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Beitou set to introduce guided bus tour service

The waters of the smoking hot springs in Taipei City's Sulfur Valley are shown on June 12 last year. The waters, along with those from Hell Valley, are the main source for the popular hot spring resort of Xinbeitou. PHOTO: CHEN CHIN-MIN, TAIPEI TIMES

A guided bus tour service organized by the Beitou Hot Springs Museum to help tourists discover the beauty of hilly and historic Beitou (北投), the northernmost district of Taipei City, is scheduled to begin on March 22.

Noting that Beitou is famous for its hot springs, museum director Fu Wu-chang said that hopefully people would gain a better understanding of Beitou's history and culture through the new service.

The project, called "Xinbeitou -- Exploring the Nooks and Crannies," which is being sponsored by the Council for Cultural Affairs, will run bus tours with trained guides at five separate times on Saturdays and Sundays starting March 22, Fu said.

Visitors can sign-up for the 30-minute tour at the museum or at the Taipei metro's Xinbeitou Station. There is a NT$100 registration fee, Fu said, adding that every passenger would also receive NT$700 of discount coupons for use at the local hot spring resorts.

On the tour passengers will visit eight historical sites, including the Taiwan Folk Arts Museum, the Yinsong Pavilion, the Zhou Family Widow Memorial and Beitou Presbyterian Church.

Officials with the Taipei City Government's Department of Cultural Affairs said by touring the historic sites with the commentary of young tour guides, they hoped to share Beitou's spirit and charm with visitors.

Eli Akerstein, a visitor from Boston, said he felt confident that "if the service could be promoted well on the Internet or in tour books, Beitou would attract more tourists."

Although the current guides only speak Chinese, Taipei City Government officials promised that the cultural department would evaluate the nine-week trial with the possibility of creating an English-speaking service to better serve foreign visitors.
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