Xikou Little Switzerland (aka Tianjing Whirlpool) is a glory hole above Wushantou Reservoir in Dongshan District of Tainan City. It looks like a giant bathtub drain, moving water from the waterway above down to the Wushantou power station below, making a giant whirlpool, and has become a unique tourist destination in Tainan. 

Background:
The glory called "Xikou Little Switzerland" was built as a drain to connect water coming from Tsengwen Reservoir (曾文水庫) and Wushantou Reservoir (烏山頭水庫). The water from Tsengwen River below Tsengwen Reservoir flows through an underground tunnel under a mountain to the small waterway where Xikou Little Switzerland lies. This underground tunnel and waterway was built during the Japanese Era in about 1930. Wushantou Reservoir was also completed in 1930. The Xikou Little Sweden drain was also completed at this time. 
Tsengwen Reservoir was completed later in 1973 to increase water capacity in the area.  
The water from Xikou Little Switzerland flows down to a tower and then a power generating station at the mouth of the Wushantou Reservoir.
The name "Xikou" means west entrance, referring to the west entrance of the underground tunnel connecting the Tsengwen River.
The name "Little Switzerland" was used to describe the area long before the dam was built, because the surrounding mountains to the east make the place look like a miniature Switzerland.
Now the area only sees a few visitors a day because of its remoteness, but is still a unique place that many people want to see. 

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

How to get there:
By car/taxi: From Tainan, take National Freeway 3  north to Wushantou exit 329. From there take Tainan City highway 174 east, and turn right at the sign to 西口小瑞士.
Unfortunately there is no public transport to this location; the nearest bus stop is 3-4 KM away. 

Map:
​Please see below:

Lantan Lake, also known as orchid lake, and Renyitan Reservior are two reservoirs right next to each other near Chiayi City, drawing water from the Bazhang River (八掌溪). The reservoirs are interconnected, and together they serve as main source of Chiayi City's water, and date back to the Dutch rule of Taiwan. Both are also great places to relax and enjoy the scenery near Chiayi.

Background:
Lantan Lake Reservior 蘭潭水庫:
Lantan Lake dates back to the Dutch Rule of Taiwan in the1600s. The Bazhang River was dug out and dammed by the dutch to provide irrigation to the surrounding farmland, which produced crops for the Dutch East India Trading Company. 
After the Dutch rule, the lake went largely to waste until the Japanese occupation when it was rebuilt. 
Currently Lantan Lake along with Renyitan are main source of water for Chiayi City.
Renyitan Reservior 仁義潭水庫:
Renyitan Reserivour was completed along the Bazhang River in 1987 to add water reserves to Chiayi City, because Lantan Lake was not providing enough for water need. It is105 meters deep at its deepest point. It is connected with Lantan Lake and can be used to adjust the Lake's Water level. Renyitan and Lantan Lake are the main water source for Chiayi City. 

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

How to get there:
By Car/scooter: From Chiayi Station, go east on Chiuyang Road, then once you get near the resevior, take a right on Xiaoya Road. The Road will take you to the Lantan Lake scenic area, then it is a short ride east to Renyitan.
By Bus: From Chiayi Station, go east on Chiayi County Bus No. 1 until you reach Lantan Scenic Area (Yueyingtanxin Stop). 

Map:
​Please see below:

Xinshan Dream Lake (aka Xinshan Menghu) is a beautiful lake in Xizhi District of New Taipei. It is a popular place to stop for couples and Instagrammers due to its dream like aura. Also you can take the steep climb up Xinshan and enjoy some amazing views of east Taipei and Keelung. Besides taking photos, this Xinshan Dream Lake is a great place to relax and enjoy nature.

Background:
The rock formations that form the Xinshan Dream lake hike formed as sediment under the ocean millions of years ago, and was later uplifted thanks to the collision of the Eurasian and Phillipine plates. The rocks are mainly sedimentary and are part of the same formation that forms the special rock formations on the northern coast around Keelung, and the waterfalls in Pingxi.
Xinshan sits at 499 meters above sea level, while dream lake is 325 meters above sea level, which means the hike gains 175 meters from dream lake (in less than .5 KM), making it a short, steep hike. 
Dream Lake get's its name from the thick fog that covers it during winter months, making it look like a dreamscape. Dream Lake is a popular spot for couples, wedding photography, and Instagram photos. 

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

Hike Difficulty:
Moderate: About an hour hike round trip, steep and difficult climbing through the forest with aid of ropes.

How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: Take Xiwan Road (夕萬路) from Xizhi until you come to the turnoff the Xinshan Menghu on the right. It is a small one lane road up the mountain. There is scooter parking and limited car parking on the side of the road. You may need to park further down and hike up if you drive a car. The Lake trail is at the end of the road. 
By Bus: Take Dongnan Bus F910 from Xizhi Park about 40 minutes up the mountain to Xiwan Raod Bridge No. 3. From there you have to hike up to Xinshan before you come down to dream lake. Or you can get off at Menghu Intersection, but it is a long walk up the road. 

Map:
Please see below:

Bitan is a slow moving part of the Xindian River in Xindian District of New Taipei. It is also known as Bitan Lake, or Bitan Scenic Area (碧潭風景區). Here you can bike ride, paddle boat, go hiking, and shop at Xindian Old Street (新店老街). With convenient transportation via Taipei MRT, it is definitely worth a stop on your trip to Taipei. 

Background:
The name Bitan means "green lake" in Chinese, which was coined by Sun Ke, vice chairman of the KMT after WWII. It is also known as Chibi Lake (赤壁潭)、Shibi Lake (石壁潭)、and Shishan Big Lake (獅山邊大潭). 
Bitan suspension bridge was completed in 1937. Before that time, ferry boat was the best means of transport. In 1997, the National Freeway 3 bridge was completed across the lake. In 2000, Bitan Suspension Bridge was refurbished. 
It is also known as one of Taiwan's top 12 or top 8 sights. 
It is also a very popular recreational spot for Taipie residents on the weekend. 
Near Bitan is Xindian Old Street (新店老街), which sells street food, fruits, and vegetables. It has been the main acrigultural market in Xindian for over a hundred years. The Changxing Temple on the Old Street (長興宮) is over 150 years old, and is dedicated to the Earth God. 

Price:
Free entrance
Ferry boat: 20 NT one way
Paddle boats: 300 NT for a two person boat, more for more people or electric boats
Bike rental: 15-70 NT per hour depending on the bike

Hours:
About 8 AM to 10 PM.

How to get there:
By MRT: Take the Green Line MRT south to Xindian Station, or Xiaobitan Station. Xindian Old Street is within walking distance of Xindian Old Street. From Xiaobitan Station, you can rent a bike and ride up the river to Xindian Old Street.
By car/scooter: From Taipei, go south on provincial highway 9 until you reach Xindian Old Street. There is paid parking near the old street. 
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Map:
Please see below:

Shimen Dam and reservoir are popular destinations in Taoyuan City of Taiwan. The dam is open to the public, and around the dam are many parks and trails to enjoy, as well as great scenery of the surrounding mountains and plains. 

Background:
The name "Shimen 石門" which means "stone gates" comes from the fact that the dam was built on a narrow gorge in the Dahan River valley, which was called the "stone gate."
Shimen Dam was completed in 1964 and took 9 years and NT 1.4 billion to complete. It was the ROC's first major water project. 2,000 people were displaced due to the dam's construction. The reservoir created year round water capacity for surrounding farmland, doubling agricultural yields. 
Since it was built, the water capacity has been reduced by about a third due to silting.
The dam has also become a popular tourist destination due to the beautiful scenery surrounding it.

Hours:
8:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Price:
Entrance Fee: 80 NT for cars, 30 NT for scooters

How to get there:
By Bus: Take Taoyuan Bus 505 from Zhongli Station south until you reach the Dam (about a two hour ride).
By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 3 in Taoyuan South until you reach county road 63. Then turn south toward the reservoir. There is parking near either side of the dam.
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Map:
Please see below:

Thousand Island Lake (Officially Feitsui Reservoir 翡翠水庫 or Emerald Lake) is a reservoir in New Taipei that sits in Shiding District. It is a popular place to visit because the reservoir winding through the mountain valleys looks like many islands from a distance. It also has the largest concrete dam in Taiwan.

Background:
When it was seen in the 1970s that the Shimen Dam could not meet all the water needs of greater Taipei, the Taipei City government set out to build another dam along the Beishi River.
The Dam was completed in 1987 at a cost of 11 billion NT. 
The Dam holding the reservoir back is 122 meters high and 510 meters long, making it the biggest concrete dam in Taiwan by volume.
The Dam today serves over 6 million people in greater Taipei. Besides providing water, the dam also generates electricity. 
To ensure water quality, most of the Dam is closed off the the public, expect with a permit and accompaniment by a guide. The best place to see the Dam is from the tea plantations on the Shiding side (northeast). 

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

How to get there:
Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 9 east toward Pinglin. Take a right down the mountain right before Taipei Garden Cemetery. There are a few restaurants and lookouts along this road.
Bus: Take Sindian Bus GR12 east to Shisangu Station. From there you can walk about half an hour down to the lookout. 

Map:
Please see below: