Most first-timers in Taiwan would probably want to explore Taipei and hop off to nearby towns Jiufen and Shifen, but when I heard about Hualien from my blogging idol, Will Fly for Food, I knew I had to go there no matter what it takes. To me, it meant giving up my plans to give myself a birthday treat—a luxurious spa treatment—in the hot spring region, Wulai. But it didn’t matter. When I saw Hualien, I was magnetized.
Being someone whose travel plans always include a lot of partying, I was astonished to find myself loving Hualien so much. It’s a city on the east coast of Taiwan—a sleepy, laid-back city whose nightlife scene constitutes of near-empty bars and pubs playing 80s music. But people come here not to drink, but to kick back and relax—and, ultimately, to commune with nature. And when I say nature, I mean the breathtaking kind.
So if you are keen to do some hiking, go for long walks, and meet people on a chill setting, you need to include Hualien in your Taiwan itinerary. Read the travel guide that follows.
About Hualien
Hualien County—the largest county in Taiwan—is situated in the mountainous eastern coast, showcasing the best of both words, mountain and sea. It is composed of 1 city (Hualien City) and 12 townships. Due to its rugged landscapes, only small parts of the county are inhabited. Unlike Taipei, Hualien is not as modernized, effectively preserving aboriginal cultures. This place was once regarded as the happiest place to live in Taiwan, owing to its laid-back living conditions, clean environment, and work-life balance.
How to Go to Hualien
From Taipei, take a TRA (Taiwan Railways Administration) train to Hualien—you can book your ticket from this website. I highly suggest doing so in advance.
Note that there are several departure points from Taipei; simply choose which one you’re closest to. For example, I was near Songshan District before going to Hualien, so I simply chose the Taipei/Songshan combination from the “From Station” drop-downs. For the “To Station”, I selected Hualien/Hualien. Make sure you indicate your preferred date and time range—in the below example, I wanted to leave before noon, so I limited my search to 0:00 to 12:00.
From there, you can see all available trips. Clicking on the train codes, you can see the exact times the train will pass by your chosen station. Finally, click on the “book” button to finalize your purchase.
Once paid, you will receive a confirmation email with a voucher. That’s not the actual ticket yet. You have to go to the TRA train station or to any convenience store (7 Eleven or Family Mart) at least 30 minutes before departure time to claim your ticket.
Cost: NT$400 - NT$440 (PhP698.94 - PhP768.84) one way (depending on the station from Taipei you choose)
Travel time: about 2.5 hours
How Much Money to Bring
Traveling around Hualien is pretty cheap (cheaper than Taipei, of course), and your expenses would depend on how long you plan to stay there (and whether you want to try the pricier activities like paragliding and motorgliding, read on to find out more). If, let's say, you're traveling with only one person, your Taroko National Park tour would cost you around NT$860/PhP1,500 per head. Taking into account your meals, accommodation (hostel/Airbnb), and extra taxi rides, I would say NT$2,300/PhP4,000 for 2 full days can comfortably take you around Hualien .
Things to Bring
• Hat/cap/bandanna
• Insect repellent (you can thank me later)
• Comfortable sandals or shoes
• Camera/action camera
• Portable Wi-Fi device (promise, it's very useful for navigating around Taiwan. Rent one here.)
Where to Stay in Hualien
After much research, I decided to stay at the Sleeping Boot Hostel—and I made the right decision. The hostel, about 15 minutes by foot from Hualien Station, is a quaint, cozy hostel offering shared accommodations. It’s near a lot of restaurants and bars, and about 20 minutes by foot from Dongdamen Night Market.
I booked a bed in a 6-Bed Mixed Dorm and instantly made new friends. The room is very clean with comfy beds, curtains for privacy, and individual power outlets. There’s a common shower room and a separate toilet room right next to our room. Downstairs, there’s a recreational area, a dining area, and a fully equipped kitchen, complete with complimentary tea and coffee. The hostel is pretty basic but the staff, Allan, was extremely friendly and helpful—he knows where to direct you around town!
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Getting Around
I’m not sure if I’m the right person to talk about this, because all I ever did in Hualien was … walk.
There are taxis available, but due to the language barrier, I almost always couldn’t understand the drivers (and vice versa) so I always end up just walking. Unlike Taipei, there’s no Uber nor metro in Hualien. I went there on a summer month, so imagine how hot it was to explore the city (not to mention that I had to locate my hostel with my big backpack, on foot) but looking around Hualien was shockingly, inexplicably soothing.
Things to Do
Taroko National Park
When in Hualien, you definitely need to go to Taroko National Park. In fact, I went to Hualien just for this.
Taroko National Park is a 92,000-hectare nature park spanning Hualien, Taichung, and Nantou. With its breathtaking mountainous landscapes, exciting hiking trails, spotless rivers, and stunning rock formations, it attracts tourists of all sorts: from hardcore adventure junkies to budding hiking enthusiasts (like myself), to huge groups of elderly people still eager (and able!) to see some nature.
With its sheer size, there are a lot of trails to explore and attractions to see—you can’t do everything in one day, maybe not even two. I highly recommend getting a packaged tour like I did—this would take you around the highlights of this epic park. I got mine from KKday, and since I was pressed for time, I went for the Taroko Private Half-Day Chartered Tour (book here), where you can go around Taroko National Park in the comforts of your own private car (up to 4 persons).
My time in Taiwan was limited, so I had to squeeze in everything in half a day. Given the chance, I would travel more slowly around Hualien. But having experienced this KKday tour, I didn’t even feel rushed or harassed at all. My driver (yes, I was solo, LOL) waited patiently all the time, even offering to take photos of me whenever he can.
I was able to cover the following spots in this half-day tour: Qixingtan Beach, a pebble beach off the actual park; the Taroko Arch Gate; the Shakadang Trail, an easy hike (2 hours) which showcases striking emerald waters and beautiful rock formations; the Eternal Spring Shrine; the Eternal Spring Shrine bell tower, where you can get a breathtaking view and strike the bell as you make a wish; and the Qingshui Cliff, an awe-inspiring finale. This tour was amazing, promise!
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If you wish to join a group tour instead, there’s a full day option—check it out here.
More about Taroko National Park in a future post!
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Dongdamen Night Market
Just when you thought the night market craze ends in Taipei, you see another huge one in Hualien. I literally froze when I came here—there were so many choices! I texted my new Spanish friend to come and join me, and he got option paralysis as well, LOL. Not that I’m complaining—everything looked delicious!
Here you can get everything, from Taiwanese pancakes, sausages, and noodles to grilled seafood, fresh sushi, and sinful-looking ice cream. Make sure you try some tea-based drinks—but if you’re not big on tea, a lot of stalls sell fruit shakes and some even have beer. Aside from food, Dongdamen also has fun game stalls.
Ginsman Bar
What Hualien lacks in terms of jam-packed nightlife venues, it makes up for with high-quality bars—such as Ginsman Bar. As the name suggests, the place specializes in gin and gin concoctions. The bartender, who was very friendly (and who also happens to be part-owner), made me try a special gin infusion made with oolong tea and milk. IT WAS SO GOOD I WANTED TO SMASH THINGS. The bar also serves amazing Taiwanese craft beers.
In the Bucket List: Motorgliding/Paragliding Above Hualien
video credit: KKday
I haven’t personally tried this one, but I could imagine how awesome it would be to view mountainous Hualien from above. Definitely trying this when I go back (KKday offers these activities—check here and here).
Other Activities
If you have more time in Hualien, try several other activities like whale and dolphin watching, river trekking, and river shrimping. KKday also offers these activities, as well tours to different valleys and forests near the county. Hualien also has one theme park: the Farglory Ocean Park. Click here to see a selection of activities around Hualien.
Now What?
• Book your train from Taipei to Hualien here.
• Book your Hualien accomodation here.
• Check a listing of Hualien tours here.
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Related Stuff:
TAIWAN FOOD GUIDE Top picks from Taiwan's vibrant food scene. | WHERE TO STAY IN TAIPEI Check out the posh NK Hostel in Songshan District! |
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Hualien, Taiwan
Have you been to Hualien? What other travel tips can you add? What is your favorite place in Taiwan?
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