[Family Travel] Wild Streams Are Fun Too: Wufengqi Scenic Area

The sweltering summer in Taipei City was almost unbearable. On Friday morning, Gong Shao and Xiao Bu practically fled the urban noise to head for the beautiful mountains and waters of Yilan. Of course, the plan was to enjoy the water fun. Besides its stunning coastline, Yilan also boasts lakes and cool streams. Beneath the “Wufengqi Waterfall,” there’s a perfect spot for young children and parents to have fun together—just a 10-minute drive from the Xiacheng Interchange.

The official name of this place is actually the parking lot at the Wufengqi Scenic Area bus stop, which is also easier to find when using GPS.

This flat little stream was actually discovered by chance, as we had originally intended to visit the Wufengqi Waterfall. But with two kids in tow, hiking up the mountain was simply out of the question. Not to mention, this waterfall has three tiers. Spotting the stream in the distance, Dad decided to embrace freedom instead.

The advantage of coming here is the super-large parking lot—you only pay a one-time entrance fee of NT$50. Right next to it is a grassy field, the stream, and restroom facilities. The area is also very clean, making it a true paradise for families with young children like us.

From the parking lot, the stream is still a bit of a walk away, but this vast grassy field is incredibly soothing. Kids can run around freely here.

By the time we arrived, it was already past 10 a.m. on Saturday, yet the crowd wasn’t too bad.

The depth of the stream here ranges from ankle to calf height. I was even more excited than Little Pinky and Taro, because these kinds of memories are from my childhood. Streams are simply the most fun.

The water here is so clear, and the current is just right—not too fast. Most of the rocks weren’t covered in moss either, making them really comfortable to step on.

The summer sun is quite intense. Visitors should definitely bring sunscreen. When Gong Shao was writing this article, his back was still itchy and about to peel. Oh boy.

This flat section of the stream is quite long. The beginning part has a stronger current, so the water is clearer, while the second half has a small sand barrier where there’s more moss. Everyone here is pretty skilled because sitting by the stream isn’t easy. Some people bring mats and big umbrellas. I brought a large lounge chair (pretty professional, huh?!) Hehe.

You must be wondering—why didn’t Little Taro show up this time? Well, our Little Taro is naturally very clean and doesn’t dare to step on the ground here. Even Little Pinky only got in the water reluctantly.

My goodness, are kids these days too pampered, thinking that playing in water only means swimming pools? Dad is determined to fix that. The summer water play plan begins.

It was so hot that Dad went ahead and dipped himself into the water first, but the kids didn’t seem too interested.

Little Taro quietly played with the sand toys we brought for her. Thankfully the water wasn’t deep, so we let her be.

Time for an adventure. Mom happily took swimsuit photos of her daughter.

She bought a bunch of cute swimsuits for Pinky and Taro.

Childhood memories—damselflies used to always be on the rocks by the stream.

Do my hands really look like rocks?

One great thing about being by the stream is that there’s plenty for kids to do—they’ll never get bored. Though the weather was a bit hot today, so we really had to watch out for heatstroke.

Feeling like the city is just too hot in the summer? Why not head out to the countryside?

Address: No. 85, Wufeng Road, Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County 262
Latitude and Longitude: 24.829755, 121.751916

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