Amis village

The plains around Hualien are home to the Amis people, one of a dozen or so Aborginal tribes native to Taiwan. They live off the land, planting crops, and rearing animals

stray dogs, sleep on the road, only waking up and getting out of the way when people come near.



An overwhelming majority of Aboriginals (some 70%) are Christians by faith. This can be explained by the fact that the earliest missionaries did their work mostly in the less developed areas of Taiwan, mainly in the mountains and along the eastern seaboard, where unemployment and social problems are rife.
Thus you see very interesting burial rites that combine Christian as well as local Taiwanese elements.

Amis village

The plains around Hualien are home to the Amis people, one of a dozen or so Aborginal tribes native to Taiwan. They live off the land, planting crops, and rearing animals

stray dogs, sleep on the road, only waking up and getting out of the way when people come near.



An overwhelming majority of Aboriginals (some 70%) are Christians by faith. This can be explained by the fact that the earliest missionaries did their work mostly in the less developed areas of Taiwan, mainly in the mountains and along the eastern seaboard, where unemployment and social problems are rife.
Thus you see very interesting burial rites that combine Christian as well as local Taiwanese elements.

Hualien Wildlife

Passion fruit flower

Passion fruit, yet to ripen and turn purple

Formosan lilies

sleepy lotus flower

Hualien: plants and wildlife

watermelon fields. Hualien is especially famous for its sweeeeeet watermelons!

rice paddy

banana trees

Mountains around Hualien III

Mountains around Hualien II

Mountains around Hualien

Train journey eastward: central mountain range

Train journey: Pacific Coast

Trains on the Southern Link II

New Taroko Express, which tilts around bends, making it much faster than conventional trains.

Taiwanese people love to eat, and the bento box sold on the train is a special favourte. they come in all sorts of different flavours, with different types of fish and vegetables. Yum!

Travelling through a tunnel