Hualien — Pacific Coast City
With Taroko Gorge as Its Backdrop

Thin-skinned wontons filled with beef or pork, served in a clear broth. Liu's Wonton is the legendary spot that every visitor should try at least once.

Long-simmered beef broth, thick noodles, and tender braised beef. Richer and deeper in flavour than most Taipei versions.

Chewy glutinous rice cakes filled with red bean paste, sesame, or peanut. Tseng Chi Mochi is the most famous brand — the top souvenir from Hualien.

Hualien's largest night market, split into 4 themed plazas including aboriginal food, seafood, and local snacks. The cultural heart of the city after dark.

Lychees grown in Hualien's mountains have an exceptionally sweet, rounded flavour. Only available May–June — completely different from supermarket lychee.

Coffee grown in indigenous villages around Hualien, served with local hospitality. Affordable and far more interesting than any chain coffee you'll find in the city.

Sheer white marble cliffs dropping into turquoise water, natural tunnels, and suspension bridges. One of Asia's most dramatic natural landmarks.

Marble shrine perched above a waterfall inside the gorge. One of the most photographed spots in Taiwan — reopened after the 2024 earthquake.

Walk through an open-face marble corridor above the river. Swallows nest in the cliff holes. Fully reopened since October 2024 — the best short walk in the gorge.

Crescent of dark pebbles with sheer mountains as a backdrop and the Pacific stretching ahead. Sunrise here is spectacular and the beach is rarely crowded.

Four-plaza night market — Hualien's largest and most culturally rich. Aboriginal cuisine, street food, and local arts all in one place. Open every night.

A shaded hilltop garden of towering pines built during the Japanese colonial period. Peaceful and historic, with views over Hualien Bay.

Taiwan's largest east-coast freshwater lake, ringed by mountains. Rent a paddle boat, cycle the lakeside path, or just sit and take in the scenery.

A Japanese-era sugar factory turned visitor attraction. Famous for its ice cream made from locally-grown cane sugar — the queues are always worth it.

A relaxed walk along a decommissioned coastal rail line with open Pacific views. Small cafes and eateries line the path.