Hualien in brief
Hualien County runs down Taiwan's east coast between the Central Mountain Range and the Pacific, and is Taiwan's largest county by area. Most of its people live in and around Hualien City. It is home to six Indigenous peoples, according to the county's Indigenous Affairs Department: the Amis, Truku, Bunun, Seediq, Sakizaya and Kavalan, and to the largest Indigenous population of any county in Taiwan.
Money
Bring cash. Hotels, larger restaurants and chain stores take cards, but small family shops and many night market stalls don't. The county's own advice for Dongdamen Night Market: some stalls take mobile payment, but bring enough cash. Convenience stores have ATMs.
Earthquakes
Hualien is one of the most earthquake-prone parts of Taiwan. The April 3, 2024 earthquake, magnitude 7.2 on Taiwan's scale, killed 18 people and was Taiwan's strongest since 1999. Most quakes are small, and buildings are built for them, but know what to do:
- Drop, cover, hold on (趴下、掩護、穩住): get down, shelter under a sturdy table, and hold on to its leg. Protect your head and neck.
- In bed, stay there, lie face down and cover your head with a pillow.
- Don't use lifts during or after a quake.
- On a trail or road, move away from cliffs and slopes, and watch for rockfall.
Taiwan sends national emergency alerts (國家級警報) to phones, including earthquake warnings. They are loud and in Chinese; if your phone goes off with one, follow the steps above.
Visitor centers
- Hualien Station: out of the east exit, turn right, about 20 m. 09:00 to 18:00. Phone 03-836-0634.
- Qixingtan: 10:00 to 17:00, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- Taroko Visitor Center: 08:30 to 17:00, closed the second Monday of each month. → Taroko
The county's tourism site, hualien.travel, has events, attractions and news.
Typhoons and closures
From July to October, check the weather before every travel day. Typhoons cancel trains and close the mountain and coast roads. → Best time to visit
Traveling with children? Camps.Asia keeps a list of verified kids' camps across Taiwan, handy if you're planning a longer family stay on the island.
Sources: Hualien County Indigenous Affairs Department; Ministry of the Interior; Taipei Times on the 2024 earthquake; Central Weather Administration, earthquake safety; Hualien Tourism, visitor services; Taroko National Park. Checked October 2026.