The Beigang Water Cultural Park is the last remaining intact Japanese architectural site in Beigang. Built in 1930, it included a 20 meter octagonal water tower, reservoirs, and employee dormitories that still stand today. It is a great place to dive into Taiwan's past and sits right next to Beigang Old Street.
Historical Background: During the Qing Dynasty, the waterways around the Beigang River were made deeper than other areas in central Taiwan, allowing for larger ships and more trade. Beigang soon became one of the most prosperous areas in central Taiwan. In 1700 Chen Lixun donated to build the "Penkan Tianfei Temple," now the "Beigang Chaotian Temple 北港朝天宮." The temple housed a statue of Mazu brought from Meizhou in Fujian. Soon, it became the most important temple in the area. The temple has undergone reconstruction in 1730, 1770, and 1884. Currently the temple sees more than a million visitors a year and is considered one of the most important Mazu temples in Taiwan, and is part of the annual Mazu pilgrimage. Traditionally, local farmers in the area drew drinking water from ponds or wells. As the population grew, so did the demand for fresh drinking water. In 1930 during the Japanese era, the Beigang Water Treatment was constructed, thanks to 240,000 yen financed by the nearby Chaotian Temple mentioned above. The water tower is 20 meters high and was built in an octagonal shape. The two bottom floors were used as office space while the third floor was used as a storage tank for fresh water. Nearby a red-brick engine room was built, as well as reservoirs, and employee dormitories. The water facility drew water from the Beigang River, desilted the water, and sanitized it. Once completed, the water facility helped produce clean drinking water for nearly 10,000 households. The plant continued operations until 1997, when a new water treatment plant replaced it. The area was declared a heritage site in 2006. It now stands as a landmark to the history of Beigang and is a popular park for both tourists and locals. Hours: 24/7 Price: Free Where to stay: We have stayed at and recommend Ai Ni Ya Hotel, with great quality and service right in downtown Beigang (book on Agoda here or Booking.com here). We also recommend the Grand Earl Hotel, a high class hotel in central Douliu (book on Agoda here or Booking.com here) Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation on the islands. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. Tours in Yunlin: Tours and activities in Yunlin include Janfusun Fancy World Amusement Park, Kite Surfing, Tree Climbing , Chaoyang Green Energy Farm, Sam Siu Garden, Pink Castle Park, Gukeng Green Tunnel, Caoling Highway, and more. You can find more tours of Yunlin on Klook here or KKday here. Just to let you know, if you book using the links above, we get some commission at no cost to you, and you can help support our blog. You can click here to receive $5 USD on your first Klook purchase. How to get there: By Scooter: From Chiayi, go east on Highway 164 until you reach Beigang. There is free parking on the side of the road. Looking for scooter rental in Yunlin? Check out Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. By Car: From National Freeway 1, get off at the no. 257 Xingang / Minxiong Exit and keep going east on Highway 164 until you reach Beigang. There is paid parking near the riverside at the end of the old street. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bus/Train: From Chiayi HSR Station, you can take bus 7235 for about 40 minutes to Beigang Town. You can also book tickets to travel to Yunlin via inter-city bus on Klook here. You can book tickets to Yunlin via high speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. Map: Please see below: Our Journey: I have been to the Beigang Water Cultural Park once. The first time I visited Beigang Old Street I missed it. But it was so important that I had to visit Beigang a second time to see it. It is truly a unique and magnificent piece of architecture from a bygone era. The whole park is very well preserved and worth visiting.
See above for our drone video of the area.
Beigang was once the second largest city in Taiwan, second only to Tainan City, and was central Taiwan's most important maritime trading post. After the silting of the Beigang River, the town mostly relies on agriculture for its economy, but Beigang Old Street is also one of the most important religious sites in Taiwan due to the worship of Mazu in Beigang Chaotian Temple. Besides the temple, there are also many food and shopping options nearby. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to central Taiwan.
Check out our full blog on Beigang Old Street here. 
Sign plate for the water cultural park.
Guide map for historical Beigang.
Full view of the tower. I think there is a dragon decoration here because it was the year of the dragon.
Murals on the levee near the water tower.
Another view of the water tower with fake cherry blossoms below.
Closeup on the outer stairwell on the tower.
Closeup on one of the windows.
Side of the pumping machine room.
Outside view of the pumping machine room. The doors were not open to the inside when I visited.
View of the Aeration Tower, which is 3.5 meters tall and 3 meters wide. Coal and charcoal were used to clean metals out of the water, deodorize, and decolor the water. The water flows down each layer like a waterfall and acts like a giant water filter. I have seen a similar contraption at Chengching Lake in Kaohsiung.
Another view from the back side of the tower.
The first floor of the tower is a café, but sadly it was closed when I visited.
Out back you can see the recently renovated employee dormitories.
When I visited, there were lots of people and lots of fancy colorful carp fish. The reason for this is that they were celebrating the annual "Carp Streamer Festival." In Japan, the most iconic symbol of Boys' Day, celebrated on May 5th, is the carp streamer (koinobori). These streamers depict the story of a carp swimming upstream, overcoming obstacles, and eventually leaping over the Dragon Gate to become a dragon. This tale symbolizes bravery, strength, and growth, qualities that are celebrated in boys during this festival.
I happened to visit the Shinto Shrine at the right time. I'm sure they will have a similar festival again next May. 
There were also colorful lanterns on display when I visited.
Another view down the street near the water park.
Also behind the water tower, you can see the old retention ponds that were used to filter water.
There are coi fish in the ponds that you can feed.
Dragon statue.
Another view of the lanterns.
Aerial view of the area.
Another view of the cultural water park.
Old houses nearby.
Another old house likely dating to the Qing Dynasty.
View of Beigang from Chaotian Temple and the statue of Mazu.
You can see more photos of the area in the gallery above.
Don't forget there are many other activities and places to see in Yunlin such as Janfusun Fancy World Amusement Park, Kite Surfing, Tree Climbing, Chaoyang Green Energy Farm, Sam Siu Garden, Pink Castle Park, Gukeng Green Tunnel, Caoling Highway, and more. You can find more tours of Yunlin on Klook here or KKday here. You can check out our full guide to Yunlin here. You can also see our full guide to Taiwan here.
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Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
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