Taipei City Hakka Cultural Park

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Art installation of a large seated figure in blue in a field of orbs at the Taipei City Hakka Cultural Park.

Taiwan loves to include the word "cultural" in all sorts of public landmarks, but it’s fully warranted in this case. The multistory exhibition center on the right as you enter is packed with displays on the religion, clothing and cuisine of the Hakka, a Chinese ethnic group. Sadly, there is not much explanation in English. Opposite is the music-and-theatre center, where you can listen to Hakka music. The surrounding 4-hectare park is modeled in part on a Hakka village – there's even a rice-paddy field.

The best time to visit is during a traditional event, such as the Yimin Festival (18th to 20th of the seventh lunar month).

Turkish coffee and sweets are sold at the cute cafe on the ground floor, while the grounds also have displays of traditional Hakka agriculture and lots of makeshift structures that kids will love to explore. The park connects via a very cool bike and pedestrian bridge to Gongguan Riverside Park.

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