Hualien is a coastal city on the east coast of Taiwan. Hualien literally means "Lotus", but is also famed for its marble stone. Its prime location enables travelers to explore East Rift Valley, Toroko gorge, and Pacific ocean. Hualien is home to some of the most dense aboriginal communities on the island. The nature is beautiful, air is fresh and food is good. Taroko National Park, situated in the eastern part of the Taiwan, covers more than 92,000 hectares in the northern section of the Central Mountain Range. This park features high mountains and sheer gorges. Many of its peaks tower above 3,000m in elevation, with many natural wonders. The spectacular Taroko Gorge and the scenic beauty of Liwu River can be conveniently viewed from the Central Cross-Island Highway. The varied mountain peaks, numerous waterfalls, diverse plant forms and animal life, together with the indigenous Taroko people, create the rich texture of this unique natural ecosystem.
The Penglai Orogeny was caused by the collision of the Philippine Oceanic Plate and the Eurasian Continental Plate. The Penglai Orogeny occurred 4 million years ago. At that time, thick layers of calcareous rock that had been raised from the marine depths during earlier orogenies were now gradually pushed high above the ocean surface to form lofty peaks. During this period of immense tectonic forces, the high pressures and temperatures of compression folded and metamorphosed the original rock (limestone) turning it to marble. At present, this region is still being uplifted at the rate of O.5cm a year. This area is unique for its marble gorge that occasionally forms hundreds of meters high, a phenomenon seldom found elsewhere in the world.
With the establishment of East Rift Valley National Scenic Area, Liyu Lake to become a site of many varied recreational activities, such as light-boat sailing, the construction of a single-lane road to encircle the lake, and footpaths for strolling along the shore. Liyu Lake has a visitor center where visitors can find detailed information on all aspects of traveling. Liyu Lake’s shore recreation area has developed a variety of water activities and recreation facilities which are suitable for the whole family. The bicycle path that circles the lake is around 5 kilometers long, and allows cyclists to experience the pleasant natural beauty of the lakes and mountains from their vehicles. The 601 meter-tall Liyu Mountain has many forest footpaths which allow hikers to enjoy the birds, flowers, and scenery, making it one of the best exercise choices.
The Tropic of Cancer Marker, the circle marking the latitude 23.5 degrees north, is the Northern Hemisphere's furthest location from the Equator that can experience the sun being directly overhead. Every summer, the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer Marker. This "shadowless" effect that takes place at noon is the Tropic of Cancer Marker 's unique astronomical phenomenon.
The Tropic of Cancer crosses through Taiwan, and Jiayi County's Shuishang Township, Hualien County's Ruisui Township and Hualien County's Fengbin Township all have Tropic of Cancer Markers. Ruisui Township's Tropic of Cancer Marker was placed in 1933. At that time, it was placed west of Ruisui Railway Station.