Hualien is a small city on the East coast of Taiwan. A scenic coastal train takes about four hours to go from Taipei to Hualien and runs between mountain and ocean. The city has a friendly, small town feel, beaches, mountains, and a unique Night Market with both aboriginal and Chinese cuisine.
Green space in front of the train station. 
The best dumplings I had in Taiwan. 
THEY’RE SO BEAUTIFUL 
I miss them the most. 
Cute city road. 
Cute city alleys. 
Orange buses and blue skies. 
Beibin Beach near town. 
The market has an okay backdrop I think. 
Fruit smoothies yummmmm 
Dongdamen Night Market
The main reason tourists (including myself) go to Hualien is because it is a jumping off point for day trips to Taroko National Park, with the beautiful Taroko Gorge carved by the Liwu River. Every day there is a local orange bus that transports sightseers to, from, and around the large park. It was very cheap and convenient, but not very reliable. I spent the day hiking Baiyang Trail, ending up at a waterfall, hiking half of Lushui Trail (the other half was closed due to a rock slide) and Shakadang Trail, and seeing the serene Changchun Shrine.
Beware. 
Purty 
Also purty blue water 
Views on Baiyang Trail 
Baiyang Trail end. 
Awesome suspension bridges in the mountains. 
The river 
Lushui Trail 
From the bus window. 
Swallows Grotto 
Changchun Shrine 
Pretty 
Selfie because I was walking across a weird rope bridge. 
Shakadang Trail 
Statue of the Taroko aboriginal people.
After a long day of hiking (and waiting for buses), I ended up at the rocky Qixingtan Beach, where I relaxed, bought food truck-food, and filled my sandals with uncomfortable rocks.
Beach food truck. 
Cloudy and serene. 
Artsy rock photo. 
Artsy flower photo. I found it like this. 
Happy MacKenzie.
Also here are some photos of food that I ate in Hualien because it was delicious and everyone should know about it.
Steamed meat buns are a gift. 
Fried dumplings are a gift. 
Taiwanese breakfast was weird but good.
😀