New Taipei parks to visit over the Lunar New Year

Taipei, Jan. 26 (CNA) For readers in Greater Taipei this Lunar New Year -- especially those with stir-crazy kids and no desire to spend the day stuck in traffic -- a trip to the park may make for an ideal holiday outing.

CNA has compiled the following list of New Taipei parks, recommended by the New Taipei Metro Corp., each with a short introduction and info on the nearest MRT or light rail station.

Ankeng Light Rail

Sunshine Sports Park (LRT Sunshine Sports Park Station): Ten minutes from the light rail station, this park along the Xindian River features a playground built into a hill with two stone slides, a six-meter rope tunnel, suspension bridge and net climbing area.

The park also contains a splash pad, open each year between May and September, as well as a roller-skating rink, running track, beach volleyball court and soccer field.

Shisizhang History Park (LRT Shisizhang Station): This park, in a section of Xindian District undergoing wide-scale redevelopment, is centered around a two-story play tower with climbing equipment and slides of various heights and designs. It also has a zipline, as well as the usual sandbox, swings etc.

The fact that the playground is newly-built and still lacks tree cover or other structures to provide shade may actually make it more suitable for a cool, cloudy day over LNY than during the summer.

Circular Line

Yuanshan Park (MRT Zhongyuan Station): Redesigned in 2018, this 3-hectare park's best features include 20-meter stone slides, a "grass skiing" slope, and a 15-meter zipline. The park also has a relatively large sandbox, rope tunnel and rope wall built into the hillside.

Banqiao Siwei Park (MRT Xinpu Minsheng Station): A smallish playground suitable for young children located inside a 2-hectare park that includes, among other things, a local library branch.

Jinhe Sports Park (MRT Jingan Station): Located near New Taipei's Zhonghe Civil Sports Center, a 25-minute walk from the nearest MRT station, this park is notable for its 28-meter roller slide and its water facilities in the summer, including a wading stream that winds around the play area.

Dinosaur Park (MRT Qiaohe or Zhonghe Station): This area along the New Taipei riverside consists of a collection of dinosaur paintings and sculptures under and near Huazhong Bridge. Note that it does not have playground equipment.

Fuguiludi Park (MRT Banxin Station): A tiny neighborhood park consisting of stone slides and a climbing net built into a hill. A 20-minute walk from the MRT.

Jiahe Park (MRT Zhonghe Station): A small park with a "sea" theme featuring two rope climbing structures, shaped like a wave and a pyramid, the latter with a tunnel slide at the top.

Danhai Light Rail

Gong23- Qinggui Park (LRT Danhai New Town or Kanding Station): This park's main playground structure is a mock-LRT train with various ladders, rope tunnels and slides. It also has a zipline and small pushbike racetrack.