Hi everyone,
I have a job offer for a full-time teaching job in Hualien.
A lot of Taiwanese friends of mine have told me that it is very scenic yet very boring.
Would you guys recommend me to accept the job offer?
There’s definitely not much in the way of nightlife aside from shrimping. But it’s very beautiful out there, so if you’re the nature-loving type, it’s a great choice.
I suppose it depends on what type of person you are…Are you an introvert or extrovert? Do you thrive on interaction with others? Or, do you prefer quiet places? I’d personally love it…an adventure. But that said, I would need to be clear in my mind what I’d want out of it and if that can be realistically achieved.
I want to be able to live a convenient life and eat at close by breakfast stores, buy a cheap and tasty lunch/dinner outside and meet new friends (Taiwanese and other foreigners alike). I just don’t want to have a dull time that is void of a social life.
If you make the effort to put yourself out there then you’ll be able to do this just about anywhere.
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Not sure you are going to have such a dynamic social life in Hualien, then. Could be wrong, but I suppose Kaohsiung, Taichung and Taipei will be much easier to access the type of lifestyle you are after…If it’s just six months to a year, would still consider, though. 
Best!
Many places are very scenic and
less boring. Very very little night and very small social scene although foreigners get together and play quiz nights or whatever, locals also welcome and attend.
You do have access to mountains and beach but that can be said of many places in Taiwan.
I call it a Bible Belt of Taiwan because there’s so many Christian and Catholic and Buddhist churches and organizations so visibly present and active I don’t know how to describe it. The only place I’ve seen multiple Christian coffee shops In the middle of town.
It’s also less convenient to reach a larger city where you might have more things to do say nighttime or weekend.
If you want to kind of drop out and get away then it’s a good place.
That area has a high probability but really up to you.
Honestly though, Taiwan is so small that if you ever crave city life, just hop on a train and go in any direction for an hour (except if the direction should drop you into the ocean)
What (and why) is a Christian coffee shop?
Hualien is fine. Plenty of interesting people to meet and hang out with. Really clean air, good hiking, biking, river-tracing etc. You’ll be good for at least a year.
Unless you need regular access to crowded bars, gigs, night-clubs, theatre etc. Then Hualien will leave you wanting.
Suggest you take a visit before signing that contract though …
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Hualien is lovely. I’d move there in a heartbeat. But I’m 55, and not up to chasing tail and partying. If I were 25, I’d probably think differently.
Guy
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ditto that. plus, easy cruise-by to 台東 and its laid-back atmosphere, etc.
I had a friend who lived in a small town in hualien for w year , his best friend became a whiskey bottle. 
He didn’t really speak any Chinese either.
You say it as if it’s a bad thing. Scotch is good. Bourbon, on the other hand, yeah, vile and best avoided. And not being able to speak any Chinese? It’s an advantage not being able to understand the banal chatter around you. It gives you peace of mind.
I could quite happily live anywhere in Hualien.
Guy
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I agree with what others have said: It’s a great place when you’re older, but maybe not ideal for a younger person unless you’re into nature, okay with less nightlife, etc.
I can also see how the right set of circumstances could make things really enjoyable for someone younger, like maybe starting a small restaurant or pub (but this would take money which usually only older folks would have, but on the other hand, things are definitely cheaper here than in Taipei). Maybe also making some close friends would be even more possible here (I’m actually in Hualien now!) since there aren’t many foreigners in this area and so I have found laowai to friendlier here than in Taipei. I’ll have long talks with the foreigner restaurant owners here, for example, when I eat at their restaurants. I would imagine that you would get to know most of the English teachers fairly quickly.
The only nightlife I’m really after concerns nightmarkets, local restaurants and food establishments that also sell beer. I’m not after a hyper club or western style bar scene.
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I would also like to make a group of local friends around my age (25ish).
Well, there’s plenty of that in any city on the island.
I see lots of foreigners in that age group here. Some must be just here on vacation, though. Again, it seems you would make friends quickly here with how the smaller numbers tend to make people friendlier. But maybe I’m wrong in this regard.
Here’s my most recent summary on Hualien nightlife having been going there many years. For me, extremely boring. Things are mostly still the same, or less, for example Salt Lick closed and is now part of Chicago pizza.
The really cool spot behind Kadda hotel closed due to lack of customers.
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Hualien may be boring if you are out into the county, but Hualien city, there are things for you to see and do there, such as the night market. One thing good about Hualien is that the air quality
is way better there than here in the west coast.