Feel the cold air of Taiwan’s winter as you step out of a warm pool. From hours of basking in the revitalizing waters of a hot spring, your fingertips have grown pruned. In Taiwan, where the residents have embraced hot springs as a social and leisure activity, this is the usual experience. Unlike the more packed and limited onsens in Japan, Taiwan’s hot springs present a more easily available and friendly substitute.
Taiwan’s Hot Spring Tradition
Hot springs are ingrained in Taiwanese society rather than only a means of leisure. Many Taiwanese individuals visit hot springs instead of pubs following work to relax and catch up with friends. Known as yì bó, this social event translates into “one stay, two meals.” Spending a night at a hot spring resort, one enjoys a soak, dinner, a good night’s sleep, another bath, and lunch before returning home.
Geothermal abundance
Thanks to its active volcanic zones, Taiwan has among the highest geothermal spring concentrations worldwide. During their colonial rule over Taiwan, the Japanese came to love swimming in these naturally occurring hot springs. Like saunas are to Finns, today the tradition is firmly rooted in Taiwanese society. The hot springs are supposed to provide medicinal effects like pain reduction, enhanced energy, and skin health in addition to leisure value.
Easy and inclusive
Taiwan’s hot springs are more accessible and inclusive than many onsens in Japan. Many of them have no limitations on swimwear or tattoos and accept mixed-gender bathing. This makes Taiwan a more friendly place for visitors who might be limited by the conventional Japanese onsens policies.
A Beitou Hot Spring Adventure
When it comes to hot springs, your trip to Taiwan will spoil you for options. A must is a day excursion to Beitou from central Taipei, just a 45-minute train ride. Rich in history and culture, Beitou is where Taiwan’s hot spring explosion started. Discover the past of the area by visiting the Hot Spring Museum, the first Japanese bathhouse built in Taiwan.
Another attraction is meandering about the Thermal Valley, sometimes called as Hell Valley. Steam rising sharply indicates that this emerald-green sulfuric lake is always near boiling point. There’s a hot spring fountain on the main road where you could warm your hands for a more cozy experience.
Private Soak or Public Bath
Beitou offers choices for public and private bathing experiences. While private resorts offer a more personal environment with pools of different temperatures, the Millennium Hot Spring presents a public experience. Local families and groups of friends find great appeal in these resorts, therefore creating a distinctive cultural experience.
Therapeutic Purposes
Taiwan’s hot springs, which abound in minerals, are thought to have different health advantages. Particularly helpful for the skin, they can ease discomfort and boost energy. Renowned for their skin-healing qualities are particular springs such as the alkaline waters of Wulai and the grayish mud springs of Guanziling.
Year-Round Participation
One year-round activity in Taiwan is hot spring bathing. A dip in the hot waters can help relax tight muscles and increase circulation during the winter months. Natural cold springs, like those in Su’ao, which remain at a cool 21°C all year long, let you cool yourself in the warm months.
Investigating Natural Heat Pools
The hot springs in Taiwan are among the best as they are somewhat common. You can find them in mountain or riverfront natural hot pools or in resorts. Hiking will lead you to them. These quiet locations provide an exciting and more intimate experience.
An unusual encounter on Green Island
See Zhaori Hot Spring near Green Island on Taiwan’s east coast for a unusual hot spring experience. Saltwater from the Pacific Ocean supplies these springs; some pools are so near to the ocean that seawater splashes in at high tide. An amazing experience is soaking in these pools at night with the sound of the ocean and the star sky.
Conclusion:
You will know why the people of Taiwan value their hot springs when you at last leave the island. Though your skin seems the same, you will experience the relaxing effects on your body and mind. Any visitor to Taiwan should visit its hot springs since they provide the ideal mix of leisure, cultural immersion, and natural beauty.