As winter finally makes itself felt across the island and hot spring businesses make their annual resurgence after the long, hot summer, soaking in soothing, mineral-rich waters is on many locals' weekend must-do list. A short jaunt from Taipei, Wulai (烏來) is now a popular destination for the national pastime, challenging the dominance of Beitou (北投) and Yangminshan (陽明山) with its clean spring water, lush hilly scenery and the diverse choices of hot spring establishments that range from the modest to the ritzy.
Legend has it that around 300 years ago when Atayal (泰雅族) hunters chased their prey to the confluence of the Nanshi (南勢溪) and Tonghou rivers (桶後溪), they found steaming hot water gushing through clefts in the rock and exclaimed "uraikirofu," meaning hot spring. Hence the place got its name Wulai from urai and thus began the hilly area's history as a hot spring retreat.
Fast-forward to present: hot spring hotels and privately operated pools pack the green banks of Nanshi and Tonghou rivers and are now the popular weekend getaways for stressed urbanites. In addition to the traditional establishments that greet bathers with modest facilities and friendly prices, upscale resorts run by big businesses, which have mushroomed in recent years, cater to the well-heeled with premium services and high-class surroundings that come with hefty price tags.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SPRING PARK URAI SPA AND RESORT LANDIS
For people who want to treat themselves with five-star luxury after a stress-filled week, Spring Park Urai Spa and Resort (春秋烏來) offers warm, tropical surroundings with a superb vista of Nanshi River. From NT$14,000 to NT$34,000, visitors can enjoy a dip in the fancy hot spring pools in the luxurious private rooms or suites where the lush scenery is an arm's length away and make use of the hotel's public bathing facility that includes an open-air hot spring pool, four cold and warm water pools, sauna, steam room and lounge.
Often compared to Spring Park when it comes to exclusivity, the two-year-old Pause Landis' (璞石麗緻溫泉會館) minimalist architecture and elegant interior design exude a Zen-like tranquility. For NT$800 an hour, bathers can work on forgetting their earthly troubles in the open-air hot spring bath, while the semi-outdoor theme-oriented rooms for two offer five settings. One novel option is the hotpot room where bathers soak themselves in a hotpot-shaped tub. And unlike the hearty, smiley staff of the Spring Park, the Pause Landis staffers are known for their well-mannered courtesy and non-intrusive services.
If you don't want to pay premium prices but still fancy a posh hotel setting, Gorakadan Spring Resort (強羅花壇) and Sanhao Rice Spring Resort (三好米溫泉會館) are good choices. Hailed as Wulai's 101 building, the one-year-old Gorakadan is situated on the summit of the hill that overlooks the whole area, wowing visitors with its modern design, a trendy lounge bar on the top floor and its refined Japanese cuisine. On the other hand, Sanhao Rice resort takes pride in its indoor and outdoor spring pools boasting enhanced therapeutic power with additions of ginger, herb and hot spring mud in the bathes.
For hot spring connoisseurs, Wulai Spring (烏來名湯) is an ideal day-time hot spring spot as its outdoor bath rooms for two experience fresh breeze and sounds of chirping birds from the Tungho River and surrounding mountains. The Sungu Chingliu Hot Spring (上谷清流溫泉會館) is located on a vantage point from which bathers can behold the magnificent beauty of the steep valley and bluish-green Nanshi river from the Japanese-style establishment with a 50-year long history.
Facing Datong Mountain (大筒山), Dai-Lei Resort and Spa (泰雅達利) is another favored spot for embracing nature and enjoying hot springs with Atayal trappings, while Sky Life Resort and Spa (飛天溫泉) is decked out Bali island-style with eight semi-outdoor spring pools and two-person rooms equipped with marble, Chinese cypress and Jacuzzi tubs. Melody Villa 151 (水韻食尚浴花園), on the other hand, is a novel establishment that spreads across 6,600m2 of land and combines hot spring action, live music, an outdoor cafe, garden and forest trails.
Apart from all the manmade trappings and facilities, the sodium bicarbonate spring water is what makes Wulai a holiday retreat. The colorless and odorless water at a temperature of about 80oC is said to beautify the skin and soften cuticles and has earned it the nickname beauty bath (美人湯). The waters are also said to relieve gastrointestinal disorders and inflammation and increase blood circulation, metabolism and alleviate muscle aches.
Yet, the over-exploitation of the area's natural resources is believed to have caused irreversible damage to the environment. Pipe after pipe can be seen connecting the spring sources. Waste water from hot spring houses, restaurants and shops is said to be discharged directly into Nanshi River, seriously contaminating Taipei's water source. The Atayal people's urai now belongs to capitalists.
Next time you take a dip in a hot spring bath in Wulai, it is advisable to appreciate the natural beauty, as it may well disappear soon.
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