Hualien County is located in the eastern part of Taiwan. It is the largest county in Taiwan. It has a population of about 355,000 people.
Aborigines make up one-fourth of the population (about 90,000). The Hakka people comprise of about 30%. Some of the towns have Japanese names due to the Japanese ruling between 1895 to 1945.
Hualien is considered one of the most beautiful counties in Taiwan. Nearby are scenic and beautiful areas such as Taroko National Park and Yushan National Park.
Places of Interest
Stone Art Street
Stone Art Street is located in the city. Here you can buy locally quarried Fongtian jade and rhodonite pieces. The prices are not very expensive. Every night you can see an aboriginal dance at 8:10 pm.
Hualien Distillery
This is located in the city and is open to the public. A beautiful garden can also be enjoyed here.
The Abode of Still Thoughts
This is a small Buddhist temple. It is designed and built very simply and contains a garden in a Japanese style. It sits at the foot of Mount North Jialiwan.
Yenpin Prefectural Temple
This is the oldest temple in Hualien and was established during the Qing Dynasty (Near Zhongyang Road, sec 4).
Hualien County Stone Sculpture Museum
Located at the Hualien County Cultural Center. The displays are both traditional and contemporary stone sculptures.
Opening hours are 9 am until 5 pm.
Beibin Seashore Park, Nanbin Seashore Park and Meilun Seashore Park
A beautiful area where you can relax and enjoy the palm trees and lovely greenery. It is easy to enjoy the views over the ocean and see the sunrise.
Must See in Hualien
Taroko National Park
One of the MAIN ATTRACTIONS in Hualien is the Taroko National Park. Taroko Gorge is beautiful and is the centre piece of the park.
It is recommended as a MUST SEE for all visitors to Taiwan. Within the area, there are 27 mountains. Great Nanhu Mountain being the tallest.
HOTELS IN HUALIEN
There are many good hotels in Hualien and some may currently be offering discounted room rates. Check Rates
