Hualien Qixingtan Beach 花蓮七星潭, Chihsingtan

Shaped like a crescent, Qixingtan Beach in Hualien is where the mountains meet the sea.

There are many sightseeing trails and beach pavilions, including a star-watching square. Star watching is a fun activity in Hualien since there is far less light pollution than other places such as downtown Hualien City or Taipei City.

Bicycling is a popular activity at Qixingtan, and many vendors offer bike rentals to visitors.

The most popular area of the beach is located at the Qixingtan Coast Park (七星潭海濱公園), located behind the Hualien Airport. In this market area, local merchants sell gifts and xiaochi snacks, and visitors can enjoy the stunning view with an occasional plane flying overhead. The Stone Carving Park (七星潭石雕公園) and star-watching square are in this park area.

The northern part of Qixingtan is located close to the eastern entrance of Taroko Gorge National Park (太魯閣國家公園), while the southern part is located close to Hualien City.

The area at the southern end of Qixingtan is a new development area with a large selection of reasonably-priced hotels and minsu B&Bs. The Chihsing Tan Katsuo Museum (七星柴魚博物館) is dedicated to Japanese-style katsuobushi (dried bonito fish).