25 Amusement Parks in Taiwan: The Best & Worst

While you won’t find any Disneyland in Taiwan, the country has some surprisingly good amusement parks, theme parks, and waterparks.

Whether you are living in Taiwan, traveling around the country with kids, or just happen to love amusement parks, you’ll find a dozen or so worthwhile ones spread across the country. Some are connected to huge outlet malls, while others are closer to nature and offer the chance to see cherry blossoms and fireflies. There’s even one where you can go skiing, and several that you can spend the night inside!

The line between amusement parks, theme parks, leisure farms, waterparks, and aquariums is often blurry in Taiwan, so I will cover some of each in this article. Taiwan’s theme parks also host some of Taiwan’s biggest festivals.

Taiwan also has some pretty awful amusement parks. Mostly dating to the 1980s, they look like they haven’t been maintained since. Some are run down to the point of being creepy, with animals in small enclosures, appropriation of aboriginal culture, large empty gardens for “strolling”, and pseudo European settings.

My kids were born and raised in Taiwan, so we’ve been to several Taiwanese amusement parks. On top of that, a few years ago I was assigned by Travel in Taiwan magazine to cover Taiwan’s theme parks in a series of articles, so I’ve been to more of them than I ever actually wanted to visit.

In this article I’ll cover what I believe to be the best amusement parks in Taiwan, and also the ones to absolutely avoid, in the final section I call “Theme Parks in Taiwan that Suck.”

You can find heavily discounted tickets for most amusement parks in Taiwan on Klook. If you sign up for Klook with this link, you’ll get NTD100 off your first order!

Taiwan Amusement Parks Top 5

In my personal opinion, these are the five best theme parks in Taiwan. Each one will be covered in greater detail in the article.

1. Lihpao Discovery Land, Taichung
New facilities, insane roller coaster, largest Ferris wheel in Taiwan

2. Suzaka Circuit Park, Kaohsiung
Taiwan’s newest theme park, huge go-kart racetrack, great for toddlers/younger kids

3. Leofoo Village, Hsinchu
Taiwan’s original (and many still say best) theme park and waterpark

4. Taipei Childen’s Amusement Park
Low-cost amusement park aimed at young kids right in Taipei City

5. Xitou Monster Village
A Japanese monster-themed village in the remote hills of Nantou County

Theme Parks in Taipei & Northern Taiwan

While there is only one amusement park in Taipei, there are a handful of others that can easily be done as day trips from Taipei. This includes a brand new aquarium in Taoyuan!

Taipei Children’s Amusement Park (臺北市兒童新樂園)

If you’re looking for a theme park in Taipei, look no further than the Taipei Children’s Amusement Park. It’s located in Shilin District next to the National Taiwan Science Education Center and Taipei Astronomical Museum, making this a go-to area for anyone in Taipei with kids.

The Taipei Children’s Amusement Park won’t blow you away with crazy rides. It’s definitely aimed at younger kids. But the good thing is that it’s cheap, right in Taipei, and you can swipe with your EasyCard for everything (see my EasyCard guide if you aren’t familiar with it).

Tickets: NT30 to enter (students NT15, under 6 free), rides cost NT20-100. You can also buy discounted day passes here, which quickly pay off.

Getting There: From Jiantan MRT exit 3: Bus 41, Red 30, “Taipei Children’s Amusement Park Line 2” or 529. From Shilin MRT exit1: Bus 255 shuttle, Red 30, 620 or “Taipei Children’s Amusement Park Line 1”.

While there are no large waterparks in Taipei, the closest you’ll get is Taipei Water Park, best for young kids, but only open in July and August. See more info in my guide to visiting Taipei with kids.

Xpark Aquarium Taoyuan

Taiwan’s newest aquarium opened in Taoyuan city (the same city where the international airport is) in 2020. So far, families and other visitors seem to love it.

Xpark features an enormous Instagram-worthy tank filled with sea creatures. Other features include penguins, jellyfish, and over 400 other sea creatures. Some rooms and even temperature and scent-controlled to mimic the real-life environments.

While this aquarium isn’t quite as big as the one in Kenting in southern Taiwan (see below), it is more modern and much easier to reach from Taipei.

You can also spend the night inside this aquarium, an unforgettable experience!

Tickets: Buy your tickets first on Klook or on KKday and you can scan a QR code to enter instead of waiting in line for tickets.

Getting There: Xpark is conveniently located right beside the Taoyuan High Speed Rail (HSR) station. See my guide to buying HSR tickets in Taiwan. You can also get there from the airport by riding the Airport MRT to Taoyuan HSR station (not to be confused with Taoyuan TRA train station).

Zhang Mei Ama Farm

I’m not going to recommend too many leisure farms in this article because there are just too many. But I’ll just leave this one here, because it’s very popular and easy to reach from Taipei.

Zhang Mei Ama Farm is your go-to place for seeing capybara’s, alapacas, and other cute animals. You can touch and feed them, and even see the capybara’s playing in water. (If you’re a capybara fan, also see my guide to cat cafes in Taipei, where I mention one capybara cafe, and scroll to the Kenting section below, where I mention a place with a capybara shrine!)

It is located in Yilan county, which has MANY other similar places and family-friendly activites. See my guide to the best things to do in Yilan for more info.

Book your tickets here, and try to avoid weekends, when there’s usually a line to get in. Here are other places to see capybaras in Taiwan.

Window on World Theme Park (小人國主題樂園)

Outside the capital, the nearest amusement park to Taipei is Window on World Theme Park (formerly “Window on China Theme Park) in southern Taoyuan City near the border with Hsinchu county. Despite being a contender for the title of Taiwan’s oldest theme park, Window on World remains one of the better (and often overlooked) ones in the country.

While Window on World has lots of rides, a rhinoceros beetle Eco Zone, and a waterpark for those steaming hot summers in Taiwan, what really makes it unique is the large area of miniature attractions from across Taiwan, China (hence the park’s former unusual name), and the world. Here you can look over faithful miniature representations of places from Alishan Forest Railway and famous Taiwanese temples to the Forbidden City of Beijing and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Tickets: NT850 for adults 750 students, NT650 age 6-12, NT550 3-6, free under 3. Heavily discounted day passes are available here.

Getting There: Catch bus 5350 from Taipei Songshan Airport, Zhongxiao Dunhua MRT, or Gongguan MRT. The same bus also continues on to Leofoo Village nearby (see next entry).

Leofoo Village Theme Park (六福村主題遊樂園)

Leofoo Village is traditionally considered Taiwan’s best and most famous theme park. It also claims to be the country’s largest (a few others make the same claim). Even though some of the facilities are dated, it still has a lot going for it.

Leofoo Village has four large themed areas full of rides: Wild West, South Pacific, Arabian Kingdom, and African Safari. You’ll need all day to get through them. The Screaming Condor, an “inverted shuttle coaster” (your legs hang with nothing under you, see the video I shot of it at the top of this article) in Wild West is arguably the park’s best and scariest ride. The animals and safari section, originally the park’s main focus, are today very dated, but this may be the only chance you’ll ever get to to see a white tiger.

Besides the themed areas, Leofoo also has a decent waterpark.

Leofoo Guanshi Resort (see on Booking / Agoda / Klook / TripAdvisor) has safari-style accommodations overlooking wildlife such as giraffes and more (I shot the below pic when I toured the hotel for researching an article for Travel in Taiwan magazine), but it’s not cheap.

Tickets: TWD999 for adults, 899 students, 699 age 6-12, 499 age 3-6, free under 3. Discounts for entry after 1pm. This online ticket includes transportation from Taipei.

Getting There: Free shuttle from Taoyuan HSR station exit 5 platform 10 (depart 8:45, 11:20, return 3:00, 5:30, weekends and holidays only) or bus 5350 from various points in Taipei.

Little Ding-Dong Science Theme Park (小叮噹科學主題樂園生活大師會館)

Located near the coast of Hsinchu County, the bizarrely named Little Ding-Dong (should somebody tell them?) is a natural science-themed outdoor park. “Xiao Ding Dang” (which they incorrectly spelled as “Ding-Dong”) is actually the Mandarin name for Doraemon, the Japanese robotic cat, but you won’t see him there; don’t ask me.

Supposedly science-themed, the park features a mishmash of basic rides, interactive exhibits, a small waterpark, and the only place you can go skiing in Taiwan. The small indoor hill features human-made snow and a tiny hill; tobogganing on tubes is free, but there’s an extra charge for skiing, including a lesson. It can be a long wait at busy times. This is where many Taiwanese learn how to ski for the first time!

Tickets: NTD500 for adults, 400 age 6-12, 350 age 3-6, free under 3. Discounted tickets are available here.

Getting There: It’s a 30-minute walk (or short taxi ride) from Xinfeng Station (新豐火車站) on the regular (TRA) train line.

Green World Ecological Farm (綠世界生態農場)

Green World Ecological Farm in Hsinchu is more of a zoo than a theme park, but I include it because it is perfect for parents with younger, animal-loving kids who are getting tired of repeat trips to the Taipei Zoo like us.

The park is large with lots of greenery, walking trails, and fresh air, so it’s a nice escape from the city. Young kids love it for the huge assortment of animals (alpacas, macaws, butterflies, a petting zoo, and more), many of which you can get quite close to. There’s also a dinosaur skeleton in the gift shop. Some of the animal cages are on the smaller side, though, so I don’t wholeheartedly recommend the place, but many parents of young kids say it’s one of their go-to spots.

Tickets: TWD380 for adults, 320 for children age 3 and up, free under 3. Discount tickets are available here on Klook or here on Kkday.

Getting There: There’s a Taiwan Tourism shuttle bus from Beipu Train Station and Hsinchu HSR station. After Green World, the same bus continues on to Lion’s Head Mountain.

Shangrila Paradise (香格里拉樂園)

Miaoli’s Shangrila Paradise is one of those 1980s amusement parks I mentioned earlier. Once very popular and now all but abandoned, in its prime it featured “European” gardens and some old school rides like the one pictured above.

But unlike other abandoned theme parks across Taiwan, Shangrila Paradise has made an interesting comeback as CMP Village (勤美學), a luxury camping and leisure experience aimed mainly at locals. Program participants stay in yurt-like tents and take part in group activities that may include tree climbing, Hakka blue dying, pottery making, learning about local crafts & farming, communal dinner served under the stars, and more. At night, then fire up some of the old rides now surrounded by woods, which is quite an eerie experience.

Just a heads up, the activities are all in Mandarin, and everyone staying the night partakes in them together. The park also has a café, playgrounds, artworks, gardens, and more.

See here for other off-the-beaten-track things to do in Miaoli.

Tickets: The overnight program costs around NTD5000/adult and NTD3500/kid (age 3-12). You can visit the grounds in the daytime for a small fee.

Getting There: There is no public transportation to the park. It’s a 10-minute taxi ride from Miaoli’s HSR or TRA station.

Flying Cow Ranch (飛牛牧場)

Flying Cow Ranch in Miaoli County is one of Taiwan’s most well-known leisure farms. Like the many other leisure farms, it is aimed at city folk who want to get a taste of farm life.

The grounds at Flying Cow are huge, and there are daily activities including milking cows, taking ducklings for a walk, and more. You can also buy fresh yogurt and other dairy products at the cafe.

You can also spend the night at the Flying Cow Ranch Hotel (see on Booking / Agoda / Tripadvisor).

Tickets: TWD220 for teens and adults, 180 for grades 1-6, 150 for age 3 to kindergarten, free for under 3. Book your ticket online here for a discount.

Getting There: Take a taxi from Tongxiao train station (approx 300TWD). Parking at the park is NTD50.

Dongshan River Water Park (冬山河親水公園)

The Dongshan River Water Park in Wujie Township, Yilan is a wonderful rarity in Taiwan: a large, outdoor water and spray park to cool off in during summer.

The large riverside park also features lots of walking and cycling trails and some dinosaur statues. Please note that most of the water facilities were closed in 2020 due to social distancing measures, and the same could happen again in 2021.

For loads of other family-friendly activities in the area, see my guide to Yilan county. Finding your day at Luodong Night Market.

Tickets: TWD50 per car for parking.

Getting There: Take bus 1797 or a short taxi ride from Luodong Station in Yilan.

Farglory Ocean Park (遠雄海洋公園)

Farglory Ocean Park bills itself as the largest marine-themed amusement park in Taiwan. It is located in Hualien, just at the start of Highway 11 as it runs down the wild east coast toward Taitung, a 20-minute drive south of central Hualien City, and 40 minute drive of Taroko Gorge, Hualien’s most famous attraction.

The park features water-themed rides and sea animal shows, and like many others in Taiwan, is getting old. In my personal opinion, why would you see shows here when you can take a whale and dolphin watching tour in Hualien and see the same animals in the wild nearby?

Still, Farglory is very popular among both locals and visitors to Hualien. You can even spend the night inside this aquarium, too! If you don’t do that, then consider staying the beautiful Farglory Resort (see on Booking / Agoda / TripAdvisor) next door.

Tickets: NTD890 for adults, 790 for teens, 590 for age 7-12, 390 for age 3-6, under 3 free. You can get discounted tickets here on Klook.

Getting There: From Hualien Railway station, take bus 1127, 1140, or 1145 and get off at Ocean Park stop (海洋公園).

Theme Parks in Central Taiwan

In Central Taiwan, Taichung’s Lihpao Discovery Land is my personal favorite, while Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village is very popular among visitors for its cherry blossoms and views. A few other choices are more off-the-beaten-track.

Lihpao Discovery Land (麗寶樂園)

If I had to chose one, I’d say Lihpao Discovery Land in Taichung is my favorite amusement park in Taiwan. It is one of the newest ones, and since opening, it keeps getting bigger, and also claims to be the largest theme park in Taiwan.

The theme park area includes a good mix of rides for younger children and some really scary ones, including the only “broken rail tilt” roller coaster in the world; the whole thing tilts to a totally vertical position before plunging toward the earth. I’ve been on it and it’s terrifying! Go for a virtual ride on it by watching the below video.

Lihpao also has a brand new huge outlet mall modelled on Portofino in Italy, complete with 500-year-old olive trees outside. Check out the awesome food court, from where you can view or access what is now Taiwan’s tallest Ferris Wheel (126m), one of the country’s top landmarks. There’s also a water park in summer, brand new go-kart track nearby, escape rooms, and at New Year’s Eve, the Taichung fireworks display is often held here.

You can also stay at Fullon Hotel Lihpao Resort (see on Booking / Agoda / Klook / Tripadvisor) on site.

Tickets: NTD650 (reduced price for foreigners), 650 for Mala Bay Waterpark, 850 for both, 250 for Sky Dream Ferrish Wheel. You can get discount tickets online here.

Getting there: Take the free shuttle from Taichung Chaoma station or Taichung HSR station (online reservation required), bus 155 from Taichung HSR station, or bus 1617 from Taipei Bus Station.

Dongshih Forest Garden (東勢林場遊樂區)

More of a family-friendly recreational area than amusement park, Dongshih Forest Garden may appeal to anyone looking to do a day trip from Taichung with kids. There are dinosaur statues in the forest, walking trails, trampolines, climbing rope towers so kids can get a view of the jungle from above, and loads of fireflies in April.

There’s also a hotel and some cabins on site, or you can stay at Pear Story guesthouse about 20 minutes away.

Tickets: NTD250 for adults, 200 for teens, 125 for age 3-6, free under age 3.

Getting there: Take Fengyuan bus 153 from Taichung HSR Station or Taichung City Hall (台中市政府) to Dongshi Forest Garden Stop (東勢林場遊樂區).

Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village (九族文化村)

The Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village beside Sun Moon Lake is called “Nine Tribes Cultural Village” in Chinese, harking back to a time when Taiwan only recognized nine aboriginal tribes (there are now 16).

The theme park turns aboriginal culture into an amusement park attraction, and for this reason I wouldn’t recommend going there. Besides cultural displays and aboriginal dance performances, there are some amusement park rides in a large, spread out area.

Having said that, there are a few saving graces. First, the two Sun Moon Lake Ropeway rides you take from the shore of Sun Moon Lake to get there offer incredible views (note: you can pay just to take the first gondola to the top, with the best lake views, without paying for the second gondola and entrance to the theme park.

The second is that the park has one of the best displays of cherry blossoms in the country, usually taking place in February to early March. The blossoms here are a variety that are pinker than others. The park is very popular throughout the year, and especially when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.

Also see my guide to the best Sun Moon Lake day tours, some of which include the cable car and amusement park (I think this is the best one), and the various Sun Moon Lake Passes, which can save you money if used properly.

Tickets: NTD850 for adults, 750 for students, 650 for age 6-12, and 420 for age 3-6. Includes return ride on the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway (cable car). To ride the first cable car only, the ticket price is NTD300 per adult and 250 under age 6. Here’s a deal for discounted theme park tickets, while this one is for the cable car + boat ride or bike rental.

Getting There: See my guide to Sun Moon Lake for information on how to get to the lake. Take the round-the-lake bus and get off at the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway stop, or take a boat to Ita Thao village then walk 20 minutes along the lake shore to reach the ropeway station.

Cingjing Farm (清境農場)

Cingjing Farm (or Qingjing Farm) sits at an altitude of 1750 meters in the mountains of Nantou, not too far before Wuling Pass, the highest navigable pass in Taiwan, and close to Hehuanshan, one of the best places to see snow in Taiwan. Originally a settlement for retired KMT soldiers, it is today one of the country’s most popular ranch stays.

Visitors can stroll the grasslands, see lots of farm animals, and take part in numerous activities. The views alone are worth the trip. You can spend the night in the official accommodation or browse the numerous hotels and guesthouses nearby.

All the info you need is in my Cingjing Farm blog. Here I also share some reasons why I don’t love Cingjing Farm.

Tickets: Entrance tickets are NTD600 and can be purchased at Taichung Bus Statuon, Taichung Gancheng Station, Taichung HSR, or Puli bus station. The ticket includes a shuttle bus from Puli to Cingjing Farm. Additional activities at Cingjing cost extra.

Getting There: A 2.5 shuttle bus runs from Taichung to Cingjing. You can also book a private transfer from Taichung to Cingjing or take this popular Cingjing and Hehuanshan day tour. Find much info in my guide to traveling from Taichung to Cingjing Farm.

Xitou Monster Village (溪頭怪物村)

Quirky Xitou Monster Village in Nantou is a peculiar, off-the-beaten-track attraction in Taiwan. This Japanese monster-themed village has an interesting and touching story behind it; read all about it my detailed guide to Monster Village.

Don’t expect rides here. What you will find is monster-themed stores, restaurants, and souvenirs, including a famous bakery that makes spooky treats and even stinging nettle buns. There are also some games for kids, food stalls, and some walks in the forest. Next door, thre are loads of walking trails in Xitou Nature Education Area (溪頭自然教育園區). The area is also famous for its tea.

For something really special, spend the night in one of the monster-themed rooms at Monster Village Hotel (see on Booking / Agoda / Tripadvisor).

Tickets: Entrance is free.

Getting There: Xitou Monster Village is off-the-beaten-track and it’s best to drive there. You can also take bus 6801 from Sun Moon Lake (5 daily) or 6883 from Taichung.

Janfusan Fancy World (劍湖山世界主題樂園)

Foreign visitors rarely step foot in Yunlin County, but every Taiwanese knows about or has been to its large amusement park: Janfusan Fancy World. It is found in the county’s east, in Gukeng District, which has the most well-known coffee producing area in Taiwan.

“Fancy” would be an exaggeration (it’s looking a little old TBH), but Janfusan still has some pretty awesome roller coasters (try the Diving Machine G5 and Crazy Coaster), a tall Ferris Wheel (88m), and a waterpark with slides, sandy beach and wave pool. It’s also got more greenery in the grounds than most others, which is refreshing.

You can also spend the night at Janfusan Resort Hotel.

Tickets: TWD 899 for adults, 699 for students, 599 for age 6-12, 350 for age 3-6, and free under 6. See here for heavily discounted tickets.

Getting there: From Douliu TRA station, 4-5 buses depart every morning or you can hop in a taxi (20 minutes). There are no directly buses from Yunlin HSR station, so you’ll have to get to Douliu station first.

Theme Parks in Southern Taiwan

Kaohsiung, Southern Taiwan’s largest city, is home to two of Taiwan’s best amusement parks, while the country’s best aquarium can be found in Kenting National Park, Pingtung County.

E-Da Theme Park (義大遊樂世界)

E-Da Theme Park is the largest and most famous theme park in southern Taiwan, but I personally like the newer SKM Park (see next entry) more. E-Da is outside of the Kaosiung city center in Dashu District, and it is possible to combine it with a visit to nearby Foguangshan, Taiwan’s largest monastery.

E-Da theme park is Santorini and Greece-themed, with indoor and outdoor areas connected by a monorail. There are rides galore, 4D experiences, a fake erupting volcano, toddler play centers, an 80m Ferris wheel, an opera house, and much more.

There’s also a ginormous outlet mall, and you can spend the night at E-Da Skylark Hotel (see on Booking / Agoda / Klook / Tripadvisor) or E-Da Royal (see on Booking / Agoda / Tripadvisor).

Tickets: NTD899 for adults, 799 for teens, 580 for age 6-12, 450 for 3-6, under 3 free. Get your discounted tickets here.

Getting there: There are E-Da shuttle buses from Zuoying HSR station (platform 5), Xin Zuoying, and Fengshan. Bus 8501 from the HSR station continues on the Foguangshan after stopping at E-Da.

SKM Park / Suzuka Circuit Park (鈴鹿賽道樂園)

Sports-themed SKM Park/Suzuka Circuit Park and adjacent SKM Outlet (formerly called “Taroko Park”) is Taiwan’s newest theme park. Conveniently, it is located on the KMRT line, one stop before the Kaohsiung International Airport.

Suzuku Circuit Park is the outdoor theme park area, with a nice assortment of rides, including a beautiful carousel, old-time trolley, and others that are suitable for young kids. Most notably, the park has a go-kart racetrack which is modeled on the famous F1 Raceway in Suzaka, Japan, but 1/10^th the size.

For people with toddlers, head to the top floor of SKM Outlet Mall, where you’ll find some good indoor playcenters and a sports themed area, including bowling for kids. The mall also has a VR center, bowling alley, running track, trampoline park, basketball court, and much more.

Tickets: TWD980 for a day pass, 890 age 6-12, 200 for age 3-6, or you can pay for individual rides with an MRT card. Go-kart rides: TWD650/person or 850/tandem car. Other facilities including carousel, trolley, bowling, trampoline park, etc. have separate costs. Discount day passes available here.

Getting there: Ride the KMRT to Caoya Station and follow the underground tunnel.

Kenting National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium (國立海洋生物博物館)

More of a museum than a theme park, I include the National Museum of Marine Biology because it is the best aquariums in Taiwan. It is located on the coast near Hengchun in Kenting National Park, but quire a ways from most of the resorts in Kenting.

The large museum and aquarium features many types of sea creatures, including penguins and beluga whales. It also has VR experiences, underwater tunnels, shows, touching pools, a wading pool with a huge whale statue, and more.

You can even stay overnight in the aquarium and see all the exhibits after the tourists have gone home. You can also take care of penguins with this special activity. Nearby, there’s also a place in Kenting where you can go swimming with capybaras and they even have a capybara shrine!

See other things to do in Kenting here.

Tickets: TWD450 for adults, 250 for students and children age 6+, free for under 6 or below 115cm. Discounted tickets available here on Klook.

Getting there: Take bus 9188 or 9199 from Kaohsiung HSR to Kenting, get off at Nanbaoli Station, and transfer to the Kenting shuttle bus orange line.

Theme Parks in Taiwan That Suck

Not every amusement park and theme park in Taiwan is a winner. The following are run-down, abuse animals, appropriate Taiwanese aboriginal culture, or just straight up suck. Feel free to disagree, but I don’t personally recommend visiting any of the following.

Yun Hsien Resort (雲仙樂園)

There are many reasons to visit Wulai in New Taipei City, but Yun Hsien Resort is not one of them. If you just want to ride the gondola up beautiful Wulai Waterfall, then sure! But don’t get high hopes for the so-called le yuan (“amusement park”) at the top.

You’ll be greeted by dilapidated statues and empty, mildewy swimming pools at the top. The park is not only in disrepair but was also heavily impacted by the 2015 typhoon. They are working on renovating it though, so we’ll see. 

If you do decide to go (at least the cable car ride is nice!), get your ticket here.

Yehliu Ocean World (野柳海洋世界)

I don’t hide my distaste for shows starring live animals, but if you really want to see one, avoid Yehliu Ocean World. Farglory in Hualien is slightly better, and the National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium in Kenting is much better.

When in Yehliu, just stick to the popular Yehliu Geopark, or for super fresh seafood, try Guihou Fishing Harbor (龜吼漁港) nearby. If you do go, tickets are here.

West Lake Resortopia (西湖渡假村)

Named after the famed Xihu (West Lake) in Hangzhou, China, the so-called utopian resort of West Lake Resortopia is anything but. There’s a super tacky bright pink Greece-inspired wedding venue, a few dinosaur statues, a small lake you can rent paddle boats on, and not a whole lot else to do. The only saving grace is that they have fireflies in season, but you can see those in numerous places across Taiwan.

Atayal Resort (南投泰雅渡假村)

Want to visit an aboriginal-themed amusement park resort that isn’t even run by aboriginals? Then try Atayal Resort! The park has rides, mini trains, fountains, hot springs, or you can dress up like Taiwanese aboriginals and shoot bow and arrows. The park is located in an Atayal tribal area of Nantou and claims to honor the Wushe Incident, an aboriginal uprising against the Japanese occupation of Taiwan.

Wanpi World Safari Zoo (頑皮世界野生動物園)

Literally “naughty world” (but not what most English speakers might think), Wanpi World Safari Zoo is a literal prison for animals in northern Tainan City near the border of Chiayi. Animals are in small, mostly concrete enclosures, and this is anything but a “safari”. If you want to visit a zoo in Taiwan, the Taipei Zoo is a million times better. Suffice to say, it does not make my list of best places to visit in Tainan.

Bada Forest Paradise (8大森林樂園)

Looking for an expanse of weather-worn, gaudy statues, stale ponds, rides that look abandoned, and fake waterfalls! Then Bada Forest Paradise in Chaozhou, Pingtung County is for you. Tickets are only TWD100, but we wouldn’t go for free.

Water Space Inn (墾丁水世界渡假村)

While Taiwan is sorely lacking in good waterparks, this is one of the worst. Located in beautiful, sunny Kenting, a few steps from lovely Little Bay (小灣), Water Space Inn’s waterpark is bizarrely tucked away from the sun indoors and partially underground, with tasteless colored cement walls. Just stick to the beach, please.

Well, that brings us to the end of my rundown of the best and worst amusement parks and theme parks in Taiwan. Did I miss any? Please let me know in the comments below!