The Eye on Taiwan news staff
The tourism and travel department of the New Taipei City government is staging a series of dancing water shows in Bitan to feast the eyes of visitors, following its successful model of presenting similar performances that greatly helped promote the city’s tourism last year.
According to the department, the 53-day Bitan Dancing Water Show, which will last until April 30 and is bigger in scale compared with last year’s, has already attracted thousands of visitors since they began on March 9 at the lake, which is located just 25 minutes from Taipei main station by metro.
“We are using the newest world-class fountain technology and employing hundreds of lights and high-pressure water jets with nozzles bigger than those of last year to create both aesthetic and awe-inspiring effects in order to attract more visitors,” said Jenny Lin, division head of the department.
She said because of the newest technology, water jets can reach up to 30 meters high, and two different music pieces — “Time to Say Goodbye” by Sarah Brightman and music from the soundtrack of Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” — are timed with the six-minute performance, staged every 30 minutes between 6 pm to 8:30 pm daily in six different choreographed programs.
Songs by other famous singers, including Micheal Jackson and A-mei from Taiwan will also be used in future performances that are combined with colorful lighting and laser beams, she added.
The dancing fountain show in Bitan is the first in Taiwan to introduce the latest three-dimensional dancing water technology, she noted.
Bitan scenic spot
As part of the Xindian River, the lake is called “Bitan” (literally clear water lake) because of its clear water and gentle water flow, according to the department.
In addition to the nearby mountain slopes and a bikeway suitable for friends and family tours, there is an old suspension bridge now seen as the landmark of the scenic area.
Visitors are able to have a full view of the river and its shore looking down from the bridge. They can also surf around the lake in a water bike (aka swan boat), rent a bike to explore the scenery of the area along the lakeside bikeway, or stroll across the “Riverside Marketplace.”
The area along the east bank is home to a large number of restaurants and food stalls, carnival activities and park amenities, according to the department.
New Site in Bitan this is a specially designed dancing water show New Taipei City a new tourist site has emerged in the city.