New Taipei City Free Attraction: The "Shell" Slide – 5 Thrilling Lanes!

▲ The shell slide in Xibei Park has an ultra-unique design with a total of five lanes. (Photo / IG@novel0402Provided)

Reporter Li Zi-yi / Comprehensive Report

Remember the super-popular giant bowl slide in Yilan? You’ve been wanting to visit but thought it was too far away. Actually, there’s a similar free attraction right at the border of Banqiao and Shulin in New Taipei City — the “Shell Slide.” Hidden within the classic Chinese-style Xibei Ecological Park, it’s also the dream playground loved by both kids and adults nearby.

*Due to regulations on slide handrails, exit heights, and lengths, relevant authorities have defined the Shell Slide as a “shell landscape feature.” (Updated Oct. 7, 2016)

▲ The classic Chinese-style landscaping in Xibei Park is so charming it even attracts couples to take wedding photos here. (Photo /bobowin Travel Photography LifeProvided, the same below)

Passing through rows of urban buildings, you’ll find the expansive “Xibei Ecological Park,” which features large lawns, ecological ponds, and classic Chinese-style garden architecture — like an urban oasis. It’s not only a leisure spot for local residents, but you can also occasionally spot couples taking wedding photos here.

▲ The shell slide appears in grayish-white, and its cute design draws many visitors, giving the feeling of being underwater.

Hidden here is a small but popular “Shell Slide,” beloved by both kids and adults. The five lanes have different curves — the middle one is the steepest, fastest, and most thrilling. The grayish-white fan-shell-shaped slide is built next to a small grassy hill, with a dedicated pathway nearby for kids to climb up.

Although none of the five shell slide lanes are very long, they’re faster than expected. Visitors also suggest that if younger children want to try the middle lane, parents should stay close by to catch them at the bottom.

▲ The park preserves a fairly large ecological pond, paired with vast lawns, offering beautiful scenery.

Xibei Ecological Park retains a sizable ecological pond — a rare urban spot for observing nature. One corner of the park houses the Banqiao Xibei Branch of the New Taipei City Public Library, where you can borrow a book and enjoy a peaceful read under the green shade, surrounded by phytoncides. Aside from the shell slide, there are two other conventionally designed slides that keep the kids happily entertained.

▲ In addition to the shell slide, the park has two other slides that bring lots of joy to little ones.

Xibei Ecological Park
Address: No. 133, Section 2, Duxing Road, Banqiao District, New Taipei City (opposite Shā Elementary School)
Transportation: About a 10-minute walk from Shulin Train Station