Top Things to do in Hualien
What to do and see in Hualien, Hualien: The Best Sights & Landmarks
Most people come to Hualien to visit the Taroko Gorge. And with good reason—it's simply beautiful. With rope bridges over rivers, hiking trails with astounding views, and temples cut into the mountainsides, it's an unforgettable place. Feel the full power of the ocean at Shihtiping, a two-hour drive from Hualien, where the waves crash into the rocky shore.
Restaurants in Hualien
1. East Rift Valley National Scenic Area
2. Gangtiangong
3. Sixty Shi Shan - Wang You Ting
4. Shihtiping
5. Shen'an Temple
6. Hayashida Temple
7. Rueisuei Cinglian Temple
8. Bilyu Sacred Tree
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By OrderintheHouse
On day two of our 6 night Wendy Wu private tour of Taiwan that my wife and I organised as part of our 18 day Asian trip, to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary, we travelled from Taroko Gorge to Sun Moon Lake. We departed the Taroko Village Hotel where we stayed overnight, toured the iconic Taroko Gorge and then took Highway 8 – the Central Cross Island Highway on a most exhilarating drive up the mountain range. We stopped at the Hehuan Wuling Summit (altitude 3275 metres) (reviewed separately) for breathtaking mountain views, had lunch at the Lumama Restaurant at the CingJing Farm on the way down from the Summit and finally we reached our destination at the Sun Moon Lake. On the way to the Hehuan Wuling Summit we had a rest stop at the recreation area between Cí en and Bilu at the 128km mark on the Central Cross-Island Highway and still within the Taroko National Park. Here we marvelled at the amazing Bilyu Sacred Tree (also referred to as Bilu Sacred Tree or Bilu Divine Tree). This tree is a Lunta Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata var. konishii); is about 50 metres high with a diameter of 3.5 metres and is 3,200 years old. To think that we were looking face to face at a living organisim that started its growth around 1200 BC/BCE and is still living - now that was for us a truly humbling experience. What stories throughout history this tree could tell, if only it could talk. There is a small seating area which you walk down to from the roadside and it was good to sit here for a while so we could admire this amazing tree in all its splendid glory. There is also an attractive log cabin type timber structure with a shop selling food snacks and coffee; however it was closed on the day we called here. Through the trees there are lovely mountain backdrops and we were high enough in altitude to observe clouds in front of these mountain backdrops. There is more to see here than just the Sacred (Divine) Tree. It is worth having a good look around to appreciate the abundance of several tree species growing here. An information sign lists a number of broadleaf trees growing below the very tall Lunta (Taiwan) Fir and Taiwan Hemlock, namely Kwanzan Cherry, Reddening Maple and the Bird-Lime Tree. The information sign explains that the Bird-Lime Tree is the most precious and unique because it is a survivor of the Ice Age, only growing now in Taiwan, Japan and Korea. An interesting phenomenon, also explained on another information sign is the presence of the white lichen on many of the trees in the vicinity. We were so pleased our driver/guide chose to stop at this rest area on our way to Hehuan Wuling. While we were here we felt especially privileged to be able to gaze in awe at such a magnificent living organism as the Bilu Sacred Tree, even for just a brief moment.
9. Chihkeshan
10. Qingshui Cliff
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 872 reviews
Reviewed By OrderintheHouse
My wife and I enjoyed a 6 night Wendy Wu private tour of Taiwan in January 2020 as part of an 18 day Asian trip to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. Our tour took in Taipei, Taroko Gorge, Sun Moon Lake, Tainan and Kaohsiung. After an overnight in Taipei, we commenced day one of our tour travelling to the famed Taroko Gorge. We travelled via the world’s fifth longest highway tunnel (12.9km) and the Su-hua Highway, Taiwan’s breathtaking east coast cliff highway which stretches from Su'ao Township to Hualien City. Without a doubt the Su-hua Highway is one of the most scenic drives in Asia literally hugging the cliffs of Taiwan’s east coast. Extreme care needs to be taken when driving this highway. We were very grateful to our tour driver/guide who negotiated the road with great skill, care and patience. On the Su-hua Highway between Heren and Chongde we stopped at a parking area beside the Chongde Tunnel which led to an observation platform and here we were able to marvel at the absolute beauty of the Qingshui Cliff (aka Chinshui Cliff). A magnificent scene is created from this observation deck and a wonderful panorama can be enjoyed with the Cliff on our left and a 21 kilometre stretch of beach as our eyes move slowly to our right. The Cliff rises vertically from the Pacific Ocean, with an average height of over 800 metres with the tallest peak, Qingshui Mountain rising 2408 metres from the ocean floor. The observation deck to witness the Qingshui Cliff is a very worthwhile fifteen minute stop on the drive from Taipei to Taroko Gorge. Not only were we able to “stretch our legs”, we also had the opportunity to admire one of the truly great spectacular seascapes. We were able to appreciate first hand why the site of the Qingshui Cliff was designated in 1953 by the Taiwan government as one of the island's "Eight Wonders." .
