December 2025
We had an early flight home and decided to stay in Taoyuan for a day. Fortunately, there was plenty to do in the city so we didn’t feel shortchanged at all. Once we arrived and left our luggages at Cozzi Blu Hotel, we went straight to Landmark Plaza, the shopping centre next door for X-Park, a new and modern aquarium that feels very different from the traditional ones we’re used to. Located next to Taoyuan HSR and the Airport MRT, it’s an easy stop either at the start or end of a Taiwan trip.
For X-Park, we booked tickets in advance via Klook. Redemption was fuss-free. We could skip the queue and simply scanned our codes at the gantry to enter!
X-Park: A beautiful aquarium
Inside, the space is beautifully designed and thoughtfully paced, with immersive exhibits that blend lighting, sound and large viewing windows to draw you into each marine world. From mesmerising jellyfish tanks to playful penguins and graceful stingrays, it’s engaging without being overwhelming — which made it especially manageable with kids.
Our favourite exhibit was definitely the penguins. We were all roaring with laughter as everyone waited for them to cross over and slide down — only for the penguins to hesitate, shuffle nervously, and even turn back several times. Their cautious, almost comical indecision made the moment far more entertaining than the slide itself, and it ended up being one of those small, unexpected highlights that had the whole crowd smiling.
Again, we relied on Taiwan Obsessed’s post on X-Park to help us plan for this outing so please read his post which has a lot more useful details!
Thanks to his post, we knew we wanted to catch the 3pm Live Animal Performance at the outdoor theatre (other timings are available too!). We didn’t have to rush actually. We entered at around 12.30pm and took our time marvelling at different exhibits before ending up at X-Cafe around 2.30pm.
The outdoor theatre was just next to X-Cafe by Pronto, so we decided to order some coffee and cakes and wait there. The amazing thing about this cafe is that there is a here’s a transparent penguin swim tube / overhead channel that lets you watch penguins swim above and around you as you enjoy coffee and snacks. 🐧✨
Our kids were beyond excited whenever the penguins glided past!
From the cafe, we discovered that there was also an outdoor park! We had thought we were done! We saw goats, capybaras and even a binturong there!
When it was nearly 3pm, we went back in and found seats easily at the outdoor theatre for the show. The performance featured a sea lion, who splashed, leapt and showed off its agility as part of a playful storyline themed around kungfu masters.
It was light-hearted and theatrical rather than loud or overproduced, which worked well for kids. Midway through the show, the binturong — which we had earlier spotted in the outdoor area — also made a surprise appearance, tying the different exhibits together in a way that felt fun and slightly unexpected. Oddly though, they didn’t showcase parrots even though the poster showed a parrot so my youngest was greatly disappointed. We had to buy him a parrot from the gift shop afterwards!
Overall, we had such a comfortable time at Xpark. We’ve been to many aquariums, including the Oceanarium in Singapore, but what stood out here was how the space never felt overcrowded. We were never nudged away from exhibits, there was plenty of seating at the café, and even the outdoor show felt relaxed and manageable.
We exited through the gift shop, which was one of the better gift shops we’ve seen during our trip. Perhaps it was because we love ocean creatures and there were plenty of plush toys on the shelves, alongside other interesting souvenirs.
Shopping at Gloria Outlets
It was around 4.30pm when we were done with Xpark — just nice for check-in at Hotel Cozzi Blu. After a short rest, it was time for dinner. We decided to take a short stroll over to Gloria Outlets, which is conveniently connected to Landmark Plaza via a linkway bridge.
The outlet mall is spacious and well laid-out, with a wide mix of international brands in an outdoor, American-style setting. We’re not big or luxury shoppers, so we mostly wandered at an easy pace, popping into a few kids-related stores and the lone Lock & Lock outlet. My husband, on the other hand, happily checked out the sportswear shops like Nike, Adidas and other familiar athletic brands.
I wished we had more time at Gloria Outlets because it was huge. We even noticed an arcade that we couldn’t go into because it was getting late.
There were also many casual eateries and sit-down restaurants, making it easy to find something that suits both adults and kids. But we could only choose one restaurant and somehow ended up in Baby Donkey!
Peeking in, the interior features a soft, modern palette of muted pinks, light wood tones and clean lines, with cane-backed chairs and tiled walls creating a calm, airy space that feels both stylish and family-friendly. We were warmly welcomed in by a very kind staff, who not only helped us to settle down and get comfortable but also ran back and forth the kitchen to check on our dietary restrictions. 🙏
We absolutely loved the burgers we ordered — a fish fillet burger and a double cheeseburger, both hearty and satisfying. The kids’ meal, a Baby Salmon Meal, was thoughtfully put together and included a decent serving of salmon alfredo, sourdough slices, fruit bites and orange juice. It felt balanced and comforting, and was one of the rare kids’ meals that didn’t feel like an afterthought. They finished everything!
After dinner, we stepped back out and lingered awhile, soaking in the festive atmosphere. We happened to be there during Christmas, and the giant Christmas tree — along with bursts of fake snow drifting through the air — had the kids completely entranced. It was such a joyful way to end the day.
Little Notes
Note the closing time: We stayed past 9pm, too busy munching on a waffle to realise that the linkway bridge had been sealed off. Since we were staying at Hotel Cozzi Blu, and the bridge is the most direct route back, we ended up having to backtrack and walk a big loop to exit via another gate. Not a big deal — just something to note if you’re planning a late dinner or dessert stop.
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This Little Season 