Guandu Nature Park 關渡自然公園

9/27/2024

Guandu Nature Park (關渡自然公園) is a large park a nature reserve in Beitou District of Taipei. The park was originally planned to be turned into a stadium but was saved by wildlife conservationists who were concerned about the birds and wetlands within the park. The area includes bike trails, bird-watching observatories, and walking trails. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Taipei.

Historical Background:
Around 1700 during the Qing Dynasty, the area around Guandu Nature Park was a vast body of water. By 1875, it had been reclaimed and converted into farmland. However, after 1955, due to groundwater extraction in the Taipei Basin causing land subsidence, the construction of the Guandu Dike, and the rerouting of the Keelung River, this area frequently experienced flooding, and the farmland outside the dike was gradually abandoned and swamps and mangrove forests began to form in the area. The wetland and migratory bird habitat in front of Guandu Temple soon became a focal point for birdwatchers.
The Taipei Birdwatching Association wrote to the city government asking to establishment a protected area. In 1983, the Taipei City Government under Taipei Mayor Lee Tung-Huii designated the grassy marshlands from south of the Guandu Dike to the tip of Shezi Island at the mouth of the Keelung River as the "Taipei Guandu Waterbird Ecological Conservation Area." Plans were also made for a nature park.
Guandu Nature Park The mudflats outside the Guandu Dike were designated as the "Guandu Nature Reserve" in 1986. In 1996, the Taipei City Government officially established "Guandu Nature Park," defining the protected area to preserve the natural wetland and provide a space for conservation, education, recreation, and research. The park covers an area of 57 hectares and includes a nature center, coastal forest area, pond area, fiddler crab area, birdwatching areas, and more.
In 2001, the Taipei City Government entrusted the management of Guandu Nature Park to the Taipei Birdwatching Society. Since 2012, Guandu Nature Park has let brackish water flow into the park during high tide to increase the environmental diversity of the wetlands. Currently, the mangrove forests are also expanding.

Birds Seen in the Park:

Mallard Ducks
shorebirds, ducks, and raptors arrive.
Black-faced Spoonbills
Eurasian Spoonbills
Northern Pintails
Eurasian Wigeons
Northern Shovelers
Grey Herons
Egrets
Little Grebes
Black-winged Stilts
Little Terns
Yellow Bitterns
Oriental Pratincoles
Siberian Crane
Osprey
Brown Shrike
Peregrine Falcon

Price:
60 NT per person

Hours:
7 AM to 5 PM

Tours:
You can book a 2-hr Raohe Night Market Walking Private Tour with a Tour Guide, or Taipei at Night: Din Tai Fung Dinner & Raohe Street Night Market Guided Tour on KKday here, or Klook here .

Where to stay:
High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Nangang Marriott (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here).
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

How to get there:
By MRT:
Take the MRT red line to Guandu Station. The temple is about a ten minute walk to the west. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here.
By Car:
If you travel there by car, there is lots of paid parking near the temple. 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 Scooter:
There is free parking next to the temple. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
By Bicycle:
Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy, and there are many bike paths nearby. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here.
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here.

Map:

Please see below:

For an overview of the area, you can also check out our drone footage below.

You can also check out our 360 degree panorama below:

360 degree aerial view from Guandu Temple, Guandu Wharf, and Guandu Nature Preserve on a beautiful morning. There is also an amazing a bike path that goes through the area. #關渡 #關渡自然公園 #關渡碼頭 #關渡宮 #觀音山
Posted by Foreigners in Taiwan 外國人在台灣 on Sunday, November 19, 2023

Our Journey:

We have been to Guandu Nature Park three times and had a great time. Besides the park itself, there is also an awesome bike path the goes around the area along the Keelung River and Tamsui River over to Guandu Wharf and Guandu Temple. It is a beautiful area to check out.

Sign pointing to Guandu Nature Park along the levee.

Here is where they let brackish water into the nature park during high tide to allow nutrients into the swamp.

These are the flood gates in front of Guandu Wharf.

You can also visit Guandu Temple which is nearby. Check out our full guide to Guandu Temple here.

View of Guandu Wharf with Sampan boats that can handle shallow waters.

Another view of the wharf.

There is a bicycle path that runs along the Guandu Dike and along the mangrove forest following the Keelung and Tamsui Rivers, and then crossing a bridge over the Guandu Wharf here.