Rainy days in Hualien

 


Located on the northeast coast of Taiwan, the small city of Hualien sits in a dramatic setting — nestled at the foot of beautiful mountains, while at the same time there is a long coastline. The beaches, however, are not suitable for swimming. The surrounding area is also stunning, with Taroko Gorge as the main attraction. Unfortunately, most of the national park was closed following the 2023 earthquake. It’s possible to drive along the highway between Hehuanshan and Hualien with your own car, but you can't stop to hike, and there’s no public transport. 

Other highlights near Hualien include long beaches and cliffs right on the coast, and I had hoped to visit some of these spots. However, it was raining and cloudy when I arrived, and the weather stayed like that throughout my stay. I extended my visit, hoping for better weather, but it didn’t improve much. On the last two days, the mountains at least became visible in the background of the city. There aren't many attractions within Hualien itself, so I mostly took it easy during my five-day stay. 



My prison-themed hotel. 






Night market in Hualien, with some aboriginal specialities. 














Hualien Cultural And Creative Industries Park. 















Hualien Old Railway Pedestrian Area. 
















Murals and graffities in Hualien. 















A walk along the coast when the rain eased up a bit. 





























































Ziyou Street. 















City Hall. 


Hualien Martyrs' Shrine. 





















Hualien Station. 



The mouth of Taroko Gorge. 




Coastal cliffs. 




Popular posts from this blog

Countries

Image
     The world is yours. Where do you want to go next? Featured: Those countries are featured where posts with useful information are available—such as maps, practical details, guides, instructions, etc.—in addition to the many accompanying photos. 
More »

Avatar Mountains, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park - Day 1: Yuanjiajie & Golden Whip Stream

Image
  Located about 30 kilometers from the city of Zhangjiajie, near the town of Wulingyuan, is China’s oldest national park: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. This is the place that inspired the floating mountains in the movie Avatar, earning it the popular nickname "Avatar Mountains". The park covers a large area, with shuttle buses, cable cars, and even lifts operating inside to connect the main scenic spots. (Shuttle buses are free with the ticket; the rest are at an additional cost.) There are popular cliff-edge paths as well as quieter hiking trails. The national park is divided into 4 main areas, and the entrance ticket is valid for four consecutive days, which is useful if you want to explore each earea to some extent. It's not likely that you can hike every trail in four days unless you’re an extreme walker. The four main areas consist of Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, and Huangshi Village (Huangshizhai), and between them are other locations such as the Gol...
More »

Leshan (very basic) tourist information with map

Image
  Many visitors come for just a few hours on a day trip from Chengdu—but that’s a mistake. You need a full day to properly visit the Leshan Giant Buddha , see it from the river, and explore the nearby Oriental Buddha Park and Wuyou Temple hill. At a leisurely pace, it could easily take two days. You can also do a day trip to Emeishan from Leshan by public bus, but in my opinion, it's better to stay overnight there—perhaps in a monastery below the Golden Summit. So, for Leshan alone, you’ll need at least one night, preferably two. The city itself is quite sprawling, modern, and tidy, but it doesn't offer many attractions. The train station is a bit far from the center, but public transport is a good option to reach both the city center and the Leshan Giant Buddha. Below are the tourist basics. 
More »

Leshan Giant Buddha - Walking tour and boat ride

Image
  Located near Chengdu, Leshan is home to the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. Carved out of a cliff face, the 71 meters tall statue overlooks the junction of the Min and Dadu Rivers. You can walk up to the statue’s head and look down, walk down to its feet and look up, and view it from a boat. The area also offers distant but nice city views. You could do the walk and the boat ride easily in a short day, along with a visit to the Mahao Cliff Tombs and Wuyou Temple, both located between the Giant Buddha and the cruise port. In a longer day's program you can also include a visit to the Oriental Buddha Park, a separate and fairly large attraction (separate ticket required) that is well worth seeing — see the post about the Oriental Buddha Park . 
More »