New Taipei City Travel

New Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Department Press Release 113.07.05
Ensuring Water Safety: Enjoy a Cool Summer in New Taipei

【New Taipei City News】This summer is hotter than usual, and many people choose water activities to cool off and relax. To ensure the safety of citizens enjoying water activities, the New Taipei City Government conducted a water safety inspection and rescue drill on June 30. Mayor Hou You-yi personally attended the event to oversee the proceedings and express gratitude to private rescue organizations and volunteer firefighters for their assistance. Director of the New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department, Yang Tsung-min, urged citizens to select safe water areas with qualified lifeguards before engaging in water activities. He emphasized three key safety tips: choose "safe locations," select "certified and safe operators," and adhere to "safety regulations." Additionally, citizens are advised to avoid going alone, particularly ensuring that children are accompanied by parents during water activities. Besides learning self-rescue in water, it is crucial to pay attention to weather changes to ensure a happy and safe return home.

In recent years, the Executive Yuan has promoted the "Salute to the Ocean" marine policy, which encourages the public to "know the sea," "approach the sea," and "enter the sea" through five principles of marine education: openness, transparency, service, education, and responsibility. As a result, the number of people participating in water activities has been increasing yearly. New Taipei City offers many popular water destinations for such activities. Director Yang also reminded citizens to visit the New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department’s website to find the "Water Recreation" section for relevant information, to avoid disappointment by finding out activities are not allowed upon arrival.

Moreover, to strengthen safety promotion for high-risk water recreation areas, this release introduces the Sanxia Dabao River recreation environment. Sanxia Dabao River is a popular summer water recreation spot in northern Taiwan, with upstream attractions such as Full Moon Park Forest Recreation Area, Lelegu, Toad Valley, and Mandarin Duck Valley, combined with mountain barbecues, attracting an estimated 10,000 visitors annually. The 22-kilometer-long Dabao River allows swimming only at locations with lifeguards during the summer. Other water activities are not permitted. From upstream to downstream, lifeguard locations along Dabao River include Baxian Bridge, Legend in the Mountains, Bee World, Toad Valley, Mandarin Duck Valley, Green Valley, Dongyang Bridge, Dongyan Bridge, Fairyland Paradise, Jinlong Bridge, and Jinmin Bridge, totaling 11 locations. Citizens are reminded to ensure the presence of lifeguards before entering the water. Additionally, during heavy rains or typhoons, avoid these areas to prevent accidents. The New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department reiterates that due to the terrain, many streams may appear calm on the surface but are actually swift and deep. One step may be shallow, but the next could be several meters deep. Citizens must follow onsite signs and lifeguard instructions and understand water conditions in advance to ensure a joyful and safe outing.

For information on water activities in the city, citizens can visit the "New Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Department Administrative Information Website" and the "Ministry of Transportation and Communications Tourism Bureau Administrative Information Website." For more activity-related information, please refer to the relevant links.

【This news release has been translated by ChatGPT.】