Travel Blogger Nguyen Khanh Hoang Anh
Photos: Nguyen Khanh Hoang Anh, Shutterstock
Discover an island where nature, heritage, and modern energy create a kaleidoscope of joyful colors.
From Taipei to Hualien, the journey unfolds like a carefully blended palette – majestic landscapes, peaceful towns, and a vibrant urban pulse uniting to create a richly colored adventure.
Nature in its grandest form
Hualien leaves many travelers awestruck by its natural splendor. Towering marble cliffs rise dramatically along the jade-green Liwu River in Taroko National Park, softening the heart of anyone who loves the outdoors.
Taroko is one of Hualien’s most iconic landmarks. This marble gorge, shaped by the Liwu River over millions of years of erosion, invites visitors to explore the Swallow Grotto, listen to circling swifts, and wander along trails cut into sheer rock faces beside rushing streams. Eternal Spring Shrine clings to the mountainside, its cascade forming a living painting.
Beyond the mountains, Hualien’s coastline is equally captivating. Qixingtan Beach, facing the Pacific Ocean, is strikingly beautiful with thousands of smooth, multicolored pebbles – perfect for stacking high against the backdrop of deep blue waves.
Nature’s surprises continue. Flower fields sway in the breeze. The Qingshui Cliffs stretch over 21 kilometers and reach 800 meters high. From scenic viewpoints, visitors can watch waves crash against the cliffs under an endless blue sky.
Touching the soul of East Asia
Nestled between Hualien and Taipei, Yilan welcomes travelers with a cultural experience that feels both unique and familiar.
At the National Center for Traditional Arts, visitors can don traditional attire and step back in time, wandering beside gentle streams under soft lantern light, past gray walls that quietly recount stories of old through simple brushstrokes.
The local culture is also vividly expressed through folk theater performances, featuring dynamic dances and resonant melodies performed by passionate, experienced artists. Immersed in this proud cultural flow, visitors can experience authentic connections and briefly feel part of the local community.
Taipei, by contrast, radiates a different energy – dynamic, open, and inspiring. At its heart rises Taipei 101, a 101-story landmark surrounded by a bustling commercial district. The tower’s bamboo-inspired design symbolizes resilience, prosperity, and longevity in East Asian culture.
Not far from the city center, Jiufen Old Street emerges like a traditional painting framed by mountains and sea mist. Famous for its narrow lanes, fragrant eateries, and timeworn stairways, Jiufen glows beneath rows of warm red lanterns. In this atmosphere stands A-Mei Tea House, poetic and timeless with its aged tiled roof, wooden windows, and gently swaying lanterns.
Gentle shades of everyday life
The cuisine of Taipei and Hualien is diverse and endlessly delightful. From savory sausages and rich Chinese lap cheong to xiao long bao, fragrant pineapple cakes, steaming beef noodle soup, and rice topped with braised pork and soy-marinated eggs, each dish invites a deeper appreciation of local flavors.
Taipei is often called the birthplace of bubble tea, and the drink is everywhere, with hundreds of brands offering endless variations. Simple happiness may be found in holding a cool cup of milk tea while strolling beneath city lights and exploring vibrant night markets where inviting aromas drift through the air.
Even amid daily concerns, poetic moments are easy to find: pedestrians strolling beneath leafy trees, roadside cabinets painted with floral motifs, vendors quietly preparing food in small kitchens. All it takes is to slow down, breathe deeply, and observe – peace arrives almost unnoticed.
The colors of nature, culture, architecture, cuisine, and everyday life create a vivid, diverse, and lively journey. Taipei and Hualien beckon wandering souls with a gentle joy that lingers long after their travels end.
