Taiwan > Hualien

[tangzi]

Hey everyone!

I'll be in Hualien for 2 days in June this year.
Just wondering if anyone has been there before? What's there to do besides visiting Taroko Gorge?

I read that there's surfing, river rafting and such to be done in Hualien. But does anyone know the approximate cost of those sea sports??

Please share anything and everything about Hualien - must try food, places to visit etc etc

[hazefree2002]

Hua Lien is a relatively quiet place compared to Taipei. There is the ocean park there too but I didnt go. I spent 2 nights and 1 day there only. Main purpose was to visit the Taroko Gorge. There is a Visitor Information Building near the railway station where u can find a lot of information. When I was there last week, the staff on duty was a very polite young man who was very willingly to share his experience and information.

For food, their steamed dumpling there is very very very yummy. Their sauce is simply . The steamed dumpling store opens 24hrs. Their fried chicken chunks and squid is also better than Taipei's. They also have a rather famous Ice store. Their deserts there are also not bad. The ladies there will give u recommendations how to match the fillings when they know u are tourists.

[hazefree2002]

Opps... I just realised I went later than u. Haha... Silly me.

Anyway, hope the information is useful for anyone going in the future. More questions, feel free to ask me.

[wheekwheek]

Hi!!

Have been searching like mad for this thread!!

Would like to check, did you all join those local agent package to hualian? My friends are going for F & E in october...so start preparing information..but now having headache on how to plan...
We are thinking of 3 days in hualian & 4 days in taipei..(shopping!!)

Did you all join those tour bus or something to get to the scenic locations?

Please advise.

Thanks!!

[eneri]

Hi!!

Have been searching like mad for this thread!!

Would like to check, did you all join those local agent package to hualian? My friends are going for F & E in october...so start preparing information..but now having headache on how to plan...
We are thinking of 3 days in hualian & 4 days in taipei..(shopping!!)

Did you all join those tour bus or something to get to the scenic locations?

Please advise.

Thanks!!

Hi, you can actually catch a train from Taipei to Hualien. The journey is about 3 hours. Then at Hualien, you can actually engage a 'tour guide' who is a taxi driver to show you around. Alternatively, once you reach Hualien you can join a tour at the train station. But you have to reach Hualien by 10am, so you must catch a very early train from Taipei. The trains are comfortable. The tickets can be booked online 7 days in advance. 3 days in Hualien may be a little too long cos the places of interest there is rather limited, the main one being the Taroko Gorge. Let me know if you want more info cos my 'little guide book' that I have compiled when I visited Taipei/Hualien a few months ago is not with me now. I will not be logging in for the next few days too. Happy planning and Happy Lunar New Year! Cheerz....

[wheekwheek]

Hi eneri,

Thank you so much!!! that's is very useful information!
Only the Taroko gorge worth going? there is no aborgine culture etc ? the ah li shan is another part of Taiwan right? And, before hualian train stop, is there any stop interesting enough to visit?

hmm...in that case we have to rearrange the iternary...since you advised 3 days are pretty long then...