Hualien City -- A bustling but slow-paced city

Hualien Culture & Creative Industries Park

Nostalgic railways;eating,drinking,and chilling

Hualien Railway Culture Area

The Hualien Railway Culture Area was formerly the "Hualien branch office of the Ministry of Railways" during Japanese colonization. After the completion of the lines between Huailen and Taitung in 1943, this was renamed as the "Hualien Harbor Railway office."With complete transportation system around, it was the busiest hood in Hualien City. In 1992, the old railway station was removed and the commercial circle shifted other parts of the city. Hualien Railway Culture Area is home to railway relics as well as Japanese constructions and green garden landscape; definitely worth visiting.

Golden Triangle Image Business District. Old Railway Culture Business District

Right by Zhongzheng road, Old Railway Cultural Business District and is the busiest district of Hualien City. There are some occasional street performances here, a unique lively scene in this quiet and slow city, and if you look carefully, you would be able to discover traces of the old railway tracks.

Hualien Culture & Creative industries Park

Hualien Culture & Creative Industries Park is located at the southern end of this triangle, formerly Hualien Liquor Factory. In recent years, this site has been converted into a space for cultural and artistic performances. Japanese style buildings plus the open grass field give a feeling of relaxation and make it a perfect place for a leisure stroll.

Enjoy the coolness in Pine Garden; have a coffee to complement the ocean breeze

Cafe Jade

Cafe Jade is located on Mingli activities and seminars are hosted here and help to broaden the horizons of Hualien residents. The owner Miss Wang Yu-ping, the former editor of a famous publication company, introduces various sides of Hualien through the publication of a quarterly magazine. The good-quality free quarterly publication has become a useful guidebook to life in Hualien.

Pine Garden

The Pine Garden is one of the few military buildings left from the period of Japanese occupation. Rumor has it that the Japanese Kamikaze strike force were favored with some "imperial liquor" here by the Mikado before they set off for war. Previous mysteries have now been unveiled and this place has become one of the cultural landmarks of Hualien City. Make some time to find a cool spot beneath an umbrella shaped pine tree and enjoy some leisure time while sipping coffee to complement the ocean breez.

Meilun Mountain Sports Park

The Meilunshan (Mt. Meilun) Sports Park is a good place for residents to rest, enjoy the scenery, and exercise in the morning and afternoon. In the park are a firefly ecology exhibition hall, Meilunshan Museum of Natural Science, and other facilities which help visitors learn about th ecology of Meilunshan.

A journey to cleanse the soul

Tzu Chi JIngsi Meditation Center

Tzu Chi JIngsi Meditation Center is tall, magnificent, and is an elegant building of classical beauty. The Center is like a museum of the history of Tzu Chi containing records of the past, present and future of the foundation. Here visitors can learn about Buddhism as well as the truth, goodness and beauty of the Tzu Chi world by the "silent voice."

Zuocang Trail

Zuocang Trail is located in the western suburbs of Hualien City for trekking. Along this route is a rich source of ecological resources and it is possible to spot Japanese tree frogs, Moltrechti's green tree frog, the red-beaked Black Bulbul, and Red-bellied Tree Squirrel. If you are lucky, you may even see Formosan macaque. Observation platforms allow visitors to have a great view of Hualien City as well as the vast Pacific Ocean.

Stone viewing;ocean watching

Stone Art Avenue

The Craft Association took over the old railway hospital abandoned for years and created "Stone Art Avenue", which has become a new attraction of Hualien City.

Nanbin Beibin Parks

The bicycle trails at both Nanbin and Beibin Parks are parts of the Liang-tan bicycle trail. If you head further north you reach whale-watching dock at Hualien Port and Qixing Tan. During the day, you can admire the coastal scenery of Hualien from the seawall in Beibin Park; at night, Nanbin Park becomes a lit-up, mini city that never sleeps.

Stone Sculpture Museum

The Stone Sculpture Museum has a collection of many international statues and sculptures, and has set the foundation for Hualien to become the headquarters for all stone carving artists.

Whale-Watching Dock

The Hualien Whale-Watching Dock,the latest landmark, is 10 minutes drive from Hualien City. The nearby tourist fish market sells fresh seafood to be taken to restaurants to cook, so pick any seafood you want!

Grand View of Scenic Spots

Dongjing Temple

Situated on Huagang Street in Hualien City, Dongjing Temple was built in 1912 by the Japanese. Originally two temples, Dongtai and Jingguang, later merged into one and was renamed as Dongjing Temple. Dongtai Temple was once destroyed in a serious earthquake and was repaired and expanded with marble in 1963 to become magnificent once more.