Summer Night Cruise on the Tamsui River – Admire the Light Sculpture of the “Crescent Moon Bridge” from a Unique Perspective

▲ The illuminated beauty of the Crescent Moon Bridge at night. (Photo / From my New Taipei City fan page)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The New Taipei Water Bus has been in operation for a full year now. To celebrate, the New Taipei City Government’s Department of Transportation has partnered with operators to launch a summer night cruise on the Tamsui River in August and September. This special tour offers a unique vantage point to admire the illuminated light sculpture of the popular “Crescent Moon Bridge.” With only 540 spots available, tickets are offered at a discounted price of NT$99 per person, and booking opens on August 11.

The two routes of the New Taipei Water Bus — “Huajiang Pier – Zhongxiao Pier” and “Zhongxiao Pier – Dadaocheng Pier” — have been in service since July 30, 2013 (102 year in Taiwan’s calendar), and have now reached their one-year anniversary. To allow the public to also enjoy the nighttime beauty of the Tamsui River system, the Department of Transportation has introduced a night route that sails past the city’s most popular attraction, the “Crescent Moon Bridge.” This allows visitors to take in the beautiful illuminated bridge scenery from the river under the summer night sky.

Zhao Shaolian, Director of the Department of Transportation, stated that this anniversary event takes advantage of the tidal conditions permitted in August and September to offer 12 night sailings over six days. The route will pass by five distinctive illuminated bridges: Huajiang Bridge, New Taipei Bridge, Dahhan Bridge, Xinhai Bridge, and the Crescent Moon Bridge. Tickets are priced at just NT$99, and passengers will also receive a limited-edition “Crescent Moon Bridge Light Sculpture Commemorative Ship Ticket” magnet and a bottle of cold drink.

The current sailing schedule is tentatively set for six days: August 19, August 20, September 4, September 5, September 17, and September 18. There will be two sailings each day, with a maximum of 45 passengers per sailing, totaling 540 spots. Registration is done online, with sign-ups opening every Friday at 10:00 AM one week before each sailing date. Booking for the August 19 sailing can begin on August 11. For more information, visit http://www.waterbus.ntpc.gov.tw.