As Taiwan shivers through its coldest winter in 48 years, Beitou’s hot springs offer soothing relief. Boasting premier water quality and a long history, the district stands as the top choice among the country’s more than 100 thermal springs.
Nestled in the northern tip of Taipei City at the foot of Yangmingshan National Park, Beitou abounds in hot springs, the only ones in Taiwan with a powerful sulphur smell. Boiling up from the volcanic core of Mount Datun, these exceptional springs come in three types—“green,” strongly sulfurous, with waters at a high temperature from 50 to 75 degrees Celsius; “white,” containing hydrogen sulfide and at a lower temperature of 45 C; and reddish ferrous waters at 40 C to 60 C.
Convenient access is another major draw for hedonists in search of steamy relaxation. Beitou is just 30 minutes from downtown Taipei by car or the Mass Rapid Transit system.
The district offers a wide range of options for bathers, with several types of pools available at different prices in its many hot springs facilities, Maggie Chou, chairwoman of the Taipei Hot Springs Association, told Taiwan Today Feb. 8.
“We have more than 30 commercial resorts providing communal, private, indoor and outdoor pools,” she said, adding that there is a municipal outdoor bath near the Beitou River.
Many hotels, moreover, have hot spring tubs in their guest rooms, catering to those who want more privacy, and a longer stay. At hot springs resorts around the world, it is rare for the water to be piped directly into the rooms, and international tourists are often amazed, Chou said.
At most of the resorts the springs are of the white variety. Luxury bathing, priced at up to NT$3,000 (US$102) per hour, can be found at Villa 32 and the Japanese-style Radium-Kagaya International Hotel. Those on a more modest budget can still soak in great comfort at places such as SweetMe and Spring City Resort for around NT$600 an hour.
According to Sherlock Chuang, assistant public relations manager at Spring City Resort, milky white sulphur springs are quite rare and only occur in two places worldwide—Beitou and Japan’s Kansai region.
Meanwhile, the city hot springs provide even more affordable enjoyment at just NT$40 per session. Open for six sessions a day, there are four green sulphur pools with temperatures ranging from 36 C to 42 C, and two other cool-water areas.
Green sulphur water is another precious geological treasure, found only in Beitou and Akita, Japan, pointed out Chou, who doubles as SweetMe’s president.
The area may have been named after its many hot springs. Centuries ago, the indigenous Ketagalan tribe called it “Pataauw,” or “witches’ den,” later rendered as Beitou in Mandarin Chinese.
“The mist from the bubbling hot springs gives the place a mysterious atmosphere, making it a perfect residence for witches,” Chou said. “It’s a pretty good guess that these tribal witches would have used spring waters to treat the ill.”
However, it was during the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945) that Beitou started exploiting its natural treasure. The Japanese, firm believers in the therapeutic benefits of geothermal waters, were delighted to find the area’s springs.
After the first commercial hot spring inn, Tienkouan, was established in 1896, resorts sprang up throughout the area. The colonial government built Taiwan’s first public bathhouse in 1913, now in its second life as the Beitou Hot Spring Museum.
Between 1923 and 1945, there were over 20 hot spring inns where upper-class guests could also enjoy Japanese and Taiwanese songs in the Nakasi style, played on accordion, guitar and drums by traveling musicians.
Following the end of the Japanese colonial period, Beitou was in full swing from 1945 to 1979. “It was a hot spot for politicians and businessmen to gather for drinking, eating and bathing,” Chuang said.
During that time, the area was perhaps most famous for its call girls. But in the late 1970s, the city government instituted a crackdown on prostitution, which led to decades of economic downturn for Beitou.
Fortunately, as a result of joint efforts by public and private sectors, it has gradually regained popularity in recent years as increased leisure time has led to renewed interest in spas and hot springs.
In 2001, the THSA launched the annual Taipei Season of Hot Springs to promote the area’s tourism. “The four-day event is closely tied to distinctive local characteristics, incorporating Ketagalan culture and Taiwanese glove puppet shows from Qili-an, also located in the Beitou District,” Chou said.
Comprising members from local hotels and companies, the THSA is a voluntary body devoted to developing Beitou and marketing Taiwanese hot springs globally.
“By attending international travel fairs in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and mainland China, we aim to familiarize the world with Taiwan’s quality hot springs,” she added.
Over the past century, Taiwan has evolved its own thermal spring culture. Local people feel more comfortable soaking naked in private pools, while Japanese are used to communal pools.
Hot springs, for most Taiwanese people, are for relaxation. But in Japan, the popularity of hot springs mainly stems from their health benefits and steamy baths have become a regular part of life, Chou explained.
“In the future, we hope hot spring baths will be included in daily life here,” she added. “Besides providing relaxation, they are also beneficial to physical well-being.”
Green sulphur water is believed to cure skin diseases and gout, while white sulphur springs treat chronic skin problems and articular cancer. The ferrous springs on Beitou’s Changchun Road are said to alleviate neuralgia and rheumatism.
Medical tourism bringing together the therapeutic benefits of spring water and Taiwan’s advanced medical facilities is Beitou’s newest selling point. “We have been collaborating with local hotels and three hospitals to offer package tours combining hot spring baths and physical examinations at discounted prices,” Chou said.
Another significant investment will be a gondola linking Beitou to Yangmingshan National Park, with four stops along its 4.3-kilometer route. “This project is undergoing environmental impact assessment and I expect it will be fully constructed within two years,” she said.
Once completed, the facility will write a new chapter in Beitou’s history, allowing vacationers to enjoy Yangmingshan’s renowned flower season before heading down the mountain to luxuriate in the superb hot springs. (THN)
Write to Elaine Hou at elainehou@mail.gio.gov.tw