Hualien s whale mural a welcome opposite the railway station

Whale Leap, our whale mural facing Hualien Railway Station, is complete. We have a special moment to share with you.

The mural is painted on the outside wall of Hualien WOW Hostel.

Our Whale Leap mural is now complete.

This enormous mural stands about 31 metres tall, spanning nine storeys.

It faces Hualien Railway Station.

Quietly, it welcomes every traveller arriving in Hualien.

Why a leaping whale?

Mountains embrace Hualien, but the ocean shapes it too. Just offshore flows one of the world’s great ocean currents: the Kuroshio.

The Kuroshio sustains whales, dolphins, flying fish and mahi-mahi, and the rich web of marine life along Taiwan’s east coast.

Whale Leap depicts a humpback whale surging out of the Kuroshio.

The leap is instinctive.
But it takes strength, a long gathering of energy, and the courage to move forward.

Why place Whale Leap here?

Hualien WOW stands directly in front of Hualien Railway Station.

We want travellers stepping out of the station to feel the power and life of Hualien’s ocean, even before they catch their first glimpse of the Pacific.

This mural is for the whole city: for everyone arriving, everyone about to leave, and everyone staying with us at WOW.

Whale Leap: a new landmark by the station, ten years of WOW, and what comes next

This year marks Hualien WOW's tenth anniversary.

For us, finishing Whale Leap marks the beginning of Hualien WOW 2.0.

We opened our wall to the city, hoping to make the hostel more than somewhere to sleep.

We wanted a place in conversation with Hualien, where travellers could share something of themselves.

Above all, we want you to know Hualien’s generous, open-hearted spirit.

Hualien’s open-hearted spirit is a way of life that goes beyond its location beside the sea.

It is as open, varied and steady as the ocean, welcoming everyone as a friend.

There is an ease to living in Hualien.

Stay a while, and you may find yourself calling Hualien home without quite knowing when it happened.

That sense of belonging is what we hope Whale Leap carries.

Whale Leap is complete. Your own Hualien story is just beginning.

When you next arrive in Hualien, take a moment as you leave the station.

Look up at that leaping whale.

Send a little encouragement Hualien’s way, and give Hualien WOW a “WOW”!