Resources: Living on the East Coast (Taidong, Hualian, or Yilan)

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
, ,
1


Living in Taidong, Hualian, or Yilan

~ ~ References and Resources for people who have just moved to, or are thinking of moving to, the eastern counties ~ ~

The population of Taidong (Taitung), Hualian (Hualien), and Yilan (Ilan, Gilan) taken together is only about 5% of the population of Taiwan, and there aren’t many foreigners living and working here. This thread is meant to serve as an easy access point for relevant information about the eastern counties, and i am not only including local references here (i.e., links to various related threads on Forumosa), but also information from government websites and first-hand experience. :slight_smile:
Do you known any thing that should be included here? Please don’t hesitate to post it… :2cents: :secret: !
(If you’d rather like me to add your information to an existing post, just send me a PM.)

Note 1: Individual entries in this thread get revised and expanded from time to time, so if you’ve visited here before you may find it useful to check all the entries again. :wink: [Last edited 2011-10-08]

Note 2: In the Travel forum there is a related thread, containing information for tourists (much of which is definitely also useful for residents): Taidong, Hualian, Yilan (Travel)

:thanks:

2


Maps
:

:arrow_right: Taidong

taiwaning.zening.info/map/Taitung_County/ (Google; map with links to the individual townships, including the islands)

worldmapfinder.com/Map_Earth … an/Taitung (Google; map and satellite image)

:arrow_right: Hualian

taiwaning.zening.info/map/Hualie … /index.htm (Google; map with links to the individual townships)

worldmapfinder.com/Map_Earth … an/Hualien (Google; map and satellite image)

:arrow_right: Yilan

taiwaning.zening.info/map/Yilan_County/index.htm (Google; map with links to the individual townships)

worldmapfinder.com/Map_Earth … iwan/Yilan (Google; map and satellite image)

3


Living in Taidong

Threads

Fair Deal in Taidong?

Affordable housing in Taitung?

Bombing the God of War

Websites

Online Classifieds
yilan-hualien-taitung.kijiji.com.tw/

Highway 11 Magazine’s New Website
highway11.net/index.php/en

Map and list with phone numbers of hospitals
google.co.jp/search?hl=ja&q= … C%E7%B4%A2

List of Hotspring Websites:
viewtopic.php?t=82911&start=26

4


Living in Hualian (1)

Threads

Taroko Gorge Info
viewtopic.php?t=82911&start=6

Websites

Hualien City Bus Info (in Chinese)
hl.gov.tw/bus/bus.asp

Online Classifieds
yilan-hualien-taitung.kijiji.com.tw/

Highway 11 Magazine’s New Website
highway11.net/index.php/en

Map and list with phone numbers of hospitals
google.co.jp/search?hl=ja&q= … C%E7%B4%A2

List of Hotspring Websites:
viewtopic.php?t=82911&start=28

5


Living in Yilan

Threads

2009-01-18: [quote=“schmoopie”][…]
There are some fitness in Yilan.

  1. 3H Fitness.
    (03)954-9780
    Open from 7:00-23:00 Mon-Sat
  2. Global Gym
    No.227-2, Gongjheng Rd., Luodong Township, Yilan County 265
    (I dont know the phone number).[/quote]
    2008-12-09:[quote=“alidarbac”]I lived in Luodong for about a year and a half and there’s far more that I miss in Yilan county (good hotsprings in Jiaoxi, mindblowing sunrises around Toucheng, frolicking in Xinliao waterfall, crazy beautiful coast south of Su’ao, MUCH cheaper food) than stuff I enjoy in Taipei (namely Cafe Odeon and the Dunhua Eslite store.) Also, if you have Chinese ability, you won’t slowly lose your mind from people ignoring your Chinese and always answering you in English. The people in Yilan are far friendlier than the people in Taipei. The big disadvantage for me to living in Yilan was the miserable winters where you never see the sun, but Taipei is only marginally better in this regard.[/quote]
    Living in Yilan - the pros and cons
    This thread contains a lot of unrelated stuff, but the upshot is that, like in the other sparsely populated areas, work is not easy to come by (if you are looking for a teaching job in a cram school) but that otherwise it’s a good place to live. The following three posts contain some specific information:
    viewtopic.php?t=76961&start=3
    viewtopic.php?t=76961&start=53
    viewtopic.php?t=76961&start=77

Where can I buy the most reasonably priced major appliances?

Greasy pole climbing contest & other northern events- where?

Websites

Online Classifieds
yilan-hualien-taitung.kijiji.com.tw/

Highway 11 Magazine’s New Website
highway11.net/index.php/en

Yilan County website: List of hospitals in Yilan
e-land.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=4 … e=722&mp=5

Map and list with phone numbers of hospitals
google.co.jp/search?hl=ja&q= … C%E7%B4%A2

List of Hotspring Websites:
viewtopic.php?f=55&t=82911&start=29

6


Banking (1)

(General information for foreigners that also applies to non-residents)

Banking in Taiwan

Opening A Bank Account With Only A Passport [i.e., without an ARC/APRC]

Banking in Taiwan

Banking and Money Questions

Trying to find a good bank… frustrating.
viewtopic.php?t=91692

Opening A Bank Account With Only A Passport

7


Visas

:arrow_right: Government website
investintaiwan.nat.gov.tw/en/env … _stay.html

:arrow_right: National Immigration Agency
(for visa matters, also issues the “Record of ID No. in the Republic of China”, if needed)

Taidong County Service Center
No.59, Changsha Rd., Taidong City
08-936-1631, 08-934-7103

Hualian County Service Center
5th Fl., 371 中山路 (Zhong1 Shan1 Lu4 / Jhongshan Rd.), Hualian City
(at the intersection of 中山路 and 林森路 (Lin2 Sen1 Lu4 / Linsen Rd.), above the Taiwan Cooperative Bank)
03-833-8077, 03-833-8029

Yilan County Service Center
1FL., No.45, Cangcian Rd., Luodong Township
03-957-5448, 03-957-4949

8


Other Legal Paperwork

:arrow_right: Notary Public
(you can get documents notarized at the district courts or, if not, at least information about notaries there)

Taitung (Taidong):

台東市地方法院
Tai2dong1 Shi4 Di4fang1 Fa3yuan4
Taidong Local District Court
128, Po Ai Road, Taidong City
08-9310-130
E-Mail: ttdaide@judicial.gov.tw

Hualien (Hualian):

花蓮地方法院所屬民間公證人何叔孋事務所
Hua1lian2 Di4fang1 Fa3yuan4​ Suo3​shu3​ Min2​jian1 Gong1​zheng4​ren2​ He2 Shu1​-Li4 Shi4​wu4​suo3​
The business office of Su-Li Her (He2 Shu1​-Li4), private notary affiliated with the Hualien District Court
Keywords from her homepage:
民間公證人 / 英文 / 可辦理所有中外文公認證案件、公證
Private notary public / speaks English / can handle all Chinese and foreign language public certification matters and notarization
Location: 399, 林森路 (Lin2 Sen1 Lu4 / Linsen Rd.) (opposite City Hall)
03-8311899

花蓮市地方法院
Hua1lian2 Di4fang1 Fa3yuan4​
Hualian Local District Court (near the county Government offices - see below)
15, 府前路 (Fu3 Qian2 Lu4 / Fu Chien Rd.), Hualian City
03-822-5144
E-Mail: hldaide@judicial.gov.tw
(at the district courts one can get documents notarized or, if not, at least information about notaries)

Ilan (Yilan)

宜蘭市地方法院
Yi2lan2 Shi4 Di4fang1 Fa3yuan4
Yilan Local District Court
51, Wei Shui Road, Yilan City
03-932-4190
E-Mail: ildaide@judicial.gov.tw

:arrow_right: Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) in Hualien (Hualian) - the only office at the east coast
Address: 6th Fl., 371 中山路 (Zhong1 Shan1 Lu4 / Jhongshan Rd.), Hualien City
03-833-1041, 03-833-0970
Help Line: 03-393-2628, 03-398-2629
Email: bocahun@ms21.hinet.net

:arrow_right: City Offices

Hualien (Hualian)
林森路 (Lin2 Sen1 Lu4 / Linsen Rd.), between the intersection with 中山路 (Zhong1 Shan1 Lu4 / Jhongshan Rd.) and the bridge

:arrow_right: County Government Offices

Hualien (Hualian)
Various buildings between 府前路 (Fu3 Qian2 Lu4 / Fu Chien Rd.) and 府後路 (Fu3 Hou4 Lu4 / Fuhou Rd.);
directly east of 美崙山 (Mei3 Lun2 Shan1 / Meilun Mountain) and north of the military installation

9


Banking (2)

(Note: many banks are now offering VISA debit cards to residents - see viewtopic.php?f=88&t=95280 )

:arrow_right: Taishin Bank (台新銀行)

Hualian Branch
No.183, 中正路 (Zhong1 zheng4 Lu4 / Jhongjheng Rd.), Hualian City
(03) 834-5930

Luodong Branch
No.153, Gongjheng Rd., Luodong Township, Yilan County
(03) 953-3366

:arrow_right: Mega Bank (兆豐國際商業銀行)

Hualian Branch (formerly ICBC Hualian Branch)
No. 26, 公園路 (Gong1 Yuan2 Lu4 / Kung-yuan Rd.), Hualian City
Tel：03-8350191

Yilan Branch
1F., No.338, Minzu Rd., Yilan City
(03) 931-0666

Luodong Branch (formerly CTB Luodong Branch)
No.195, Sec.2, Chung-ching Rd., Luodong, Yilan County
(03) 961-1262

:arrow_right: Post Office

Post Office banking website
post.gov.tw/post/internet/u_ … itemap.jsp

:arrow_right: Other banks
(Yilan County website: branches of various banks in Yilan)
e-land.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=4 … e=720&mp=5

10


Post Offices

Threads:

Getting a mailbox at the post office (post office box)

Websites:

Post Office website: detailed information (map and searchable listing of post offices)
post.gov.tw/post/internet/u_ … al_h_1.jsp

:arrow_right: Taidong

Taidong Branch 901 (Main Post Office)
No. 126, Datong Rd., Taidong City

:arrow_right: Hualian

Hualian Branch 901 (Guo-An Post Office / New Main Post Office)
No. 408, 中山路 (Zhong1 Shan1 Lu4 / Jhongshan Rd.), Hualian City

Hualian Branch 19 (Jhongshan Rd. Post Office / Old Main Post Office)
No. 188, 中山路 (Zhong1 Shan1 Lu4 / Jhongshan Rd.), Hualian City
(at the corner of 中山路 and 中正路 (Zhong1 Zheng4 Lu4 / Jhongjheng Rd. / Hwy. 9)

:arrow_right: Yilan

Yilan Branch 25
No. 69, Singdong Rd., Luodong 265-41

Yilan Branch 901 (Main Post Office)
No. 130, Sec. 3, Jhongshan Rd., Yilan 260-44

Yilan County website: post offices in Yilan
e-land.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=4 … e=757&mp=5

11

Telephone Service for Residents (1)

:arrow_right: Home service:

Chungwa Telecom
cht.com.tw/CHTFinalE/Web/Per … hp?CatID=1

:arrow_right: Cell phone service:

Chungwa Telecom
emome.net/channel?chid=256

TaiwanMobile
english.taiwanmobile.com/servlet … gHomePageT

VIBO
vibo.com.tw/CWS/English.html

12


Internet for Residents (1)

:arrow_right: Home service

Chungwa Telecom HiNet
cht.com.tw/CHTFinalE/Web/Per … hp?CatID=1

:arrow_right: cell phone service

Chungwa Telecom
better than their website: visit any of the many outlets they have where you get the newest phones and modems and the latest information about plans

Taiwan Mobile
better than their website: visit any of the many outlets they have where you get the newest phones and modems and the latest information about plans

:arrow_right: Netcafe
(some people may not want to contract for internet service at home but keep using a netcafe)

Internet Cafes (網咖)
viewtopic.php?f=55&t=82911&start=15

13


Living in Hualian (2)

  • Organic Food

3 years ago the county government’s agricultural department produced a guide to organic food in Hualian County (in Chinese, Japanese, and English). A picture of the English version: islandnet.com/japan/img/taiw … guide.html
You can get a copy from the Agriculture Development Department, Agriculture Science and Technology Section - talk to section chief Chiu Yi-Cheng (邱奕承 / Qiu1 Yi4 Cheng2).
The office is in one of the government buildings located to the east of Meilun Hill Park in Hualian City, at 17 Fuchian Rd. (府前路/ fu3 qian2 lu4).
(If you need someone to interpret for you, go to the Tourism Department, Marketing Section, and ask for Ms. Chen Pao-Yu (陳寶玉 / chen2 bao3 yu4), who speaks English.)

  • Organic Tea

There is a shop in Hualian City selling organic tea:
421 Jhongshan Rd. (Jung Shan Rd. / 中山路 / Zhong1 Shan1 Lu4)
(about 15 houses up from the immigration office at the Linsen Rd. (林森路 / Lin2 Sen1 Lu4) intersection)

(I found a homepage with some information, but unfortunately it is in Japanese (since it is for a shop in Osaka, Japan, that sells organically grown tea from Taiwan - but you’ll get the idea: uloncha.com/hongcha/heganghongcha.htm)

14

Banking for Residents (3)

Visa Debit Card: how to get it; where to use it
viewtopic.php?t=95280

How to link taiwan visa debit card to paypal or clickbank

Can foreigners get a credit card in Taiwan?

Credit Cards for foreigners in Taiwan

Which is the best credit card in your opinion?

15

Telephone and Internet Service for Residents (2)

:arrow_right: Cell phone services

Cell phone service for foreigners w/o ARC?

Technical cellphone questions - a bit tricky

3G prepaid SIM

16

Assorted Services

Are you looking for a financial consultant at bank in Taiwan

Online ticket purchasing at EVA Airlines

(Note: i am planning to be back in Hualien on February 20, and i’ll work on expanding this section in the months following)

17

2011-10-06: I’ve updated the information about notary public services in Hualien (there is a notary public who speaks good English)
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=84583&start=7

18

Thanks for all this info, Yuli. I’m making it a sticky.

19

Add this thread to the mix: Living in Taidong/Taidong

20

Sure, living on the east coast. But how does one MAKE a living on the east coast? That’s what I’m interested in finding out! I’d love to move there but I’ve never come across any job postings on my few forays onto online job listings…