There was still much to see during our two-night stay in Hualien County– although we had covered several places the day before, we had barely started to scratch the surface of what this eastern region of Taiwan had to offer. Hence, we were happy to have another full day ahead of us to explore more of the natural wonder of this part of the country, of which we took full advantage.
Outside of Taipei, the city (as well as county) of Hualien (花蓮) is a popular tourist destination, offering gorgeous national parks and beaches to hike, sail, and do just about anything outdoorsy for the nature-minded adventurer at heart. My family and I spent two full days covering the entire county (the biggest in Taiwan), exploring and eating as much as we could.
Eight-arch dragon bridge at Sanxiantai, Taiwan
The former capital of Taiwan, the city of Tainan (臺南) is situated in the southwest of the country. Compared with other big cities like Taipei or Taichung, it’s distinctive for being more rural, i.e. lush, vast landscapes that seem to stretch for miles and miles between towns. As a result, the surrounding areas of Tainan tend to be less populous, more spread out with villages and farms, all of which add to the charm of this particular region of Taiwan.
The third-largest city in Taiwan (after Taipei and Kaohsiung), Taichung (臺中) gets its name for being situated in the center of the country, as well as being the entrance to the mountains where visitors can hike, raft, and otherwise explore the deep, beautiful nature of central Taiwan. One of the most famous attractions is the mesmerizing Sun Moon Lake, where my family and I would make a trip over during our one night in Taichung.
Continue reading “Destination: Taichung & Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan”
