Written/Compiled and Reported by Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network
The Little Yellow Duck is set to meet netizens across the country in just three days！ Standing at 18 meters tall and weighing 1,000 kilograms, it is the largest yellow duck in Asia and the second largest in the world. Ever since it was confirmed to come to Taiwan in late July, it has caused a huge sensation. Until last Friday (the 13th), after a quick inflation test, as many cute photos of the duck began circulating online, the duck craze heated up even more rapidly. Now, before the Little Yellow Duck makes its official debut, let’s take a look back at its growth story as it travels through Taiwan！
The Little Yellow Duck will be meeting everyone in just three days—have you all got your train tickets and accommodation sorted out? (Photo provided by Kaohsiung City Government)
The Little Yellow Duck is sewn together from 240 pieces of fabric in various shapes. The shortest piece is just 60 centimeters, while the longest is 19 meters, using a total of 840 meters of fabric—nearly the height of two Taipei 101 buildings.
This Little Yellow Duck is a native Taiwanese duck！ (Photo provided by Kaohsiung City Government)
Due to the highly intricate and complex manufacturing process, the manufacturer first had to create a model using a 60:1 scale paper pattern, then produce a 10:1 scaled-down version using actual materials to confirm everything was correct before beginning the full-size sewing. The most challenging part of making the duck was its beak—with nearly 30 pieces just for the beak alone to support its slightly upturned, adorable shape. Hidden inside the duck are two blowers that continuously pump air 24 hours a day. Once inflated, the duck has a body width of 25 meters, requiring 40 adults holding hands to encircle it.
Because the Little Yellow Duck is so intricately crafted, a 10:1 scaled-down version had to be made first and approved before the full-size version could be sewn. (Photo provided by Kaohsiung City Government)
So how does the Little Yellow Duck float steadily on the water to spread joy? While it looks like it's effortlessly bobbing along the sea, there's a little-known secret platform hiding beneath its rear. Because designer Florentijn Hofman has very strict requirements, the gap between the platform and sea level must be controlled within 1 to 3 centimeters. To meet Hofman’s specifications, the platform is designed to be detachable. After its display in Kaohsiung, it will be provided for continued use in Taoyuan.
The duck’s floating platform is a circular metal structure with an outer diameter of 15 meters. Its interior consists of four large steel pipes, each 60 centimeters in diameter, forming a square structural body that serves as the main buoyancy source. (Photo provided by Kaohsiung City Government)
The metal-based floating platform for the duck has a diameter of 15 meters and weighs approximately 11.5 tons in total, making it the world’s first detachable floating platform. To keep the duck steadily positioned in the waters of Glory Pier, four sets of anchor blocks, each weighing about 2 tons, were placed underwater. To reduce the overall weight of the platform, Keng Fu Shipbuilding used relatively expensive aluminum alloy materials to custom-build it for the duck. The central part is divided into eight sections, which are then connected and secured with stainless steel screws to enable detachability.
This floating platform is the secret weapon that allows the Little Yellow Duck to frolic effortlessly at Glory Pier！ It was entirely built in Taiwan and is the world’s first detachable floating platform. (Photo provided by Kaohsiung City Government)