The Best Way to Cool Down: Taipei Water Park

We have been blessed with wonderfully hot days since we have landed in Taiwan. If you have read some of my earlier posts, you would know that this is the kind of weather we were looking forward to for our whole trip. I love hot weather, either humid or dry, and my body craves the sunshine. I am a much nicer person when I am getting my Vitamin D naturally from the sun.

One of the reasons that we love hot weather, is that we love to cool down in the water. I personally am not the most adventurous in the water sport area, but I love laying in the sun and being able to enjoy a cool dip to cool off when needed. Chad and Zoë and true water people, they would do anything and everything in the water. I am glad that they have each other to run around with while I work on my tan.

The best place that we have found in Taipei to have fun in the water and sun is Taipei Water Park. Costing only 50 NTD per adult during the period from September 1 to June 30 (during the summer it is 80 NTD) it is by far the cheapest water park I have ever been to. And because of this, we don’t mind going more than once a week when the desire hits us.

Just a side note: I would highly recommend heading to the park on a weekday unless you want to share the pools with a million… ok, more likely, hundreds of kids and their parents.

We always start out in the wading pool that is located right as you walk in the entrance. Basically it is two fountains, one shaped like a gigantic birthday cake and the other a massive stone hill looking thing, connected by a shallow pool. Z loves to play in the water and we just watch her as the water is pretty shallow, her favorite things to do are steal other kids toys and walk around the birthday cake.

Once we have tired of returning toys that Z has scavenged to the correct kids, we head to the “Water Country Park” or what I call the Double Dare pool.

For those of you who have no idea what I mean by Double Dare, it was a television game show for kids on Nickelodeon that ended with an amazing and messy obstacle course. I always wanted to be on that show… it was so awesome looking.

The Water Country Park area looks like a water obstacle course. The numerous slides and huge jets of water shooting from all over make it very wet and, in my opinion, a little overwhelming. I think that means that I probably would have lost if I had been on Double Dare, so maybe it is a good thing I never competed in it. Chad and Zoë love this pool, although Z is a little reticent of going down the slides. The whole pool is pretty shallow at about 2 feet deep so it is pretty safe for toddlers on up to us old young adults.

If your kids get sick of the pools, there is also a playground. It has a water system so there are sprinklers going all the time above the equipment and from the ground as well. It is a fabulous way for kids to play and stay cool in the summer heat. I kind of wish all playgrounds had this option in the summer.

I know that I have concentrated a lot on what the park has to offer for the children, but there is tons for adults to do, too.

For one thing, you can sunbathe near the Double Dare pool, I saw a couple of girls doing that the other day. I wish I would have known about the park when we lived here before. Not only can you sunbathe all day long for cheap, but they have lockers, bathrooms with showers, and most importantly a snack bar. The snack bar also has live music (or so their sign says) and serves all sorts of beverages (yes, I also mean beverages with alcohol). It could be quite the hang out actually.

If you are into learning about the history of the water system in Taiwan, you can go to the water museum, which I honestly have not had a chance to see yet, but seems pretty cool from what I have read.

And if you are into photography, or want to have pictures taken of you, there are tons of beautiful areas that would be a perfect backdrop.

Taipei Water Park is a great place for everyone. I would highly recommend spending a day there whether you are visiting Taipei or staying for a while. It really is the best place to cool day on a hot day.

P.S. This upcoming Monday (9/30/2013) will be the first post of my Monday Montage (cue “Eye of The Tiger”). Make sure to check in or follow so you don’t miss it!