Beitou . Hot Spring

Beitou District is a small district in Taipei City, located at the foot of the famous Yangmingshan Mountain. Beitou is the only metro-accessible hot spring in Taiwan, which is said to have some of the most convenient, clean and user-friendly subway systems in the world.

The way to the hot springs also has many other scenic spots not to be missed. Xinbeitou (新北投) is a hot spring village located around Xinbeitou MRT station. It is home to 1200 species of plants, 110 species of birds and 160 different types of butterflies. The rich nature here has made a special impression for any visitor when coming to Beitou. Although Beitou is part of the magnificent city of Taipei, visitors always feel comfortable, relaxed and away from the hustle and bustle of the city center.

The Liuhuanggu (硫磺谷) and Longfenggu (龍鳳谷) valleys of Yangmingshan National Park are the source of the "white sulfur" water used in most of the hot springs in Beitou. Thermal Beitou Valley is the second "green sulfur" hot spring with high acidity, the biggest tourist attraction in Beitou. It is also the source of hot water that runs through Beitou Hot Springs Park. The spring water here has a high radium content which, due to erosion caused by reacting with andesite rocks on the riverbed about 150 meters downstream, has created layers of cream and white diamond-shaped crystals known as Hokutolite. or "Beitou Stone". It is the only mineral in the world named after a place. The third source of spring water, "iron sulfur", is located east of Beitou and around Xingyi Road.

Beitou is a fun place to come and visit all year round. However, winter will be the best time to come and relax here. Usually around November and December, the temperature will start to drop and will be the best time to enjoy the hot springs. April, May, June, September and October in Taipei will be warm but still suitable for visiting Beitou, especially the areas around the hot springs and nearby attractions. On summer evenings, after sunset, you can still go to Beitou and relax in one of the indoor hot springs.

The Xinbeitou train line was first opened in 1916 to access the hot springs of Beitou, branching off from the Danshui line. With a length of about 1.2km, it is one of the longest railway lines in Taiwan. The original Xinbeitou Station was demolished to make way for the subway in 1988. It was later returned to the Taiwan Folk Village in Changhua County and fully restored in 2017.

Crossing Xinbeitou subway station, you will find the entrance to Beitou Hot Spring Park, located between the two valleys of Zhongshan (中山路) and Guangming (光明路). This is a hot spring creek, originating in the Thermal Beitou Valley, running through the park, making it the perfect place to relax, take a walk and take in the romantic views. Previously, visitors could enjoy a free foot bath at certain points in the park. However, if you want to experience a free hot spring foot bath, head to Fuxing Hot Foot Bath (復興公園泡腳池) at Fuxing Park. It is just a 5-minute walk north of Xinbeitou subway station and Beitou Hot Spring Park.

Ketagalan Cultural Center (凱達格蘭文化館) was built in 2002, which used to be a military police base. The center has 12 floors and houses the art and culture of Taiwan's recognized aboriginal tribes. It is named after the Ketagalan tribe, who also historically occupied the Beitou area.

The Beitou Public Library (北投圖書館) is an official library branch of the city of Taipei, and is one of the most picturesque buildings in Beitou today. Built in 2006, it replaced the original Beitou Library and was the first “green” building in Taiwan to receive a diamond award from EEWN, Taiwan's green building certification system. It has a structure like a wooden ship docked in the middle of the park, honoring the history of Beitou during the Japanese occupation. The library gets 10% of its energy from solar panels and 40% of its water from rainwater that flows through the soil and vegetation on the roof. Natural ventilation and large windows keep the library cool and bright, while lower bookshelves enhance views of the lush greenery outside.

Tenguan Hot Spring Hotel (天狗庵hay Tiangouan), opened in 1896, was the first hot spring hotel in Beitou. Located on Quang Minh street from Beitou Library. The original owner of this place was Japanese but later sold it to a Taiwanese man. During World War II, it was used as a treatment facility for wounded soldiers. After the war, it was acquired by a Japanese hot spring hotel chain and eventually closed. The only remains that you can see today are a stone staircase and a few columns, located just west of the Radium Kagaya International Hotel (日勝生加賀屋國際溫泉飯店), a high-rise resort. level, where visitors will notice women dressed as geisha greeting visitors.

Thermal Beitou Valley (also known as Beitou Geothermal Valley), which has the most charming scenery in Xinbeitou. A huge lake contains green sulfur spring water, emitting a fanciful sulfide steam. From a distance, visitors can also see clouds of steam rising from this lake. Although it originates from Beitou Creek, it flows through Beitou Park, where many hot spring pools are used. However, there are currently no hotels or hot springs in Xinbeitou that use water from this source. For a different perspective into the Thermal Beitou Valley, you can look from above through the trees on Wenquan (Hot Spring) Road (溫泉路) and will pass by Puji Temple.

There are more than 20 hotels and hot spring baths in the Xinbeitou hot spring area, and quite a few of them offer private hot spring baths (湯屋), while only a few have shared baths or baths. “public” (大眾湯). Choose a reasonable place to rest and relax at Beitu hot spring after a busy day of sightseeing.

Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:00 daily (closed on Mondays)

Sightseeing tickets:

• Thermal Beitou Valley and Ketagalan Cultural Center are free to enter
• Prices for private baths range from NT400 to NT3000 for 60-90 minutes (2 people), but most hotels charge around 1000-1500 and some have deals that include a meal at their restaurant later when tourists rest, take a bath in the stream.