Taichung’s Carton King 大坑─紙箱王創意園區
A surprising amount can be made from paper, or more specifically cardboard, and Carton King’s Creativity Park is proof of the concept. Everything is made of the stuff and there seems to be no shortage of ideas on how to use it.
Walking around the park is made easy by following the map on your ticket. Several exhibits include a corrugated-animal zoo, wonders of the world, a bee museum and a themed restaurant. Next to each area is a pit stop where you can stamp a card in order to collect a free prize later on. There’s even a small cardboard train ride ($50NT) going round the park for kids to jump on and off.
Perhaps the best feature of the place is the unique cardboard-themed restaurant. The whole area from the tables and chairs to the bowl your steaming hotpot is served in is made of waterproofed cardboard. While the food is mostly average, eating here is a memorable experience especially with a family.
The Bottom Line
Carton King seems to set out to upset expectations and largely succeeds. There’s enough to do for an hour or so, though the park is clearly designed for kids. Some may also consider the $200 NT entrance fee a little high. A lot of interesting souvenirs can also be bought at the on-site shop.
Details
No. 2, Lane 2, Section 2, Dongshan Road, Beitun District, Taichung City, 406
台中市北屯區東山路二段2巷2號406
Tel: (04) 2239 8868
Entrance Fee: $200NT
Website: https://www.cartonking.com.tw
Getting There
Reaching there is fairly easy with a short thirty minute bus ride from Taiyuan train station, one stop up from Taichung station. Take a local train to Taiyuan station, on stop north of Taichung train station, then bus No. 61 for 30 minutes to Zhongtai Institute of Technology. Get off at Dakeng Traffic Circle and look for the large Carton King sign.
An easier, if longer option, is to take bus no. 51 from Taichung Train for just under an hour to Dakeng Traffic Circle. There are plenty of taxis around the area for anyone wishing to get back into the city quickly.
References
https://www.cartonking.com.tw
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297910-d3237747-Reviews-Carton_King_Creative_Park_Dakeng-Taichung.html