The Pine Garden was built from 1942 to 1943 and used to be Japanese’ military office. Outside the Pine Garden, there are a dozen aged pine trees, which connects with BCC Pop Network in Hualien, Chunghwa Telecom, and the water planet. The garden was the most important construction around the area and also accommodates senior military officers. It is said that Japan’s Kamikaze was honored by the Emperor of Japan here. Pine Garden locates on the right hand side of Meilun Mountain, and offers a wonderful view overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Visitors always wonder about its impressive architecture and the flourishing greenish around the building. Besides loads of pine trees, you can also find Elephants Ears, Miscanthus, ferns, banyans, and many other foreign species brought by Japanese colony. If you are a botanist or eco-lover, this is a place for you. Yet, the government has wanted to turn Pine Garden into a hotel since 1995. However, residents and the mass media are opposed to the plan. You see, the beauty of Hualien is spiritual and tranquil; the history of Hualien is slow and translucent; the pace people of Hualien take is easy and comfortable. And all that are something the Pine Garden should immerse itself in, thus to bring out the most of the Garden. The Pine Garden currently holds all sorts of workshops, seminars, forums and exhibitions.
Qixing LakeQixing Lake (Qixingtan) is located in Beipu Village, Xincheng Township, in the northeast of Hualien City. Visitors can get there via Meilun Industrial Park by following the signs in front of the National Hualien University of Education. The beach there has an elegant arch shape. The seawater there is clean and blue. The black stones there are crystal. From here visitors can see the great green mountains afar and the twisting highways. Qixing Lake (Qixingtan) is a poetic name in Chinese. It is said that there were lakes scattered around the National Hualien University of Education and Hualien Airport. They were filled in later as a result of construction. Today, the Qixing Lake (Qixingtan) area refers to the district located in the north of Meilun Industrial Park and Hualien Airport. There are sea valleys formed by faults and elegant bays with rich natural landscapes and cultural resources. From Qixing Lake (Qixingtan) people can look over the Qingshui Cliff. At night, people can appreciate the lights of the new city and Zongde District. There are many sightseeing spots in the area for recreational and educational trips. The Qixing Lake (Qixingtan) Scenic Area is designated for the bicycle touring. Along the 21km tour from Nanbin Park in Hualien City to the scenic area via Hualien Harbor and the 48 Highlands, there are different views and scenes. The Hualien County Government even built a number of recreational facilities, such as the Stone Sculpture Park, the Star Watching Plaza, the Sunrise Building, and the childrens playground. Explanatory notes on the seaside ecology are available near the fishing site. A windbreak forest is used to separate a seaside botanical garden where there are rich resources of seaside animals and plants. You will always be rewarded when traveling here.
Keishuin, a third-level historical site in Hualien, was built during the Japanese Occupation, and served not only as a spiritual center for Japanese immigrants but also a medical center, learning center, and funeral home. The main building has a wooden structure with a Japanese-style four-pillar rooftop, following Japanese temple building tradition. The garden is lush, vibrant, and serene. It is a nice place to experience the spirit of Zen.
Located in downtown Hualien City, Rainbow Night Market was formally opened in January 2014. After Nanbin Night Market was closed, in order to help the vendors at Nanbin Park to resume their business, the County Government plans the construction of Rainbow Night Market at the 6th Redevelopment Zone near Nanbin in Hualien City. It is hoped that this place will become a new choice for a night trip. The Government works hard designing the and constructing the Market. The colors of the columns in front of the vendors are different. As its name implies, when the light is lit at night, the Market looks as beautiful as a rainbow.Opened in January 2014, Rainbow Night Market is composed of 135 vendor lots. Various vendors are invited to run their business here, including grilled sweet corns, steak, grilled squid, taro duck, etc. Besides, the visitors can not only eat delicious food, but also have fun playing all kinds of interesting games such as Jiaobei blocks. All the vendors are clean and neatly organized. It is convenient to park nearby. Therefore, the Market has attracted lots of visitors. This is a quality night market successfully constructed by the County Government.