Xinzhuang's Zhonggang Canal was once an artificial channel that carried factory wastewater from the local area and doubled as flood drainage during heavy rain. Following the example of Seoul's restoration of the Cheonggyecheon Stream, the government transformed it into today's waterside park. Remember the "Next Stop, Happiness — Blue Zhonggang" light show that took Xinzhuang by storm in 2020? It was a huge hit at the time, and this year the New Taipei City Water Resources Bureau brought in the team behind the 2021 New Taipei Christmasland to produce "Whale Wonders at Zhonggang", an ocean-themed light show running nightly from 18:00 to 22:00, 11 February through 18 March 2022. The star attraction is a two-metre main light installation, a giant whale titled "A Whale Leaps for You", along with a 210-second water fountain show beside Xinzhuang's Big Mall Nanya Plaza. With lantern festivals and cherry blossom season kicking off across Taiwan this year, why not take a leisurely stroll along Zhonggang Canal and experience the wonders of the underwater world?
2020's "Next Stop, Happiness — Blue Zhonggang"
"Whale Wonders at Zhonggang" spans 12 display zones. It begins at the "Whale Wonders" archway, woven from marine-life motifs, which leads visitors into this vast ocean world. Along the way you can enjoy the jellyfish corridor "Don't Miss It", "Treasured Shells of Happiness", "Blue Ocean", "Ocean in My Heart", "Finding Ocean Friends", "Lingering Views", "Ray of Sunshine", "Underwater Dancers", "Sonic Sea Torpedo", and, at Aowan Wharf, the show-stopping "Water in Motion" — twelve dazzling installations in total. Running for a limited 36 days, timed to coincide with lantern festivals, cherry blossom season and Valentine's Day, this is set to be a hit on social media, and it makes for a lovely romantic stroll for couples hand in hand at this ocean-themed event.
The "Whale Wonders" entrance archway. Image: New Taipei City Water Resources Bureau
The main light installation, "A Whale Leaps for You", uses immersive light and shadow effects: a giant whale, two metres tall, breaches the surface as if greeting every visitor, creating a striking, immersive and romantic scene. "Sonic Sea Torpedo" uses laser projection paired with mirrored fixtures to cast marine creatures onto the surrounding walls. Further along, "Ray of Sunshine" pairs ray-shaped light fixtures with rippling water-pattern projections, recreating the view of sunlight filtering down from below the ocean's surface — a genuinely beautiful sight.
Main light installation: "A Whale Leaps for You". Image: New Taipei City Water Resources Bureau
"Ray of Sunshine". Image: New Taipei City Water Resources Bureau
"Sonic Sea Torpedo". Image: New Taipei City Water Resources Bureau
Two of the most popular spots at this year's show are undoubtedly the jellyfish installation "Don't Miss It" and the fable-inspired "Treasured Shells of Happiness". The jellyfish corridor "Don't Miss It" arranges 20 vividly coloured jellyfish sculptures across the water's surface, their shifting colours bringing the canal to life. "Treasured Shells of Happiness" centres on shells and pearls, with fog machines creating a dreamlike, misty atmosphere — no wonder these two spots are the must-photograph stops on Facebook and Instagram!
"Treasured Shells of Happiness"
"Don't Miss It"
The grand finale of New Taipei's 2022 "Whale Wonders at Zhonggang" light show is the "Whale Wonders" water fountain show, staged in Vision Park beside Big Mall Nanya Plaza — a seven-metre water screen combined with laser effects and music for a genuinely stunning four-minute performance.
The "Water in Motion" fountain show
  • Event dates: 11 February – 18 March 2022
  • Lighting hours: daily from 6pm to 10pm
  • Location: Zhonggang Canal, Xinzhuang District, from Zili Plaza to Aowan Wharf, roughly 1.8km in total
  • Getting there
  • MRT: take the New Taipei Metro Circular Line to Xingfu Station
  • On foot: about a 7 to 8 minute walk along Xingfu Road
  • YouBike: docks available at Zhonghua Station or the Zhonghua Diazhi Street intersection
  • Bus: walk 3 minutes to Xingfu East Road and take bus 299 towards Xinzhuang Station, alighting at "Zhonggang Canal Waterside Trail"; or from Xingfu MRT Station, take bus 918 towards Taishan Station, alighting at the same stop
  • Bus routes
  • Xingfu-Zhonghua intersection: 99, 299, 618, 622, 845, Blue 18, Neihu Commuter 11, Orange 21
  • Zhonggang bus stop: 257, 617, 618, 622, 803, 835, 845, 918, Neihu Commuter 12, Yellow 3