Hualien: The Doulos Hope, the world's largest floating bookshop, has made its way to Hualien Port and will be accessible to the public until February 2, as announced by the Hualien County government in a press release on Friday.

According to Focus Taiwan, the vessel offers an extensive collection of books spanning over 2,000 categories, including science, arts, medicine, and children's literature. To promote public transportation, the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle service has introduced a temporary stop named "Doulos Hope Hualien" on its 310 route.

The floating bookstore operates from 1 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily, except on Tuesdays when it remains closed. The entrance fee is NT$50 (US$1.52), with free admission for children aged 6 and under and seniors aged 65 and above. Visitors are required to book their visits in advance.

Doulos Hope is managed by GBA Ships, an organization known as "Gute Bcher fr Alle" or "Good Books for All." Since its inception in 1970, the organization has seen its ships dock at over 480 ports across more than 150 countries and territories, as highlighted on their official website.

The ship recently departed from its initial stop in Taiwan at Kaohsiung Port earlier in January and is scheduled to visit Keelung from February 7 to March 9.