As early as the Japanese colonial period, what is now Sankeng Ecological Park was a busy ferry head. At that time in Taiwan, water transportation was the main way to move goods around. Longtan Sankeng was well positioned for river transport. As well as everyday goods, products like tea and camphor that were exported from Taoyuan and Hsinchu at that time would be carried by manpower to the ferry head and sent on by boat sent to Daxi, Dadaocheng in Taipei and on from there to every part of the world, making Sankeng well known as the “Hakka tea port.”
Later on, the river routes became silted up, leading to a decline in water transport. This, coupled with dumping from illicit sand and gravel quarrying, severely disfigured the natural local scenery. After much campaigning by local people and people from outside, the Ministry of the Interior’s Construction and Planning Agency set out a plan to introduce the Shihmen canal’s water sources, gradually improving the surrounding cultivation and greenery into a beautiful lush natural ecological park.
Sankeng Ecological Park displays a rich waterfront ecology, and has become a highlight of Longtan District’s natural scenery. Lying close to the Shihmen Reservoir and Dahan River, the ecological park in its early planning stages was predicated on preserving the original local ecosystem, reducing manmade damage as much as possible and combining nature and recreation. The back of the park connects to the well-known Sankeng Cycling Path, a six-kilometer cycling route with a moderate slope that is suitable for adults and kids alike. At the height of summer visitors can enjoy the endless lush green rice fields, and in autumn and winter a great sea of cosmos flowers, making it a place well worth a visit.
