Qixingtan is the best beach in Hualien City. It is a few KM long and also features a long grassy park next to it. It is famous for its oval shaped stones which tourists like to stack together. It is definitely worth as stop on your next trip to Hualien.

Qixingtan gets its name because originally it was a lake close to the seashore, that was in the shape of the Big Dipper .During the Japanese era, the lake was filled in in order to make an airport, which is now used by the Taiwan air force. Afterward, the residents instead called what before was Yueya Bay , a crescent beach nearby Qixingtan to honor their lost lake.

Qixingtan has now become a major tourist attraction, with thousands of visitors a year, and many hotels nearby.