Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park

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Overview

It was sightings of the east that led the Portuguese to call Taiwan Ilha Formosa, meaning 'Beautiful Isle'. Steep ridges of thickly forested mountains rise from the Pacific in wave after wave, often leaving only a narrow strip of oceanside land. Or none at all around the Qingshui Cliffs. Between the region's two main cities, Hualien and Taitung, the East Rift Valley provides an alternative north-south inland connection through a valley of rich agricultural land that's at its most picturesque in the expansive rice paddies around Chishang. Mountains, still being created by the pyrotechnics of plate tectonics, edge both sides of the valley, where geological activity also results in several hot springs.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

National Human Rights Museum

Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park

Green Island's windswept northeast corner was completely out of bounds for much of the 20th century, occupied by a large prison camp. Here, political…

Jing Si Hall

Hualien

Built in 2000, this gigantic temple-cum-performance venue has a simple yet striking, white-and-grey exterior. At its tallest point, the building is…

Luye Plateau

Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park

The area known as the Gaotai is a hill which rises fairly abruptly above Luye, surveying the surrounding green mountain ridges in all directions. For most…

Taimali

Taitung

If you've got your own wheels, Taimali offers a pleasantly low-key alternative to Taitung as a travel base with long beaches, flower-patched mountains,…

Sixty Stone Mountain

Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park

At 952m, Sixty Stone Mountain offers one of the east coast's most mesmerising landscapes. Zigzag up eight kilometres through subtropical foliage to the…

Taroko Gorge

Taroko National Park

This 18km marble-walled gorge is Taroko National Park's crown jewel. It's a must-see attraction whether you're hiking its trails, peering at its…

Liji Badlands

Taitung

In stark contrast to the orchards and lush subtropical forest all around, this small 'geopark' is an area where gulleys and cliff sides of loose,…

Fuyuan Forest Recreational Area

Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park

Fuyuan takes an area of serene natural beauty and tames it just enough to make accessible the abundant birdlife and multitudinous butterflies that flit…

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