Daan Forest Park in Taipei, Taiwan Guide + Photos

A green oasis in a very busy city, Daan Forest Park in Taipei is a sprawling open space popular with families and walkers.

Given its inner city location, you’d be surprised by the sheer number of wildlife and birds that live in Daan Forest Park (大安森林公園).

Sprawling over 60 acres, it has an outdoor auditorium, numerous fitness facilities and running tracks plus lots of flora and fauna including an eco-pond. Daan Park is also one of the best free things to do in Taipei and great for families.

From its annual Azalea Festival to its musical auditorium, here is our guide to Daan Forest Park in Taipei.

You might like – Things to do in Taipei’s Xinyi district >

Taiwan checklist

We love using agoda.com, expedia.com and booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels.

For booking tours, transfers and buying SIM cards/eSIMs we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator, KK Day or Klook. You can also purchase eSIMs from Airalo.

For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars. For private drivers and taxis, check out our Transfer guide >

For more recommendations, check out our Taiwan travel booking resources page >

All set for Taiwan? Do one final check with our Taipei first timers guide and our packing list guide. Travelling with kids? Check out our Taipei For Kids eBook >

Table of Contents

How to get to Daan Forest Park / 大安森林公園

It is easy to get to Daan Forest Park by Taipei public transport – the nearest station is Daan Park MRT station. If you take exits 5, 4, 3 and 2 you come out directly in the park itself.

Avoid exit 1 of Daan Park station as it comes out the other side of the road away from Daan Park.

Also check Google Maps or the official Go! Taipei Metro app to see which is the quickest and best route for you.

Taiwanderers Tip

Grab a Taiwan EasyCard as a convenient way to use buses and public transport in Taipei and across Taiwan. They can be easily topped up at stations and convenience stores.

Read more about how to use a Taiwan EasyCard, including how to top up >

You might also like – 30 cute Taiwan EasyCard designs and where to buy them >

Daan Forest Park admission fee and opening hours

One of Taipei’s largest urban parks, Daan Forest Park is free admission – no tickets are required.

Daan Park is open 24 hours a day but some sections and toilets may be closed overnight.

Firefly restoration area sign at Daan Forest Park in Taipei, Taiwan

You might like – Our guide to Zhongshan, Taipei’s trendiest district >

Join our Facebook Taiwan Travel Tips (TTT) Group!
Need help with your Taiwan itinerary or have any questions? Head on over to the most fun and fastest growing Taiwan Facebook group with 170,000+ members and ask the experts!
Click here to join our group >

Or if you just want to see more of our Taiwan photos, follow our Taiwan Facebook page >

History of Daan Park

Amazingly, Daan Park is one of the newest public parks, having opened 30 years ago in 1994.

Prior to being given to the Taiwan public as a green space for all, it was used as parkland in the 1930s before being built on by the ROC Government as a military village, plus the ‘International House of Taipei’ which once housed thousands of refugees of the Chinese Civil War.

After plans to build a huge stadium here in the 1980s was knocked back after a huge environmental campaign backlash, over 10,000 illegal occupants were eventually removed to make way for the new public park.

clock at Daan Forest Park in Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwanderers Tip – if you want to visit an old military in Taipei that is still standing / protected , check out our guide to 44 South Military Village, in the shadow of Taipei 101 in Xinyi and free to visit

You might like – Our guide to Simple Kaffa Sola, Taiwan’s tallest coffee shop atop Taipei 101 >

Things to do in Daan Park

A green oasis and sometimes referred to as the ‘Green Lungs of Taipei’, there are many free activities and sights to enjoy in Daan Park including:

Daan Park Eco-Pond

Our favorite thing to do in Daan Park, the circular eco-pond is home to hundreds of birds (it is incredible to see). There are several jetties and platforms for birdwatching (or even picnics) and boardwalks all around the water.

pond at Daan Forest Park in Taipei, Taiwan

bird sign at Daan Forest Park in Taipei, Taiwan

As well as birds, we also spotted squirrels in the trees, hundreds of fish in the pond plus dragonflies darting about the pond’s surface.

birds at Daan Forest Park in Taipei, Taiwan

You might like – Our guide to Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Taipei’s best cultural hub >

Daan Park Pavilion & Concerts

In the middle of the park, there is a small covered stage and auditorium that is used for summer and weekend concerts.

When we visited on a boiling hot day once, this was the main place people took shelter out of the sun.

covered stage and auditorium at Daan Forest Park in Taipei, Taiwan

You might like – Guide to Taipei Pokemon Center or the new Pop Mart flagship store in Ximen

Sport Facilities

As well as providing an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life in Taipei, Daan Park is popular with locals due to all its sports and recreation facilities like a roller skating rink, baseball practice pit, basketball courts and ‘Taipei Eco Gym’ (to be honest, we have no clue what the latter is)!

You might like – Things to do in Keelung, an easy day trip from Taipei >

Picnics

There are lots of grassy areas to roll out picnic blankets and set-up hampers, with many popular spots beneath cherry blossom trees in the spring months.

On our last visit to Daan Park in early 2024 during the annual Azalea Festival, we even saw someone getting a pizza delivered to their picnic blanket – amazing!

You might like – Our guide to the Hello Kitty 7-Eleven stores in Taipei >

Daan Park Annual Azalea Festival

We were also lucky enough to visit the 2024 Daan Park Azalea festival in Taipei (in March) where the park blooms into life with colorful floral displays of awesome azalea attracting thousands of visitors (and butterflies!).

Azalea Festival at Daan Forest Park in Taipei, Taiwan

The azaleas in Daan Park looked incredible, like a carpet of rainbow colours, plus the trees were strung with thousands of colourful paper cranes.

Dotted around the park were floral floats and flower displays (including a giant robot!), all of which were free to visit – musical concerts were also put on at the amphitheater.

The Daan Park Azalea festival (usually) takes place 1 to 31 March every year.

robot at Azalea Festival at Daan Forest Park in Taipei, Taiwan

You might like – Taiwan Receipt Lottery Guide for Travelers >

Other things to do near Daan Forest Park in Taipei

Yongkang Street

Taipei’s tastiest neighborhood, Yongkang Street is one of the yummiest things to do in Taiwan, packed full of cool cafes, decadent desserts and oodles of noodle shops and delicious dumplings. Yongkang Street is just a 10 minute / 750 metre walk from Daan Park.

From the terrific Tian Jin Scallion Flaky Pancakes to xiao long bao and beef noodles, there is something to suit all tastes (and budgets) along Yongkang Street – and don’t forget tofu pudding for dessert!

xiao long bao dumplings and taiwan beer at Yongkang Street Taipei

And it isn’t just food, as there are cute gift shops, craft beer bars and gorgeous green spaces.

One of Taipei’s top food destinations, here is our guide to the things to do along Yongkang Street, Taipei >

bamboo steamers at Yongkang Street Taipei

Rongjin Gorgeous Time

A historic site that is now a hipster heaven, Rongjin Gorgeous Time is not only a cute name but a sublime street-mall in Taipei that is full of cool cafes, decadent dessert shops plus gorgeous gift stores galore.

Opened in late 2022 and located on the site of a former prison built in the early 1900s during the Japanese colonial period, Taipei’s Rongjin Gorgeous Time Japanese style buildings has quickly become one of Taipei’s best hipster hangouts and characterful creative districts.

Popular with shoppers and coffee connoisseurs, the architecture and Japanese influences here make this a popular Instagram posing place.

You can even rent Japanese kimonos at Rongjin Gorgeous Time using the traditional setting and wooden exteriors as a beautiful backdrop reminiscent of Kyoto.

From craft beer bars to beetle ice-cream cones, wonderful waffles to the best bakeries, here is our guide to Rongjin Gorgeous Time >

Taiwanderers Email Newsletter!
For travel tips and fun news, make sure you subscribe to our Taiwanderers Taiwan Travel Tips email newsletter! Click here to sign up (you can unsubscribe at any time)

Jianguo Jade Market and Holiday Flower Market

A ‘gem’ of a Taipei weekend market, Jianguo Jade Market and Holiday Flower Market (建國玉市) takes place every Saturday and Sunday in Taipei’s Da’an District.

Located beneath an overpass below one of Taipei’s busiest roads, Jianguo Jade Market and flower market is full of color, from beautiful flowers to gorgeous jewelry like green jade necklaces.

Even if you aren’t in the market for buying jewelry, it is a top Taipei weekend market to visit as it is an all weather affair (it is covered) and always bustling with locals, many of whom are accompanied by their beloved dogs in prams!

From opening hours to different stall types, here is our guide to Jianguo Jade Market and Holiday Flower Market >