花莲县

Why this place

Hualien is the city below Taroko Gorge, one of the most spectacular marble canyons in the world — a river cut through marble cliffs, with a road and trails pinned to the rock face. The coast road south is equally dramatic, running between mountains and the Pacific.

What to see

• Taroko Gorge: the Shakadang and Baiyang trails, and the Eternal Spring Shrine
• The Qingshui Cliff on the Suhua highway — a sheer drop to the Pacific
• The East Rift Valley, with rice fields against mountains, and the hot springs at Ruisui
• The Amis and Truku indigenous villages along the coast

What to eat

• Hualien's 'mochi' — sticky-rice sweets, a local specialty
• The Dongdamen night market, and the region's 'golden' shrimp and wild vegetables

Best time

October–April; typhoon season is July–September

Practical tips

• Taroko can close after earthquakes and heavy rain — check trail and road status before you go