Surrounded by wall upon wall of dramatic coastal mountains and shimmering white beaches, Hualien emerges into the swells of the Pacific Ocean in a medley of leafy parks and scooter-peppered roadways. It’s the most-visited city on Taiwan’s eastern coast, and thrives as one of the country’s top tourist choices, offering fantastic access to wondrous natural sites along with a beguiling laid-back character that’s difficult not to like.

Most Hualien tourist guides will recommend starting your visit by grabbing a rental bike from one of the vendors near the train station, which makes it easy to zip between the rugged canyons and mist-clad trailheads of the Tarako National Park, the carousels and coasters of the Ocean Park amusement centre, the pebbly shores of picturesque Qixintan Beach, or the scenic gardens that cluster around Qixing Lake. For culture vultures, Hualien boasts a Qing Dynasty temple and an excellent sculpture museum, while foodies will simply love strolling between the roadside holes-in-the-wall in search of Taiwan’s most celebrated wonton dumplings!