【Xinbeitou Hot Springs Area】
Taipei City's northernmost district, Beitou began to rise as a hot spring destination in 1896, when a Japanese businessman named Hirada Gengo opened the area's first hot spring hotel Tenguen. The springs here are fed by water from Diregu (Hell Valley) and Longfong Valley near Xingyi (Singyi) Road. Three distinct types of spring can be found here, including green sulfur, white sulfur, and iron sulfur. Bathing facilities are equally varied, with everything from traditional Japanese-style bathhouses to fashionably modern spas catering to day-trip and overnight visitors. Apart from the springs, there are plenty of other attractions in Xinbeitou to reward repeat visitors. Hot springs, old streets, and history join with delicious local cuisine to create Xinbeitou's distinctive visitor appeal. In recent years, upscale hotels have added a new face to this historic mountain getaway just minutes from downtown Taipei.
Free-Range Chicken and Mountain-Grown Vegetables
Due to its proximity to downtown and convenient transportation links, Xinbeitou is a popular destination for Taipei residents looking for a scenic escape and delicious cuisine just a stone's throw from the city center. The traditional and modern resort-style restaurants here serve up dishes made with free-range chicken and mountain-grown vegetables, winning over diners with an unforgettable taste.
【Shamao Mountain Hot Spring Area】
Shamao Mountain welcomes visitors with a year-round profusion of color and a natural landscape that one will want to slow down to admire. This is also a good spot for a hot spring soak and a feast of wild-grown vegetables in nature's scenic embrace, offering something for body, mind and spirit. Volcanic action and geological factors have produced several sources and types of hot spring on Shamao Mountain. Sulfuric acid springs are dominant here and the water has a sulfur smell that is slightly stronger than that of the springs in Beitou. Most of the hot spring hotels and restaurants here are clustered in Pingdeng Village near Lengshueikeng, and in Macao off the Yangmingshan-Jinshan Highway. There are also a few establishments off Yangde Boulevard that offer bathing, restaurant and tea service.
Wild-Grown Vegetables
Shamao Mountain is known for its wild-grown vegetables. Thanks to the relatively low temperature and fertile soil here, the locally grown veggies are especially sweet and crisp. Over the past few years, the restaurants here have been adding innovative dishes to their menus to attract diners. In addition to a wide selection of vegetables, visitors can also order free-range chicken, seafood and other scrumptious dishes.
【Wulai Hot Springs】
Hot springs were first discovered in Wulai over 300 years ago by the Atayal people. The springs, which bubble forth from the Nanshi River valley, are known as "beauty baths" since the water softens cuticles and moisturizes the skin. In earlier times, the bathhouses here only provided basic facilities. Today, however, visitors can choose from a range of upscale spas with hydrotherapy facilities and an inviting ambiance. Most of the bathhouses in Wulai are clustered on Wulai Street, but newer establishments are also popping up along Provincial Highway 9A and in Wulai Village to meet the growing demand Wulai is a popular hot spring area in northern Taiwan. The high quality water here is clear, odorless and known for its beauty-enhancing effects. Visitors to Wulai can also experience the culture, cuisine and spirited dancing of the Atayal indigenous people.
Atayal Cuisine
Wulai was settled by Atayal tribes from the Taoyuan and Hsinchu areas during the late Cing period. This area is consequently known for its Atayal cuisine, which emphasizes the original flavor of the ingredients without too much added seasoning. Commonly used dipping sauces include fermented shiso (perilla) and plum juice or honey; and steaming, boiling and roasting are the preferred forms of cooking. All of the ingredients used are sourced from the nearby mountain area. Unlike many other indigenous groups that like to eat "a-bay" (a concoction made of shellflower leaves, nicandra leaves wrapped around glutinous rice, boar meat, mushrooms and dried shrimp), the Atayal stuffings are made of sweet potato rice, banana rice or Chinese yam rice without pork or soy sauce. The resulting dishes are refreshingly tasty and healthy.
【Jiaoxi Hot Spring Area】
Jiaoxi is one of only a few lowland hot spring sites in Taiwan. The springs are fed by rainwater that has seeped down into subterranean rock, where it is heated by magma remaining from a volcanic eruption on Guishan (Turtle) Island thousands of years ago. The hot spring industry in Jiaoxi dates back to the Japanese colonial era (1895~1945), during which this area was known as the "Tangwei Hot Springs. Nakashi music and bathhouses characterized the local scene back then, earning the area a nickname of "Little Beitou." In recent years, the hot spring spas here have preserved Jiaoxi's traditional ambiance but with a more modern emphasis on health and fitness. The spring water and facilities are both of excellent quality. Jiaoxi is a traditional hot spring area with a new face, offering visitors a wide range of bathing options. The locally grown vegetables, irrigated with nutrient-rich spring water, are another good reason to visit Jiaoxi.
Hot Spring Vegetables
The hot springs of Jiaosi are fed by pure and clean water at a temperature range of 22 to 33 degrees centigrade. The water is rich in iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium and other trace elements making it perfect for irrigation use. Vegetables raised on the water grow quickly and are unusually crisp, tender and sweet. With support from the Jiaosi Township Farmers' Association, the local farmers have made hot spring vegetables one of the specialty items of Jiaosi. The locally grown water spinach, tomatoes, sponge gourd, and water bamboo, collectively known as the "four treasures," are particularly well known.
【Jinshan Hot Springs】
During the Tongzhi period (1862~1874) of the Qing dynasty, a major earthquake created fissures in the rock stratum of Jinshan. It was from these fissures that the Jinshan hot springs were born. One of the most popular bathing areas dating back to that time is the Governor-General Hot Spring on Minsheng Road. In recent years, several large hot spring hotels have also sprouted up here as well, turning Jinshan into a major hot spring destination. Jinshan is also home to one of the few submarine hot springs in the world. The water originates from the Datun Mountain volcanic range and flows past Macao, Jinshan, and Wanli before emerging off the coast. The Yangmingshan-Jinshan Highway is a scenic mountain route that links the peaks of Yangmingshan with the coastal hot springs of Jinshan. Springs aside, Jinshan is also known for the duck meat sold at the Jinbaoli Duck Meat restaurant across from Guang-an Temple.
Duck Meat
Jinbaoli Duck Meat began life as an unassuming little noodle stall in front of Guang-an Temple. Fate would bring the owner together with a duck farmer in Jinshan's Jhongsiao Beach area, giving birth to a duck meat empire. At the Jhongsiao Beach duck farm, ducks are slowly raised over 130 days, or nearly twice the industry average of 70 days, and fed on wheat, corn and lard. When boiled, the meat is chewy and doesn't have any offensive smell. The restaurant has a limited daily supply of white duck meat, and business tends to pick up in the afternoon. Come early or you may miss out.