Taiwan’s east coast is breathtakingly rugged and a major tourist draw, its geography a testament to the powerful tectonic forces that lie underneath.
The island is located where the Philippine Sea Plate meets the vast Eurasian Plate. The result is a tear-drop-shaped island that boasts a towering spine of mountains running down its middle and an eastern coast that often experiences tremors.
Taiwan’s western side is where the majority of the population lives, home to the largest cities, an extensive high-speed train network and much of the industrial heartland.
In contrast, the east coast is much less populated and rural. Winding roads and a much slower train line cling to steep cliffs and have to go through dozens of tunnels.
The city of Hualien itself is the gateway to many popular tourist sights including the famous Tarako Gorge and the dramatic Qingshui Cliffs, a 21-kilometer stretch of sheer cliffs that average more than 800m high.
To the south of Hualien lie many coastal spots that are particularly popular with surfers and cyclists as well as the Huadong Valley, also known as the East Rift Valley, which boasts many beautiful rural villages.
Read more about Taiwan’s picturesque eastern coast.
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