Tired of big mountains and vast waters? Plan your own micro-trip with the “Hualien Green Living” app

▲ When visiting Hualien for fun, you can use the newly launched app to create your own micro-trip. (Photo / Reporter Chen Mingren)

Reported by Chen Ziying / Taipei

Want to go on a “micro-trip” in Hualien? Use an app to plan your own itinerary—convenient and tailored to your needs. The Hualien City Government has launched the “Hualien City Green Living Map App” (a.k.a. Hualien Green Living), featuring over 200 tourist attractions and little stories. The trial version is now available for download on Google Play, while the iOS version will be available soon. Both the official web version and mobile app will be launched in mid-June.

 
▲ The interface offers plenty of stunning scenery and attraction information. (Photo / Screenshot fromHualien Green Living Appmobile usage screen)

Ms. Dai from the Cultural and Tourism Development Division of the Hualien City Government said that Hualien’s “great mountains and vast waters” are already well-known to many travelers. Recently, tourism in Hualien has shifted toward creative shops and micro-trip formats. With the increasing trend of using mobile phones and tablets, the city government applied for NT$1.8 million in funding from the Ministry of the Interior’s Construction and Planning Agency last year to develop the app and website. Ms. Dai believes that instead of planning a single fixed itinerary, it’s better to integrate tourism information and let users plan their own trips. Moreover, the app is linked with Google Maps, allowing travelers to use it directly during their visit.

After more than a year of preparation, the Hualien City Green Living Map App is finally complete. The public can download map data via their phones and freely mix and match over 200 attraction details as well as accommodation and dining information to make their trip to Hualien more unique. The trial version of the app is already available for download, and the official version will be launched before summer vacation to welcome tourists visiting Hualien.


▲ The content also includes recommended itineraries such as mountain and sea scenery, a century-old Hualien cultural journey, tribal folk customs, and creative shops. (Photo / Screenshot fromHualien Green Living Appmobile usage screen)

The over 200 tourist attractions use globally unified map symbols and drawing resources provided by the Green Map System. The map marks Hualien’s natural and cultural elements, as well as little stories about roadside trees, public art spaces, and other humanistic and sustainable development resources. Residents and travelers can learn more about this land through the “Hualien City Green Living Map App.”

The app integrates Google Maps to present green living attractions, entertainment, and transportation service information, along with curated itineraries recommended by users. Whether it's mountain and sea scenery, a century-old Hualien cultural journey, tribal folk customs, or creative shops, everything can be arranged by the user. Users can also book and organize information via the web, and get direct mobile guidance during the trip—making it very convenient.