Hualien is located in eastern Taiwan, which is long and narrow. Its back is close to the Central Mountain Range, but it faces the Pacific Ocean. As it is crisscrossed by waterways, the scenery is beautiful, the climate is warm and the four seasons are very similar(average temperature 23C; ranfall is 1,927 mm per year). Whether for making one's home. setting up a factory, running a farm or having a business, everyone considers Hualien an ideal place.

In fact, Hualien is one of the biggest producers of marble in the world. In 2000, the quarrying operations around Taroko Gorge produced nearly nine million tons of the decorative stone. This has led to Hualien being dubbed "City of Marble" by the local tourist authority, a name, which it lives up to by liberal use of the material. Marble features prominently in most of the large hotels and public buildings in the city, and even sections of sidewalk are paved with slabs of it. To show local gratitude for the naturally occurring abundance of the valuable stone, Hualien even has a temple built almost exclusively of marble: the opulent Temple of Eastern Purity, just off Kungyuan Road.

The road that enters the city from the north is lined with dozens of marble shops selling everything from truck-sized slabs of the rock down to the ubiquitous (and more portable) polished marble eggs. The center of town has equally as many stores selling all manner of marble artifacts, although probably the most comprehensive selection can be found at the Ret-Ser Engineering Agency(RSEA) factory outlet on Huashi Road near the airport.

Hualien also has an night market, notably at the intersection of Kungcheng and Chungshan roads, and on Nanping Beach. The former is an ideal place to eat, having many stalls selling the area's famous seafood dishes and Hualien's specialty, a sweet, sticky, chewy substance made from white rice called mashu.

Visitors who fancy a swim from Hualien's seafront park will be disappointed--the pebble beach shelves sharply and is too dangerous for bathing. Instead, a popular local pastime seems to be collecting interesting rocks there. Swimming is possible at a small beach just outside of Hualien, reached by traveling south on Haian Road.

The other favorite relaxation spot for Hualien residents is Liyu (Carp) Lake. About 30 minutes by car outside the city, this reservoir is the area's main spot for boating and fishing. Various types of watercraft are available for rent; and in June, during the Dragon Boat Festival, the lake hosts the area's spectacular Dragon Boat races.