Mountains and sea crowd against each other at Hualien. The city sits on a narrow coastal plain on Taiwan's east coast, with the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Central Mountain Range rising steeply to more than three thousand metres on the other, and the view from the waterfront, with the peaks looming over the town, is one of the most striking in Taiwan.
Hualien is the gateway to Taroko Gorge, a spectacular marble canyon carved by the Liwu River, with sheer walls, tunnels and suspension bridges. The region is famous for marble, quarried in the mountains and used everywhere, and for its indigenous peoples, especially the Amis and the Truku, whose culture, festivals and food are part of daily life. Hualien is also known for mochi, sticky rice cakes filled with sweet bean paste, sold in shops throughout the city, and for its night markets.
The east coast is earthquake country. In April 2024 a strong quake struck near Hualien, damaging buildings in the city and causing rockfalls and landslides in Taroko Gorge that closed roads and trails for a long time. Before riding into the mountains, check which sections of the roads and gorge are open.
For riders, Hualien is a crossroads of great routes. Highway 8, the Central Cross-Island Highway, climbs west through Taroko Gorge into the mountains, with tunnels and narrow ledges along the cliffs. Highway 11 runs south along the coast to Taitung, a wonderful ride with the ocean on one side and green hills on the other, through small villages and past beaches. Highway 9 heads north toward Su'ao along the Suhua Highway, once notorious for its narrow cliff-edge sections, now partly replaced by tunnels. Expect sudden rain, typhoons in summer and early autumn, and heavy truck traffic on the main roads.
Hualien has fuel, scooter and motorcycle shops, and food everywhere, from night markets to restaurants. Note that in Taiwan foreign riders need an international or local licence, and larger motorcycles have special rules on some roads. Qixingtan beach, just north of the city, is a curving pebble bay where you can watch the sunrise over the Pacific before starting the ride.