As you’ve most likely already heard, a massive earthquake struck Hualien on the east coast of Taiwan on April 3, 2024.
The earthquake severely damaged Taroko Gorge, Hualien’s premier attraction. As I write this one week after the disaster, they are still conducting search and rescue, and the gorge will be closed to visitors for an estimated 6 months to 1 year.
Unsurprisingly, the news resulted in mass cancellations, as thousands of visitors tried to find alternative destinations in Taiwan to replace Hualien. This has already severely impacted many small businesses in Hualien, who are now asking visitors to still come.
In this article, I’ll introduce over 30 things you can still do in Hualien despite Taroko Gorge being closed, including both Hualien city and across Hualien county.
I’ll be re-visiting Hualien myself in early May, after which I will further update this article with even more pictures and ideas.
Also check out the many Hualien tours offered by Island Life Taiwan and find out where to stay in Hualien in my Hualian travel guide.
Things to Do in Hualien City Center
Hualien city was moderately damaged by the earthquake. A few buildings toppled and are currently being removed. Some hotels have closed temporarily for repairs, while most remain open. The following are places you can visit in the city.
Dongdamen Night Market
Dondamen is one of the coolest night markets in Taiwan. It is the best night market for sampling Taiwanese aboriginal foods – in fact, the Aboriginal Food Street here takes up a quarter of the whole night market.
Dongdamen is also less crowded than most other night markets (especially now with the drop in tourism), making it great for kids. It is also one of the few that features live music.
I’m current preparing a guide to the night market, due to publish in early May after my next visit. Stay tuned!
Aboriginal Cooking or Hunting Class
Visitors rave about the aboriginal cooking and archery classes in Hualien, and this is one of the most personal ways that you can experience Taiwanese indigenous culture.
In the Karenko Cooking Class (book on Klook or on Cookly), you will visit local Hualien markets and a small garden on site, then learn how to cook Amis aboriginal dishes from a local person.
The class only needs a minimum of 2 people to run, with two time choices per day, and there’s a vegetarian option.
For a totally different aboriginal experience, you can learn how to use their traditional weapons in this hunting class, with aboriginal meal included. This one is located in Ji’an township, south of Hualien city center.
Coastal Parks & Cycling
There are some lovely coastal parks right in Hualien city. With kids, head to Taipingyang Park (太平洋公園), where there is a cool pirate-themed playground. You can play on the rocks down by the water, but swimming is not allowed here (or at any beaches or coastal parks around Hualien) due to the strong current.
Also check out Beibin Park (北濱公園) just north of the latter. This one has a cool pebble beach (like a mini version of Qixingtan – see below). For a sunset snack or drink in the park, head to 戶不閉 chill chill here.
There’s no YouBike in Hualien, but you can rent a bike here between the two coastal parks for cycling up and down the coast. I highly recommend cycling to Qixingtan and back!
Cool Temples and Shrines
There are several cool temples and shrines worth seeing in Hualien city. In the city center, Hualien Martyr’s Shrine (花蓮忠烈祠) was a former Shinto shrine (from the Japanese colonial period) converted into shrine for “martyrs” of the Republic of China.
The shrine is overdue for repairs (even before the earthquake), but it can be lovely when lit up around golden hour / sunset.
Tzu Chi, one of the four major Buddhist organizations in Taiwan, is headquartered in Hualien city, where they run a huge Buddhist complex and university.
The best spot to visit is the Tzu Chi Cultural Park (慈濟文化園區), 15 minutes’ walk west of Hualien train station. The highlight is the large gray Meditation Hall, or Jingsi Hall (慈濟花蓮靜思堂), whose roof is shaped like the character for people (人). See a photo of it here.
The organization also has an even more beautiful temple here in Xincheng (pictured above).
In Ji’an township, south of Hualien city center, Ji’an Qingxiu Temple (吉安慶修院) is another temple worth visiting.
This is an original Japanese Shinto shrine which has been beautifully restored. Visit it on the way to Starbucks Container Store, Liyu Lake, or road trips down Highway 9 (see next section for all of those).
Other City Attractions
Hualien Railway Culture Park (花蓮鐵道文化園區) is an old Japanese railway station on a decommissioned line. You can see the original station and some old locomotives on display. It’s very close to Dongdamen Night Market.
You can follow the railway line from the park to Old Railway Pedestrian Street (舊鐵道行人徒步區), a row of cute cafés, shops, bars, and street art along the old railway line. It’s best to visit in the early evening.
If you’re visiting on the weekend, there may be an exhibition or event going on at Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries Park or YouYiTsun Cultural and Creative Park, two creative venues in restored old buildings – otherwise, they aren’t super exciting.
Pine Garden (松園別館) is a group of buildings which served as an administrative office for the Japanese Navy during WWII. The buildings include an air raid shelter, calm pine tree garden, and pine needle ice cream.
It’s not really a must-see, but an easy add-on if you’re visiting Martyr’s Shrine nearby. Entrance is TWD 60, and you can use 30 of that towards your ice cream.
Places to Visit around Hualien City
The following activities and things to do are located just outside the Hualien city center.
Qixingtan Beach
Qixingtan (七星潭) is one of the most picturesque beaches in all of Taiwan. This is a long, pebble beach on the coast just north of Hualien city. When Taroko Gorge is open, most Taroko tours usually include a stop at it.
Like most beaches on the east coast, you can’t swim, but it’s still a gorgeous spot to suntan or enjoy the epic views looking up the coast.
You can also rent bikes here at Qinxingtan for riding the cycling paths up and down the coast. You can even ride to Hualien city and arrange for them to meet you and pick up the bike from you there, but you may need some Mandarin skills to make this happen.
If you like fish flakes (a common ingredient in Taiwanese and Japanese cooking), Chisingtan Katsuo Museum (七星柴魚博物館, official site) is a whole museum dedicated to them. You can learn all about kutsuo/bonito, how the are caught, and how they are processed into flakes.
There are also hands on activities for kids, including touching real starfish, and DIY activities like making takoyaki. Half of your TWD 100 entrance fee can go towards dried fish crisps or other products. It’s on the main road just before the beach.
Hualien tourist shuttle 310 (Hualien station to Taroko Gorge) normally stops at Qinxingtan on the way, but the bus is canceled for now due to Taroko Gorge closing. Take a taxi from Hualien or check GoogleMaps directions for other bus options.
ATV Riding on the Beach
Another popular adventure activity around Hualien city is ATV (quad) riding on the beach. This is the most popular one and includes some “sky tower” selfie spots on the beach.
It is located on Mambo Beach in Xincheng – you can take a taxi from Hualien city or ride the train one stop to Xincheng (the town at the entrance to Taroko Gorge) then walk (40 min) or take a short taxi ride to the meeting point.
Whale and Dolphin Watching Tours
Taiwan is one of the best places in this world for dolphin and whale watching, with 31 out of a total 90 species in the world. The best places to do this are off the coast of Yilan and Hualien.
This is the most popular whale watching tour in Hualien, but if you search around on Klook, there are several others. While it’s most common to see dolphins, you also have the chance to see humpbacks, killer whales, sperm whales, and pygmy killer whales.
The season runs from April to October, with summer being the peak and best time to see them. Tours run multiple times per day and the activity takes around 2.5 hours in total. The harbor is at the northeastern corner of the city.
Liyu (Carp) Lake
Liyu Lake (鯉魚潭) is a small, pretty lake southwest of Hualien city center and Ji’an township.
You can hire a bicycle here to do the easy circuit around the lake. It only takes about 30 minutes to cycle or one hour to walk around the lake. You can also rent small paddleboats for padding on the lake.
It takes about an hour to get here by public transportation – use GoogleMaps for bus or bus + train options from Hualien city center.
In the past, I would also recommend that you visit nearby Emerald Valley (翡翠谷) and Mugumuyu (慕谷慕魚生態廊道) for scenery similar to Shakadang trail in Taroko Gorge. However, these areas were closed due to landslide damage even before the earthquake, so they are even less possible to visit now.
Three Cool Starbucks
There are three very cool Starbucks in Hualien, two south of the city, and one on the coastal highway north to Yilan.
The nearest one to the city center is the iconic Starbucks Contain Store here in Ji’an township. The café is built out of 29 recycled shipping containers stacked at 90-degree angles. Make the trip just for the café, or include it as a stop when driving south to Highway 11 or 9.
Further south in Shoufeng township, Starbucks Promiseland is another unique Starbucks which is associated with Promiseland Resort nearby. It has a fairy-tale design and overlooks a picturesque pond. National Dong Hwa University (國立東華大學) nearby features similarly beautiful scenery.
Yet another cool Starbucks is located here in Xiulin township, on the coastal highway near the border with Yilan county.
However, this highway was severely damaged in the recently earthquake and the damaged spot is currently only open to small cars three times per day (8 to 9 AM, 12 to 1 PM, and 5 to 7 PM) – you’ll need to plan accordingly if you want to drive between the two counties.
Swimming Spots
If you want to go for a swim, here are a few natural or semi-natural swimming spots in Hualien worth seeking out. If you can’t drive, then let Island Life take you on this swimming-focused tour.
A remote swimming spot west of Hualien city center that can only be reached by scooter or small car is this swimming spot on Meilun River (美崙溪). River tracing groups also trace up the river from here. It seems to still be accessible post-earthquake, but I will confirm on my upcoming trip.
Southwest of Hualien city, there’s a swimming spot here on the Baibao River (白鮑溪), which can easily be visited in combination with Liyu Lake or at the start/end of road trips down Highway 9. Further up the small road, there’s another swimming spot on the same river here.
Nearby, up a small road behind Chinan Recreation Area (see hiking section below) and even closer to Liyu Lake, there are similar swimming spots here and here on the Miyanwan River (米亞丸溪). The road up to them is very narrow – a scooter would be best, but a car can fit (barely!) The same road continues up to Rainbow Waterfall (彩虹瀑布) here.
Near Xincheng and the entrance to Taroko Gorge, there’s are a few great swimming spots on Sanzhan River here and here, in a small aboriginal village called Sanzhan (三棧). The water is extremely clear, there are rocks where you can jump in, and the scenery around the village is stunning.
Farglory Ocean Park
At the start of Highway 11 down the coast south of Hualien, Farglory Ocean Park (遠雄海洋公園) is a marine-focused amusement park, with a few rides, marine mammal shows, and aquarium for kids.
A half-hour drive from Hualien city center, families can even consider to stay here at the connected Farglory Resort as their base for visiting Hualien. The resort also offers a sleepover in the aquarium and a glamping experience.
Selfie Spots & Capybaras
There are a few places in Hualien designed specifically for taking selfies. These would also be fun for kids.
In Ji’an township just south of Hualien city, near Ji’an Qingxiu Temple, there’s a popular Japanese-themed village / animal zoo here called Zhang’s Tree Garden (張家の樹園). Like so many other places like it in Taiwan, it’s set up for visitors to take tons of selfies, with kimono rentals, Japanese-style shrines, and animals like capybaras, sika deer, and meerkats.
At the start of coastal Highway 11, just before Farglory Ocean park, there’s another selfie park called Mountain Space (山度空間) here. It features a variety of selfie platforms and reflecting pools with the ocean or coast in the background (see image above).
Five minutes’ drive past Farglory, there’s another Japanese-themed one called Yueywan Children’s Farm (月崖灣親子農場) here. This one has Japanese red torii gates, kimono rentals, capybaras, alpacas, and more selfie spots with ocean background. It’s just past Henan temple.
Here are other places to rent kimonos or qipaos and see capybaras across Taiwan.
Best Hikes that Are Still Open
To the west of Ji’an township, you can walk up to several viewpoints of the city. Marked Maplewood Trail (楓林步道, here) and White Cloud Trail (白雲步道, here) on GoogleMaps, these are actually narrow vehicle roads but with minimal traffic.
For trails in the forest, head to Chinan National Forest Recreation Area (池南國家森林遊樂區, official site). This is a smaller version of the more famous Alishan and Taipingshan – a former logging area where you can still see many relics of the industry, including old logging trains.
There are short and easy trails suitable for families or a longer (60- to 90-minute) forest trail. It’s near Liyu Lake, and the longer trail offers views looking down on the lake (see above image).
Further south in Hualien county, Fuyuan National Forest Recreation Area (富源國家森林遊樂區, official site) is known as Butterfly Valley for its many butterflies. It has a lovely riverside trail to two suspension bridges and a tall waterfall. Budget about two hours return. There’s also a hot spring spa near the start of the trail here.
This would be a small detour if you’re driving down highway 9. It’s an hour and 15 minutes’ drive from Hualien city center.
In Yuli township of southern Hualien county (also on Highway 9), you can even hike a little into Yushan National Park (Yushan is the tallest mountain Taiwan). The trail starts here, just past the impressive Nanan Falls. You can walk the first 4.5 kilometers, called Badongguan Ancient Trail (八通關古道).
The trail features stunning scenery, waterfalls, suspension bridges, and when we did it, lots of macaques. You can hike as far as the Jiaxin Stone House here.
After that, it becomes the Walami Trail, which requires a permit. You’d need a scooter to reach the trailhead or you can try to ride a bike there, but the road to it is uphill.
Highway 9 to Taitung
The parallel highways 9 and 11 from Hualien to Taitung are both open and free to explore post-earthquake.
Highway 9 runs through the scenic East Rift Scenic Valley (花東縱谷). Flanked by mountain ranges on either side, the valley is filled with rice paddies and cute little towns.
One option is to join one of Island Life Taiwan’s tours down this highway or contact them to arrange a private driver and make your own itinerary.
Alternatively, rent a car in Hualien city and do it on your own. There are too many small stops for me to introduce on this route, so I recommend that you read my east coast road trip guide: Highway 9 section for planning your trip.
Yet another option is to ride the train from Hualien to Yuli (玉里, see here), where you can rent a bicycle to cycle through the rice paddies in the area or ride a scooter to Nanan Waterfall, Badongguan Ancient Trail (see hiking section above), and Antong Hot Spring.
You could also ride the train further south to towns in Taitung like Chishang for even better cycling in rice paddies or Luye for exploring the countryside and tea plantations there.
Highway 11 to Taitung
Another option for traveling south in Hualien is the coastal Highway 11. There are fewer “must-see” attractions on this route, but the coastal scenery is spectacular and there are several roadside stops with scenic views and cute artworks.
Once you reach Taitung, Sanxiantai is a must.
There’s no train down this highway, so you’ll either need to join a tour, contact Island Life to arrange a driver, or rent a car and drive yourself. See my guide to renting a car in Taiwan.
It is possible to see both highways in one trip – take Highway 9 down to Yuli, then cross Highway 30 to the coast for the remaining stretch down to Sanxiantai and Dulan surfing village in Taitung. You can even drive as far as Kenting National Park on the southern tip of Taiwan.
See my east coast road trip guide: Highway 11 section for all the info.
Hi Nick, your site is so helpful. Wondering about the dolphin watch and if the cruises would be calm or nausea-inducing. Thanks!
It will depend on the wind and ocean conditions on that day. But usually it’s a little bumpy, so for those who easily feel motion sickness, it might be better to take some motion sickness medication. You can buy some at any pharmacy in taiwan – ask for 暈車藥
Hey Nick thanks for this very up to date article. Do you know if this is currently a good moment for the whale and dolphin watch tours?
I’m not 100% sure. Surely the boat tour companies hope people will come. But unfortunately, because so many people are cancelling their trips to Hualien right now, they may not have the numbers to run the tours. Most of them will only run a tour if they have enough participants. If they don’t get enough, they won’t bother going out. So even if you purchase a tour say on Klook, they may message you 1-2 days before to say the trip is canceled. Another issue I’m not sure about is whether all the recent earthquakes (there have been hundreds in the last month) will scare off the marine wildlife. Someone asked about this in my group, and I don’t know enough about whale and dolphin behavior to know whether the vibrations would make them leave the area or not.