Comparison · Taiwan
Hualien vs Taichung: Which Should You Choose?
Gorges and sea cliffs in Hualien, or wetlands, night markets and a lake day trip in Taichung? We compare access from Taoyuan, weather, budget and sights.
Published
Flights to Taoyuan Airport (TPE)
The short answer
Hualien is Taiwan's largest county, on the east coast between the Central Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean. The trip is about nature: the marble canyons of Taroko National Park, Qingshui Cliff, where near-vertical cliffs drop into the Pacific for over 20 km, Qixingtan Beach and Liyu Lake.
Taichung is central Taiwan's big city, with milder weather and an easygoing mix of night markets, cafes and bubble tea. See sunset over Gaomei Wetlands, the mural-covered Rainbow Village and the curved architecture of the National Taichung Theater, and take a day trip to Sun Moon Lake.
Who each suits: Hualien, if you don't mind changing trains to reach gorges, sea cliffs and beaches, and can shift plans around weather and closures. Taichung, if you want to arrive by high-speed rail and mix night markets and bubble tea with wetland and lake scenery.
Getting there: both start at Taoyuan Airport (TPE)
Both cities are reached from Taoyuan International Airport (TPE). For Hualien, take the Airport MRT express to Taipei Main Station (about 35-40 min, about 160 TWD), then change to a Taiwan Railway (TRA) train to Hualien in the same station. The train takes about 2-3 hours depending on the type; check official information for fares and timetables.
Reserved seats on the Taipei-Hualien route sell out quickly on weekends and holidays. Bookings open 28 days before departure on the official TRA website and app, so book as soon as your plans are set. Outside Hualien Station, buses and taxis take you into town, and Tourist Shuttle 310 toward Taroko leaves from the bus station in front.
For Taichung, take the Airport MRT to HSR Taoyuan station, then the high-speed rail to HSR Taichung station. The HSR ride is about 30-50 min, about 1.5-2 hours from the airport in total. HSR Taichung station is outside the center, so continue by the MRT Green Line, a regular train from neighboring Xinwuri station, or bus, about 15-30 min. If you land at Taichung International Airport, Tourist Shuttle 555 reaches the city in about 30 minutes.
- Hualien: Airport MRT express about 35-40 min (about 160 TWD) + TRA train about 2-3 hours (check official fares)
- Hualien train booking: official TRA website and app, from 28 days before departure
- Taichung: Airport MRT plus HSR reserved seat about NT$550-650, about 1.5-2 hours from the airport
- HSR Taichung station → Taichung center: about 15-30 min, about NT$20-50
- Taichung International Airport → city: Tourist Shuttle 555, about 30 minutes, TWD 90 adults
How many days, budget and getting around
Both guides suggest 3 to 4 days. Daily budgets per person depend on where you sleep and how you move, as listed below. According to Taiwan's Tourism Administration survey (2025), international visitors spent an average of US$185.14 per person per day in Taiwan (national average for all of Taiwan, excluding international airfare). Actual costs vary widely with your itinerary and accommodation.
In Hualien you get around by tourist bus, taxi or private car, and bike. Taiwan Tourist Shuttle 310 runs from Hualien Bus Station (in front of Hualien Station) via Qixingtan and Xincheng Old Street to the Taroko Visitor Center. Shuttle 303 heads toward Liyu Lake, and a taxi or private car is handy for covering the coast and gorge in a day where buses are infrequent. A bike path of about 21 km also runs from the city past the harbor to Qixingtan.
In Taichung, buses are the main way around town, and the MRT is a single Green Line from HSR Taichung station to the northern districts. A transit card (EasyCard or iPASS) covers buses, the MRT, trains and YouBike. For the wetlands and out-of-town sights, taxis or ride-hailing apps are easiest.
- Hualien per day: about 1,500-2,000 TWD (guesthouse, night market, tourist buses) / about 3,500-5,000 TWD (city hotel, restaurant meals, some taxis) / about 8,000 TWD+ (resort-style stay, private car)
- Taichung per day: about NT$1,300-1,800 (guesthouse, night markets, buses) / about NT$3,000-4,000 (city hotel, restaurant meals, some taxis) / about NT$7,000+ (upscale hotel, car with driver)
- Hualien Tourist Shuttle 310: about 154 TWD one way, about 250 TWD for a one-day pass
- Taichung MRT Green Line: no eating or drinking in stations or on trains
Weather month by month
The Hualien guide recommends late autumn to spring, when the weather is usually more stable. In Hualien, summer to autumn is typhoon season, when heavy rain, landslides and rockfall can close roads and trails at short notice. The Taichung guide names October-April as the best time. In Taichung, May-September is hot with frequent afternoon showers, and typhoons are possible from summer into autumn.
The normals below come from the Central Weather Administration (CWA), Taiwan, at Hualien station and Taichung station, 1991–2020. In January the average high is 21°C in Hualien and 22°C in Taichung, about the same, while the average low is 16°C in Hualien and 13°C in Taichung, so Hualien's nights are milder. In July it is a high of 32°C and a low of 26°C in Hualien, and 33°C and 26°C in Taichung.
The biggest difference is rain in October-November. In Hualien, October is the wettest month of the year (351 mm). Taichung gets 25 mm in October. In Taichung, November is the driest month of the year (24 mm). Hualien gets 175 mm in November and 58-84 mm a month from December to April.
- January: Hualien high 21°C, low 16°C, rain 58 mm / Taichung high 22°C, low 13°C, rain 37 mm
- April: Hualien high 26°C, low 20°C, rain 77 mm / Taichung high 28°C, low 20°C, rain 127 mm
- July: Hualien high 32°C, low 26°C, rain 199 mm / Taichung high 33°C, low 26°C, rain 303 mm
- October: Hualien high 28°C, low 22°C, rain 351 mm / Taichung high 30°C, low 22°C, rain 25 mm
- November: Hualien high 26°C, low 20°C, rain 175 mm / Taichung high 28°C, low 19°C, rain 24 mm
- December: Hualien high 23°C, low 17°C, rain 84 mm / Taichung high 24°C, low 15°C, rain 31 mm
What you do: gorges and sea cliffs vs wetlands and night markets
Hualien's Taroko National Park is famous for its marble gorge, but it was badly damaged by the April 3, 2024 earthquake and later typhoons. The visitor center, Taroko Terrace and some recreation areas and trails reopened in stages in 2025-2026; check the national park's official information before visiting to see which sections are closed. At Qingshui Cliff, near-vertical cliffs run for over 20 km above the sea, and access to viewpoints can change too. At Qixingtan Beach the waves can be strong, so stay out of the water, and the loop path of about 4 km around Liyu Lake takes about an hour on foot.
Taichung's Gaomei Wetlands is famous for its sunset over tidal flats lined with wind turbines; access depends on the tide, so follow on-site guidance. Rainbow Village takes 30 minutes to an hour, and the National Taichung Theater in Xitun is known for its curved architecture. Sun Moon Lake is about two hours by bus, so allow a full day for a boat ride or lakeside cycling. With kids, the National Museum of Natural Science takes half a day (closed on Mondays, except public holidays).
Evenings and food differ too. Hualien has Dongdamen Night Market with its indigenous food street, bianshi (Hualien-style wontons in a clear broth) and mochi, a popular souvenir. Taichung has Fengjia Night Market, a testing ground for new street snacks, bubble tea at about NT$50-90 a cup, and sun cakes, its classic souvenir pastry.
How to choose, and combining the two
Pick Hualien if nature such as gorges and sea cliffs is the point of the trip and you can adjust plans to closures and weather. Pick Taichung if you want city pleasures like night markets and cafes plus a wetland or lake day trip. If you travel in October or November, look at the rain figures above first.
Both guides suggest 3 to 4 days per city, so give yourself plenty of time if you combine them. Check official transport information before you go for how to travel between Hualien and Taichung, travel times and fares. Hualien has frequent earthquakes: if you feel shaking, protect your head, and on mountain roads or trails move away to a safe spot.
Entry requirements and procedures can change, so check official Taiwan government information before you travel. Once you have picked a city, the posts below cover the airport journey, a one-day route and comparisons with other cities.
Plan your Hualien trip
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Plan your Taichung trip
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FAQ
Which is better for a first trip to Taiwan?
Taichung suits you if you want to arrive by high-speed rail, about 1.5-2 hours from the airport, and easily combine night markets, bubble tea and wetlands. Hualien suits a nature-focused trip to gorges and sea cliffs, but you change trains at Taipei Main Station and need to check which Taroko sections are closed.
Which is better in October or November?
By the 1991–2020 normals, October rain is 351 mm in Hualien and 25 mm in Taichung, and November rain is 175 mm in Hualien and 24 mm in Taichung. If you choose Hualien, pack an umbrella and leave slack in your plans for road and trail closures.
Can I visit Taroko National Park now?
It was badly damaged by the April 3, 2024 earthquake and later typhoons, and the visitor center, Taroko Terrace and some recreation areas and trails reopened in stages in 2025-2026. Open areas can change with weather and repair work, so check the national park's official website the day before and the morning of your visit.
Can I visit Hualien and Taichung on one trip?
Both guides suggest 3 to 4 days per city, so plan generously if you combine them. Check official transport information before you go for how to travel between the two cities, travel times and fares.
Related reading
ⓘ Photo credits
- Qixingtan Beach · Artemas Liu / CC BY-SA 2.0
- Taichung Park Lake Pavilion · xiquinhosilva / CC BY 2.0