“So you’re riding the ‘shag train’ this weekend?” A friend asked me, referring to the pink line that runs between Beitou (北投) and Xinbeitou (新北投) MRT stations in the northernmost tip of Taipei.
It’s dubbed the “shag train” for good reasons. Firstly, couples canoodling are a common sight in Xinbeitou, Taiwan’s newest hot spring mecca. Spas, restaurant deals and discount packages at hotels are also designed for two. And as I later discovered, my hotel room not only provided complimentary apples and tea, but also their own brand of condoms.
Despite all of this — or maybe because of it — Xinbeitou is an incredibly romantic mountaintop enclave within Beitou District, providing a perfect weekend escape for city folks seeking some nature time with modern amenities. If you check into a hot spring hotel and spend a few hours soaking, it’s almost guaranteed that you will leave feeling ten times more relaxed and with super-smooth skin.
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
‘STAYCATION’ CULTURE
The “hot spring experience” begins before you even arrive. Little tables on the MRT in the shape of barrels contain information about the history of Beitou’s hot springs and its chemical properties — nothing like a history lesson to set the mood. In 1905, Japanese scientist Yohachiro Okamoto discovered hokutolite, a highly radioactive form of radium, in Beitou’s Thermal Valley (地熱谷). It was the first time that this element — which is found in crystal formations on rocks and gives hot springs their gem-like turquoise glow — was discovered anywhere in the world. The scalding 100°C water temperature at Thermal Valley makes it too hot (and too radioactive) to soak in. So over time, public baths channeling water from the hot springs were set up, and these establishments gradually evolved into the five-star resorts of today.
A day trip is enough to cover Xinbeitou’s main attractions. That being said, I highly recommend an overnight stay to truly immerse yourself in the “hot spring culture” — no matter how gimmicky it may be.
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
The “you are here” tourist maps and super-obvious signage around every street corner gives Xinbeitou a tourist buzz, but the mood is still relaxing and it’s certainly not a distasteful type of touristy. After all, it’s quite common for Taipei City dwellers to visit the hot springs for a “staycation” — a vacation in your hometown.
Upon arrival, staycationers are greeted with a noticeable sulfuric smell. Outside of the MRT is Beitou Park, the meeting point around which this mini, self-sufficient hot spring enclave revolves around. Surrounding the park are numerous mid-range hot spring hotels, as well as various attractions and museums. The higher-end resorts like the Gaia (大地酒店) and the Grand View Resort (麗禧酒店) are tucked away in the steeper hills. The atmosphere and decor at the Gaia is modern-zen — the hotel lobby boasts an impressive library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. The Grand View Resort, which is further up near the secluded Beitou Museum (北投文物館) has an outdoor swimming pool overlooking the basin.
Do not fret if you’re on a budget though, because even the affordable hotels near the Xinbeitou MRT station like SweetMe (水美溫泉會館) or Shan Yue (山樂溫泉會館) have their own hot spring bath in each guestroom and they’re still quite fancy. The rooms in SweetMe have windows with panoramic views of Beitou Park, while Shan Yue was the complimentary condom hotel. Most importantly, all the hotels in Xinbeitou from mid-range to high-end have communal gender-segregated hot springs for men and women to bathe in the nude.
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
WHIMSICAL SITES
However, if sitting in a tub with a bunch of other naked people is not your cup of tea, there are plenty of other hot spring-related sites in Xinbeitou. It’s helpful that they are lined up one after another, all within walking distance, around the three main roads: Zhongshan (中山), Guangming (光明) and Youya (幽雅).
First up is the Beitou branch of the Taipei Public Library (臺北市立圖書館北投分館). Voted by Flavorwire as one of the 25 most beautiful libraries in the world, it fits well with the relaxed hot spring culture of the area. Constructed out of wood and solar panels that make optimal use of natural lighting, the library blends with its lush surroundings just like a 21st-century version of Robinson Crusoe’s treehouse. The inside is quiet with young people studying at wooden desks near breezy open windows. Balconies look out into cascading streams of hot spring water.
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
A two-minute walk away is the Beitou Hot Spring Museum (北投溫泉博物館). Built as a public bath house during the Japanese colonial era in 1913, the red-brick building retains much of its old charm. The wide open spaces covered with tatami mats create a breezy feel and stained glass windows make the structure seem majestic when sunlight pours in. The educational portion focuses on hokutolite, but for the more pop-culture inclined, there’s a room that screens old movies filmed in the surrounding area.
Further uphill is Plum Garden (梅庭), a treasure trove of the Shaanxi Province-born Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) politician Yu Yu-jen’s (于右任) calligraphy. Next to it is the Millennium Hot Spring (千禧湯), a public bath with an entry fee of only NT$40. It’s a bit cramped, but it’s a not-too-shabby option for those on a shoestring budget who won’t mind kicking it back with Beitou’s elderly residents — at least bathing suits are required there.
A five to 10 minute walk will bring you to Thermal Valley, home of the rare hokutolites and the major source from which hotels pump their hot spring water. The shimmering turquoise water and steam rising 100m into the mountainous backdrop makes Thermal Valley seem like a scene from a fairytale land. The sulfur smell is most overpowering here, and although the place is nicknamed “Hell’s Valley,” there’s something calming about the flaming hot, radioactive pit.
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
Finally, there is no better way to end your staycation in Xinbeitou than by relaxing on the teahouse balcony of the Beitou Museum and taking in the smell of fresh mountaintop fern. The museum is home to Qing era antique figurines, chinaware and clothing but like everything else in Xinbeitou, it’s really the views that everyone comes for. Indeed, the steep 15-minute hike from Thermal Valley makes it seem as if you accomplished something on an otherwise lazy-paced weekend.
The mixture of natural beauty and charming historical sites makes Xinbeitou the perfect staycation destination for romantics and the whimsically-minded alike. Either way, I’d shamelessly ride the shag train up there every month if I could.
GETTING THERE
Take the red line to Beitou MRT station (30 minutes from Taipei Main Station) and change to the pink line to reach Xinbeitou MRT station. All sites are accessible by walking
WHERE TO STAY
- Pink Lotus Hotel (水紗蓮旅館): Lower mid-range hotel near Xinbeitou MRT station
- Shan Yue Hot Spring Hotel (山樂溫泉會館): Mid-range hot spring hotel near Xinbeitou MRT station
- SweetMe Hot Spring Hotel (水美溫泉會館): Mid-range hot spring hotel near the public library with views of Beitou Park
- The Gaia Hotel (大地酒店): High-end hot spring hotel tucked in the mountains just off the main road to Thermal Valley
- Grand View Resort (麗禧酒店): High-end mountain-top hot spring resort with swimming pool and hot spring facilities overlooking the basin near Beitou Museum
WHAT TO SEE
- Taipei Public Library, Beitou Branch (臺北市立圖書館北投分館)
- Beitou Hot Spring Museum (北投溫泉博物館)
- Millennium Hot Spring (Public Bath) (千禧湯)
- Plum Garden (梅庭)
- Thermal Valley (Hell Valley) (地熱谷)
- Beitou Museum (北投文物館)
WHAT TO BRING
Sunscreen, walking shoes, camera, bug repellent, no need for bathing suit if planning to soak in a hotel hot spring
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