songshan Train Station (not Songshan Airport).  I wasted money and worse, I missed my train because the driver drove me to Songshan Airport.  I had to take another taxi to the train station (I only realized it’s an airport when I entered the building and the cab left already), there’s a taxi lane but the drivers there didn’t understand me, I showed my train ticket and  thankfully one of them understood.  All of them were really kind and helpful, I just had a hard time because of the language barrier.

TIP: If you miss the train (please don’t), you can talk to the staff at the ticket booth.  Explain your situation. In my case, I missed the Puyuma express train by 2 minutes, so they allowed me to board the next train.  They wrote something on my ticket to override it and I just showed it to the inspector.  But because I missed the Puyuma express train with reserved seat, I had to board the regular train and seat is not reserved (which was fine with me rather than buying a new train ticket).  Having reserved seat will guarantee that you will have your own seat until you reach your destination, otherwise, you just wait if there are available seats. But once the passenger with reserved seat arrives and you happen to be sitting on their paid seat, you have to give it up.  You can stand or sit on the floor of the train. Non-reserved seat train tickets are cheaper.  Luckily, there weren’t a lot of passengers that time, so I was able to sit.

GETTING AROUND HUALIEN

BY BIKE

If you plan to explore Hualien City center, you can rent the yellow bikes (like those found in Taipei) sprinkled around Hualien City.  Basically, you need to download the OBike app and input your credit card info for the refundable deposit.  Then once you’re done touring around, you can just leave the bike (make sure it is locked) near your hotel or wherever it is convenient for you.

BY BUS

If you have the luxury of time, you can go to the Hualien Bus Station and purchase a 1 Day Taroko Gorge Bus Pass for NTD 250 (PHP 417/ USD 8.26/ SGD 11.20 35.36/ MYR 35.36) or 2 Day Taroko Gorge Bus Pass for NTD 400 (PHP 668 / USD 13.21/ SGD 18/MYR 57).  However, take note that buses here have schedule, so you need to wait for the next bus to arrive which could take about an hour for every stop.

BY TOUR PACKAGE

                CHECK HUALIEN TOUR PACKAGES RATES HERE

BY CAR RENTAL

If you are in a group and you want to create your own itinerary, you can rent a car to tour Taroko Gorge, the East Coast or East Rift Valley depending on what you’ve booked.  RENT A CAR HERE. You will tailor your own route but an experienced driver will can still recommend an itinerary for you. You will be picked up at your hotel lobby by your driver in your choice of sedan, SUV, or minivan based on your party size.

HUALIEN TOP ATTRACTIONS

There are a couple of attractions in Hualien City like temples, night markets, galleries and public beaches.  Most of these Hualien City attractions are free and a cheap way to explore them is by bike.  You can rent a bike from bike rental shops dappled around the city or near the Hualien Train Station.  Or better yet download the OBike App to rent one of those yellow bikes scattered around Hualien City (see travel tip below).  But Hualien’s most beautiful attractions are found outside the city center, just like the famous Taroko Gorge National Park.  I will be writing a more detailed Taroko Gorge Travel Guide soon.  For the meantime, here’s a list of the top attractions in Hualien and how to get there.

ATTRACTIONS OUTSIDE HUALIEN CITY CENTER

1. TAROKO GORGE NATIONAL PARK

Hualien is synonymous to Taroko Gorge, this national park is the claim to fame of the city.  The massive park is dappled with soaring limestone hills, steep canyons interrupted by scenic rivers and forest with thriving wildlife.

While it is possible to do a day trip to Taroko Gorge from Taipei, it can be daunting to squeeze in all the attractions in a day.  Best to stay overnight in Hualien or better tour here for 2-3 days to better appreciate its natural beauty.  But if you are really pressed for time, you can do Taroko Gorge tour in 1 day, just pick the destinations that you want to visit, avoid trails that will require long walk.  I’ll write a more detailed guide soon about this.

Must-see Attractions in Taroko Gorge

Because I only had 1 day to tour Taroko Gorge, I ended up visiting 3 attractions since I had to wait for the bus to arrive, which usually has 1 hour interval.  I’ll post the full schedule in another post soon.   Here are some of the must-see places inside Taroko Gorge National Park.

• Shakadang Trail

• Swallow Grotto (Yanzikou)

• Changchun Shrine

HOW TO GET TO TAROKO GORGE FROM HUALIEN

Option 1:  If you just plan to do a day tour or you have limited time yet you want to cover Taroko Gorge’s most beautiful attractions, I recommend joining a Taroko Gorge Private Tour. BOOK TOUR HERE

Option 2: To get to Taroko Gorge, you can go to the Hualien Bus Station and purchase a 1 Day Taroko Gorge Bus Pass for NTD 250 (PHP 417/ USD 8.26/ SGD 11.20 35.36/ MYR) or 2 Day Taroko Gorge Bus Pass for NTD 400 (PHP 668 / USD 13.21/ SGD 18/MYR 57). However, take note that buses here have schedule, so you need to wait for the next bus to arrive which could take about an hour for every stop.

Option 3: Via car rental.  RENT CAR HERE 

2. QUINGSHIU CLIFF

Quingshiu Cliff is known for its scenic view deck, where tourists can get a glimpse of the verdant cliff plunging into the ocean.  The colors of the water – different shades of blue from azure, turquoise to pastel blue, is quite tempting.  However, swimming is not allowed here due to the mad waves and sudden drop.

How to get to Quingshiu Cliff:

To commute to Quingshiu Cliff from Hualien City, you have 3 options:

Option 1: Ride the train to Chongde station and then walk to Qingshui Cliff for about 10-20 minutes depending on your pace.

Option 2:  Take the Hualien Bus en route to Chongde and alight at Chongde stop. From there,  you can reach Quingshiu Cliff  by foot.

Option 3: If you have the Taroko Route 1 or 2 Day Bus Pass, you can alight at the Taroko Visitor Center, the 3^rd stop from Hualien City and walk towards the entrance of Taroko Gorge where you can head north towards Quingshiu Cliff, which is quite a long walk.

Option 4: Via Tour Package.  BOOK A TAROKO GORGE TOUR HERE.

3. QIXINGTAN BEACH

Qixingtan Beach, also Chisingtan Beach, is situated in Xincheng Township facing the Pacific Ocean. This popular shingle beach, dappled with pebbles and massive rocks is part of the Taroko Route.   I reckon the beach is not safe for swimming as it faces the Pacific Ocean and I saw the waves were quite strong during my trip here.  Nonetheless, Qixingtan Beach is a good spot for hanging out while eating Taiwan local street food and home-made drinks sold by vendors along the coast.  The beach is situated in front of the Hualien Air Force Base so you might catch a sight of an F-16 fighter jet flying above the sea.

Interestingly, there is a star watching square here since Qixingtan Beach is a good spot for star-gazing because of less pollution.

While you are at it, look for the Chihsing Tan Katsuo Museum near Qixingtan Beach. I didn’t visit it since I was in a hurry so not exactly sure how to get there. The museum showcases the dried fish production techniques as well as the culture of East Coast of Taiwan.

HOW TO GET TO QIXINGTAN BEACH/CHISINGTAN BEACH

To go to Qixingtan Beach/ Chisingtan Beach from Hualien, you can ride Bus 105 and alight at Qixingtan Beach.  But since Qixingtan Beach is part of the Taroko Route, if you have the 1 Day Bus pass, you can ride that orange Taroko Route Bus and alight at Qixingtan Bus Stop, which is actually the first stop.

 4. HUALIEN WHALE WATCHING

Did you know that Taiwan’s coast is a good spot for whale watching? Hualien, which is lying along the east coast of Taiwan, is believed to be a haven of roughly 29 species of cetaceans (whales and dolphins)! Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to join a tour package here, you can BOOK A HUALIEN WHALE WATCHING TOUR HERE. Some of the species that you might spot are spinner dolphins, you might spot Chinese white dolphins and bottle nose dolphins.  If you are luckily enough to visit during the right season, you might catch a glimpse of killer whales, sperm whales and humpback whales.

5. EAST COAST NATIONAL SCENIC AREA

photo by Klook

Take in some of the Taiwan’s most beautiful tourist attractions located on the East Coast when you BOOK THE EAST COAST TOUR HERE. Starting at Fanshuliao Valley, you’ll be blown away by the dramatic landscape of a hundred-meter gorge cutting through the mountains. Also pay a quick visit to Taroko Gorge’s iconic bridge and catch a glimpse of the fishing village at Shihti Harbor. End the day by relaxing at Baqi Gazebo and Niushan Huting and soak up the view of the Pacific coastline.

6.  EAST RIFT VALLEY NATIONAL SCENIC AREA

Another scenic destination in Hualien is the East Rift Valley. The most convenient way to explore this area is by tour package. You can CHECK RATES OF HUALIEN EAST RIFT VALLEY TOUR HERE.  This Hulien tour includes a visit to the Butterfly Valley, the Hualien Sugar Factory, the Ruisui Pasture and the Lintian Mountain Forestry Center, a former logging town set in a verdant mountain.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS IN HUALIEN CITY

NIGHT MARKETS

STONE SCULPTURE MUSEUM

A museum that displays a mix of traditional and modern sculptures in an open-air park.

Address: No. 6, Wenfu Road, Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan

Open Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Entrance Fee: NTD 100 (PHP 167/USD 3.30/SGD 4.48/MYR 14)

THE PINE GARDEN

This age-old building is an erstwhile Naval Administration of the Imperial Japanese Navy office in Hualien City. Because it is standing on a hill, it offers a scenic view of Hualien Harbor and the Pacific Ocean.

Address: No. 65, Songyuan Street, Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan 970

Open Hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Entrance Fee:

Adults – NTD 50 (PHP 83.46/USD 2/SGD 2.24/MYR 7)

Taiwanese Senior Citizens, Students with valid ID, Volunteer with honor card – NTD 25 (PHP 42/USD 0.83/SGD 1.12/MYR 3.54)

Hualien Citizens, Children under 6 y.o, PWD and Government certified tour guides – FREE

HUALIEN BEST BUDGET HOTEL

Cave Hostel

No.248, Zhonghua Rd, Hualien City, Hualien, Taiwan

CHECK ROOM RATES HERE

One of my favorite hostels in Taiwan.  Perfect for backpackers and budget travelers.  The hostel is newly renovated. As you might have surmised, their design is cave-inspired, but the atmosphere is far from it, because it’s clean, serene and spacious. It’s like everything is spotless here, for a moment I thought I was in Japan!

Disclosure: My trip to Hualien was made possible by Cave Hostel.

ALSO READ: TAIWAN BEST BUDGET HOTELS

HUALIEN ITINERARY + BUDGET

If you only have a few days to spend in Taiwan and you want to visit Hualien, you can actually explore the city plus Taroko Gorge for 2 days 1 night.  Here’s my sample budget itinerary for Hualien, Taiwan to guide you in your trip planning.

Sample Hualien Itinerary 2 days 1 night

Sample Hualien Itinerary 3 days 2 nights

If you are not in a hurry or if you have 3 days 2 nights to spend in Hualien, here’s a sample itinerary that will cover some of Hualien and East Coast Taiwan’s most beautiful attractions.

HUALIEN BUDGET

To give you an idea of the prices in Hualien, Taiwan, here’s a list of possible expenses.

HUALIEN TRAVEL TIPS

*If you happen to travel to Hualien around December to February, don’t miss the East Rift Valley Sea of Flowers.  This is dubbed as Taiwan’s largest flower festival stretching over 7,000 hectares!

*Meanwhile, the Daylily Festival happens around August to September, when lilies bloom at the Sixty Stone Mountain in Fuli and Chihkeshan in Yuli.

* Falling rocks and landslides occur frequently in Taroko Gorge National Park after earthquakes or heavy rains. Wear hard hat to protect your head and take necessary safety measures.

ALSO READ:

TAIPEI TRAVEL GUIDE (Budget + Itinerary)

HUALIEN TOP THINGS TO DO BLOG

About the Blogger : Gael is a Filipina travel blogger. Her work has appeared in local and international publications.

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