[Family Travel]Ocean Pool: Longdong Bay Marine Park

Summer is here—where are parents planning to take their kids for some water fun? The most common answer Gong Shao gets is playing at home, followed by streams, and then the beach.

I guess it’s probably because of the fear of sun exposure. Luckily, our whole family loves playing in the water—sunlight is like our nutritional supplement. We’re just worried that kids won’t enjoy being in nature, so we try our best to plan outdoor outings every week. This time, we came to “Longdong Bay Marine Park,” one of my favorite spots.

The beach here is like a huge open-air swimming pool where both adults and kids can play. As an open pool, you can naturally see all kinds of marine life. The underwater world is truly beautiful—let’s go take a look right away.

“Longdong” is located at the northeasternmost tip of Taiwan. In the past, it was actually quite hard to get to. I remember as a kid having to cross long stretches of coastline, and there would often be traffic jams along the way. But thanks to modern infrastructure, it only takes us 50 minutes to get here from Taipei—super convenient.

“Longdong Bay Marine Park” is located on the right side right after passing through the Bítóu Tunnel on the North Coast Highway. For drivers, don’t worry about parking—it’s easy with plenty of spaces in the basement. Entry tickets and parking fees are separate here.

Parking fees: NT$50 for cars, NT$20 for motorcycles, NT$100 for buses. Ticket prices: NT$100 for adults, NT$80 for concessionary tickets (under 12 and over 65), free for kids under 3. The pricing is very reasonable—you can have fun all day.

The area can generally be divided into several sections for playing in the water, barbecuing, and sightseeing. There’s a seawater pool for adults, a children’s splash pool, and even a viewing pool for mullet fish. Want coffee? You can head upstairs to enjoy it air-conditioned.

There isn’t much gear you need to bring yourself. I and Xiao Bu noticed many moms come prepared with long-sleeve sun-shielding rash guards and water-friendly hats—very well-equipped indeed. Sharing this as a reference Up.

Children’s splash pool—the water here is all natural seawater. It’s highly recommended to come early in the morning because the water is cleanest and coolest then. By the time we arrived, it was already past noon, and we only had simple water-play gear. Maybe because the water wasn’t flowing, the afternoon water was actually warm, XD. But they do have shaded awnings and slides here, so kids can at least get some sun relief.

Seawater pool for both adults and kids—the depth in the middle is about one person deep. Our little ones definitely couldn’t get in by themselves unless wearing life jackets. Here, you can rent a life jacket for just NT$50. Pair it with your own goggles and you’ll have fun too, or you can rent a diving mask with a breathing tube. But that’s only suitable for kids around 7 and up—Gong Shao asked and they don’t have smaller sizes.

The natural pool was originally an extended platform, so the shallow areas are really just ankle-deep. Go a bit further and you hit the large reef area. The rocks here aren’t very sharp, and the water temperature is comfortable—not as icy cold as stream water.

There’s an invisible safety zone here, marked by a long rope that limits the swimming area. Schools of fish are often seen here. Older kids who can snorkel independently would love it. Many parents also bring small inflatable boats for their kids who are scared to get in the water—that’s a great idea too.

There’s clearly a sign saying no collecting or fishing.

The following is a very bad example. With so many visitors here, if everyone picked things, what would be left for others to see?

This area is rarely used, maybe because it’s too shallow. The rocks are slippery, and high tide washes it over again.

There are lifeguards stationed on both sides here, so it feels quite safe to play.

Above the pool is the barbecue area.

Cleaning and maintenance fee NT$600: includes a barbecue grill, free leisure table and chair set, and sunshade tent.
Barbecue ingredients: can be arranged by the park.
Information: http://longdong-oceanpark.emmm.tw/?ptype=info

Next to the pool, there’s also a small transparent mullet ecological pool with lots of seaweed and little fish, but you can only view this area from the wooden walkway.

Like this mom who was stopped by the lifeguard but still insisted on getting in the water—kids were standing right there. This kind of parenting is really disheartening.

These two little ones first came here to the children’s splash area upstairs, where the water is only about up to the kids’ bottoms—so very safe.

But since I forgot to bring floaties, I had to rent a life jacket, which made the kids much happier.

We arrived early in the morning, and I was so tired I just let the kids be taken care of by mom.

The kids said they were bored. So, let’s level up!! Let’s go play in the open sea Up.

The buoyancy of seawater is strong—even wearing a life jacket, kids can easily float on the surface. The movement of the sea makes them drift happily. It’s a very beginner-level water activity. Dad’s dream is to surf together.

Some people are also practicing kayaking in the open sea. Besides water play, this place also offers many beginner-level activities.
Beginner and advanced canoeing courses. Beginner and advanced snorkeling courses.
Detailed course information: http://longdong-oceanpark.emmm.tw/?ptype=hotel

Xiao Yu Yuan is very happy.

Played from daytime until evening.

There are many places to rest nearby. If you're worried there won't be enough seating, you can bring your own lounge chair. I always have one ready in my car, but by then it was getting dark and the crowds were gradually dispersing. The lounge on the left has shower facilities, and the spaces are all quite large — some can even accommodate two or three people at once, which is great for parents with kids.

After showering, you can rest up top, then head downstairs to the rental center to grab an ice cream and enjoy the evening scenery. The hues at this time, along with the gentle sea breeze, are incredibly enchanting.

The bunker up top offers a view of the entire swimming pool and the nearby abalone pool.

The park is perfect for kids to run around at this time of day. With no sun and after playing in the water, the children still have a great time.

Can you say they don’t want to go home? That’s true too — we all had so much fun today. Memories are priceless.

Address: No. 3-62, Longdong Street, Gongliao District, New Taipei City (at Kilometer 85 on Provincial Highway 2)
Contact number: 886-2-24909258

Park opening hours: 08:00–18:00
Water area opening hours: 08:00–17:00

Park holiday opening hours: 08:00–19:00
Holiday water area opening hours: 08:00–18:00

Parking fee: NT$50 for cars, NT$20 for motorcycles, NT$100 for buses
Admission: NT$100 full price, NT$80 concession (under 12 or over 65), free for children under 3

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