[Hualien Port and Meilun Guide in Taiwan]
[Hualien Port and Meilun Guide]
[Hualien Port]
In the early morning, Hualien Port offers a view of mountains and sea shrouded in mist, resembling a fairyland.
The Coastal Mountain Range looks like a giant whale!
In the early morning, Hualien Port offers a view of mountains and sea shrouded in mist, resembling a fairyland.
In the early morning, Hualien Port offers a view of mountains and sea shrouded in mist, resembling a fairyland.
[Hualien Port and Meilun]
[History and Imagery of Hualien Port]
[Pacific Coastline Rail and Port Line Rail of Hualien Port]
If you travel from the north to the Huadong Coast along the Suhua Highway and reach Xincheng, you can choose not to enter the traditional urban area. If you follow Provincial Highway 9 past the County Government Road and Meilun, you can quickly reach the East Coast via Provincial Highway 11 or reach the Rift Valley through Shoufeng, Hualien.
Besides Meilun Mountain, Meilun in Hualien is also close to Hualien Port!
Keelung Port, Suao Port, and Hualien Port are all important hubs for the strategic location of sea transportation in the north and east.
[History of Hualien Port]
Hualien Port is a homophone for “Huailan Port.” In the 17th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1812 AD), Han people began migrating from Yilan. Seeing the streams on the coast rushing day and night and colliding with the waves to form a swirling state, they named it “Huailan Port.”
The name “Huailan Port” became “Hualien Port” in the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1874 AD) when Shen Baozhen requested to open the Back Mountain Road and set up a reclamation commissioner. He divided eastern Taiwan into three routes with General Wu Guangliang managing them. The south was Beinan, the middle was Pushege, and the north was Hualien Port. He also mentioned that Mugua was the most fierce and was managed by the Xuanwu left and right armies, which were divided into Dong’ao, Dananao, Dazhuoshui, Deqili, Xincheng, Jialiwan, Hualien Port, and Wuquancheng for unexpected needs.
The name Hualien Port originated from General Wu Guangliang.
During the Japanese occupation, the road between Suao Town and Hualien Port was completed in 1931 (now Suhua Highway), making land transportation between Hualien Port and northern Taiwan smooth, although cargo transportation was still inconvenient.
The Taiwan Governor-General’s Office felt that the problem was unresolved, and eastern Taiwan’s transportation facilities could not be completed, hindering local development significantly.
Therefore, between 1931 and 1939, with a total budget of 7.42 million yen, they began constructing the commercial port of Hualien Harbor Street. In 1939, three docks were completed, allowing 3,000-ton cargo ships to dock.
In 1940, after the completion of hydropower in the east, they planned to establish large-scale industries like aluminum, electricity, nitrogen, and metal refining, feeling the need to expand the port. Thus, with 5 million yen, they started the second phase of port construction, which was supposed to be completed in 1944, but was interrupted by the Pacific War… Wikipedia.
After the completion of the port in 1939, industrial development around Hualien Port was driven, but with the advent of World War II, the port facilities became the main target of American bombings.
Post-war, all facilities of Hualien Port were destroyed and not restored until 1956. The first phase of the expansion project began in 1959, with the latest fourth phase from 1979 to 1991, extending the port to the Meilun River estuary, which is the Hualien Port seen today.
This century-long history shows the strategic importance of Hualien Port!
Hualien Port not only has historical significance but also holds strategic importance in transportation.
[Human and Landscape History of Hualien Port over the Past Century]
Hualien Port was only constructed in 1939!
Ships arriving at the Hualien waterfront.
In 1925, at Nanbin, a small barge puffing smoke filled with the smell of kerosene waited offshore over a hundred meters to receive cargo. Hualien Port did not yet have a port.
In the 1920s, before the port was built, cargo transportation to Hualien mainly relied on ships shuttling from offshore Nanbin to the coast and then transporting them by rail from the coastal station to Hualien Harbor Street.
In 1925, Hualien Harbor Street rapidly developed various urban constructions under the Japanese colonial policy for Taiwan’s Back Mountain, making it a city with a multi-cultural atmosphere combining Japanese, Taiwanese Aboriginal, and Han Chinese influences.
In fact, this remains the case today as Hualien City still has many new residents!
1925 was also the year before the East Line Railway connecting Hualien Harbor Street to Taitung Street officially opened.
In 1931, port construction plans began, including the construction of a port line railway to transport port construction materials.
After the port was completed in 1939, this route transformed into the Pacific Coastal Railway for both passenger and cargo transport until the old Hualien Railway Station was abolished in 1992.
In Yoshida Hatsusaburo’s “Great Taroko Bird’s Eye View” in 1935, Hualien Harbor Street depicted the imagery of the port under construction, with the coastal railway and port line railway linking the old and new Hualien ports. These two coastal railway lines witnessed the development of Hualien Harbor Street, connecting the urban area to Nanbin, Beibin, and the new port’s industrial and cultural history over the past century.
If you go further back in time, along this Pacific port route towards the Hualien River estuary, the main settlement of Hualien Harbor Street during the Qing Dynasty was located at the river’s mouth.
The “Mudan Incident” in 1874 made the Qing realize the importance of governing the “Barbarian Lands” of the Back Mountain. To prevent foreign powers from coveting the Back Mountain, they began to “open the mountains and pacify the aborigines.”
Located at the Hualien River estuary, “Hualien Harbor Street” also became an important garrison for Qing soldiers, a strategic consideration of the time.
However, as the Japanese colonial government moved Hualien Harbor Street about three kilometers north to the new port street, the old settlement and military fortress at the river mouth quickly declined and disappeared from the cultural landscape.
The axis of the Pacific Coastal Corridor witnessed the urban development history of Hualien, connecting vanished historical sites. The coastal station at Nanbin, abolished in 1941, retained its 1.1-kilometer route until 1982 when it was repurposed as Nanbin Park.
With the completion of the new Hualien Station and the opening of the North Link Railway, the port line to Hualien Harbor Station was also abolished. The old station was demolished, and in 1992, the abandoned track bed was converted into a bicycle path. To this day, many people nostalgic for the port line’s history hope for its revival, recreating the historical scenes of the port line and railway transportation legend.
The Niutashishi settlement, which flourished during the port’s construction at Beibin, was forced to relocate during the port expansion in the 1980s. The settlement’s prosperity and landscape have since disappeared from maps.
Human and landscape history of Hualien Port over the past century
The Pacific Coastal Railway of Hualien Port currently only has the Hualien Port Line remaining.
[Hualien Port Nearby Walking Guide]
1. Hualien Port
2. Dawn Bridge
3. Beibin Park
4. Jinghua Bridge, Jinghua District, Huagang Mountain
5. Songyuan Villa
Besides the exciting Beibin and Nanbin Parks, the area near Hualien Port also offers a short yet splendid walking tour.
From Hualien Port to Dawn Bridge, head north to Beibin Park, where children can enjoy ball courts and skating rinks. Stroll towards the bay and sit on the pebble beach to see the Coastal Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean!
After crossing the road to Jinghua Bridge, take a leisurely walk along Meilun River by Huagang Mountain!
Then visit Songyuan Villa, filled with Japanese cultural elements. This is a beautiful walking path!
This almost encapsulates the essence of Hualien City’s scenery, history, and culture!
The Pacific Coastal Railway of Hualien Port currently only has the Hualien Port Line remaining.
[Hualien Port Nearby Walking Guide]
1. Hualien Port
2. Dawn Bridge
3. Beibin Park
4. Jinghua Bridge, Jinghua District, Huagang Mountain
5. Songyuan Villa
Besides the exciting Beibin and Nanbin Parks, the area near Hualien Port also offers a short yet splendid walking tour.
From Hualien Port to Dawn Bridge, head north to Beibin Park, where children can enjoy ball courts and skating rinks. Stroll towards the bay and sit on the pebble beach to see the Coastal Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean!
After crossing the road to Jinghua Bridge, take a leisurely walk along Meilun River by Huagang Mountain!
Then visit Songyuan Villa, filled with Japanese cultural elements. This is a beautiful walking path!
This almost encapsulates the essence of Hualien City’s scenery, history, and culture!
Beibin Park directly faces the Pacific Ocean
[Dawn Bridge]
Dawn Bridge is a scenic bridge located at the estuary of Meilun River in Hualien City. Its name comes from the fact that you can see the first light of dawn from the Pacific Ocean when standing on it.
The bridge was initially constructed during the Japanese era as the iron bridge of the Hualien Port Branch Line of the railway, connecting Hualien Port and Hualien City across Meilun River.
After the railway branch was abandoned, the government converted it into a wooden bridge for pedestrians and bicycles.
Every morning and evening, many people come here to run and cycle.
Many joggers and cyclists on Dawn Bridge during summer evenings
[Jinghua Bridge and Jinghua District]
Jinghua Bridge
The red Jinghua Bridge lies quietly over Meilun River. It was once a small suspension bridge, under which many Hualien residents enjoyed boating and sightseeing. Today, Jinghua Bridge is still one of the best spots to welcome the dawn, and on the right bank of the Meilun River estuary beside it is a grey garden building called “Jinghua Linyuan,” which has a rather legendary history.
Jinghua District – About Hualien Harbor Forestry Office (Jinghua Linyuan)
In Taisho 9 (1920), the Japanese government established the Eastern Branch Office of the Forestry Bureau in Hualien Harbor Office. Its main task was to undertake afforestation tasks commissioned by the Hualien Harbor Office and Taitung Office. In Showa 4, the branch office moved to its current location in Hualien City. In Showa 17, it was renamed Hualien Harbor Forestry Office. In 1946, after the establishment of Hualien County Government, it took over the timber industry from the Japanese occupation period. In 1960, the Papaya Forest District Management Office was formed by merging the Taroko Forest Farm, part of the Hualien Forestry Management Office, and the Lintianshan Logging Workstation, under the Forestry Bureau’s management. After the forestry management office was abolished, the staff moved to the Forestry Bureau’s Papaya Forest District Management Office, leaving this building idle for forty years.
Jinghua District – Complete Japanese Colonial Building of Jinghua Linyuan
Jinghua Linyuan was originally a historical monument and was announced as a county-designated monument in March 2003 under the name “Hualien Harbor Forestry Office.” It was also selected as the 55th of “Top 100 Historic Buildings in Taiwan.” This building, over seventy years old, with its Renaissance-style design, clean arches, precise symmetry, simple and elegant decorations on the columns at the entrance, is a fine example of modern architecture from the Japanese occupation period.
Jinghua District – Old Dormitory of Hualien Harbor Higher Girls’ School
Located at No. 11 Jinghua Street, this dormitory was built using traditional Japanese construction techniques with beams and columns made of Taiwan cypress. The front, back, and side yards are well-preserved, making it a traditional Japanese official’s residence with historical and educational significance. It was once the principal’s dormitory of Hualien Harbor Higher Girls’ School (now Hualien Girls’ High School).
The beautiful and romantic Jinghua Bridge
[Songyuan Villa]
Songyuan is beautiful in the early morning! You can also see the Coastal Mountain Range from here.
Songyuan Villa, formerly known as the “Hualien Harbor Army Affairs Office,” was built during the latter part of World War II and opened on April 1, 1942. Together with the nearby “Broadcasting Bureau” (established on May 1, 1944, now the Hualien Station of the Broadcasting Corporation of China), “Coastal Radio Station” (Long-Distance Telecommunications Administration, now Chunghwa Telecom), and the Meilun Water Plant (Meilun Water Purification Plant of Taiwan Water Corporation), it forms a connected pine forest. Due to its vantage point overlooking the Meilun River estuary, Hualien Port, and the Pacific Ocean, it served as an important military command center for the Japanese army during the war.
The garden scenery of Songyuan Villa is stunning in the early morning.
The garden scenery of Songyuan Villa is stunning in the early morning, with the Central Mountain Range as the backdrop.
[Hualien Meilun Coffee Shop Guide]
[Starbucks Container Cafe]
You can’t miss it on your way to the Huadong Coast via Provincial Highway 11.
Starbucks Container Cafe is a must-visit afternoon tea spot in Hualien.
Starbucks Hualien store
Like stacked building blocks, the Hualien Container Starbucks has become a must-see landmark in Hualien.
It is also well-decorated and photogenic inside.
There is also a mall nearby for shopping.
Transportation Information
Google map:
STARBUCKS Hualien Store
No. 505, Section 1, Nanbin Road, Ji’an Township, Hualien County 973
03 842 0014
https://maps.app.goo.gl/yJj9BdBP1oexYA3v8
This Starbucks is a popular photo spot for influencers.
[Field Ranch]
Enjoy a meal while admiring the beauty of Hualien’s coast.
You don’t have to go all the way to Yanjiao or Fengbin for a seaside café. Located in the Qixingtan Scenic Area, “Field Ranch” also offers the most stunning blue sea view of the Pacific Ocean.
This place is very close to Hualien City. Situated on the Qixingtan Beipu Village seashore, it was originally a sheep farm and later transformed into a goat milk-themed restaurant. In recent years, the second generation returned to take over and renovated the space, turning it into a seaside café, western restaurant, and shepherd’s bar.
Having coffee here while looking at the Pacific Ocean is truly refreshing!
Transportation Information
Google map:
Field Ranch
No. 9, Qixing Street, Xincheng Township, Hualien County 971
03 822 6778
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Sho5GR5J8sN3MPT89
Field Ranch directly faces the Pacific Ocean.
Field Ranch directly faces the Pacific Ocean, worth spending an afternoon here.
[In Cafe]
In Cafe is also very close to Hualien Port!
Located on Zhongmei Road in Meilun, Hualien, In Cafe opened in the middle of last year but switched to take-out mode due to the pandemic. Recently, it reopened with a prominent Mercedes-Benz cat sign, so I decided to give it a try.
The traditional wooden old house, with traces of time scattered in its mottled corners, paired with warm yellow lights, feels exceptionally cozy. Looking out through the large glass windows at the bustling streets outside gives a sense of seclusion, perfect for a leisurely afternoon.
Transportation Information
Google map:
In Cafe
No. 106, Zhongmei Road, Hualien City, Hualien County 970
03 833 0210
In Cafe’s cute wooden house is right by the roadside.
[Hon Club]
[Hualien Book Café]
Hon Club, which opened in December last year, is Hualien’s unique book café. Located in an old house in Meilun, the building in front of the store with old trees adds a homely touch. The first floor of the book club offers coffee, tea, cakes, and savory pies, with many books placed according to categories for browsing. The second floor has selected items and terrace seating. The selection is currently not extensive, but the terrace seats under the shade of trees are set to become popular among Instagram influencers.
Hon Club is located at No. 162 Minde 1st Street, Hualien City, in a residential area of Meilun, surrounded by either houses or distinctive B&Bs. The easiest way to understand the location is probably that it’s behind the Chateau de Chine Hualien Hotel.
Upon entering, you can see a whole wall of books. The owner, who has a background in literature, has thoughtfully categorized them, hoping to cultivate a reading habit even among those who don’t often read.
Outside, there’s a balcony and outdoor seating area. There are special slippers for the outdoor space. If the outdoor space is full and you still want to go outside, you might have to go barefoot.
Transportation Information
Google map:
Hon Book Club (No reservations, see IG for holidays)
No. 162, Minde 1st Street, Hualien City, Hualien County 970
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UaXAyNQ3Az59UQaH7
Hon Club Hualien Book Café is unique to Hualien Meilun.
[Fair Lady Coffee Shop]
Located in the alleys of Meilun, Hualien, Fair Lady Coffee Shop offers professional coffee to its guests. Whether you have a deep understanding of coffee or not, the baristas can help you find your favorite flavor. With very friendly baristas, it’s a great place to read or work on documents.
Turn into Minde 1st Street from Zhongmei Road in Meilun. You can look for parking spots along the roadside. The exterior is very lush, with many plants surrounding it.
The shop has many old items to appreciate and take photos of, rumored to be the owner’s cherished collection.
Transportation Information
Google map:
Fair Lady Coffee Shop
No. 128, Minde 1st Street, Hualien City, Hualien County 970
03 835 1001
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ap8Rh7CtSXkoki9W8
Turn into Minde 1st Street from Zhongmei Road in Meilun to reach Fair Lady Coffee Shop.
[Hualien Meilun is Beautiful]
Right beside Hualien Port, you can see the Coastal Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean.
Extremely convenient bike paths!
See the Central Mountain Range, Huagang Mountain, and Meilun Mountain nearby.
Full of nostalgic old Hualien, with Dawn Bridge, Jinghua Bridge, Jinghua District, and Songyuan Villa!
Many old house cafés, Qixingtan, and Taroko National Park are also nearby; Hualien Meilun is perfect for a leisurely stay if you want a slow-paced life!
Hualien Meilun is so beautiful, overlooking the Pacific Ocean is a daily norm!
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