Jumping into a hot spring in cold weather is pure bliss, but if you want to go to the Southern Cross Lisong Hot Springs, known by hot spring aficionados as the most beautiful of all, you have to put yourself through a pretty rigorous physical test. But if you’re brave enough to grasp the nettle, you will be able to enjoy these magical springs, with their amazing natural fresco backdrop and tadpoles for company.
Taitung’s Lisong hot springs are located 1,170m above sea level, on the upper reaches of the Hsinwulu River on the southern cross-island mountain range. It is under the river during the summer months and only appears during the winter when the water level is lower. The hot springs are famous for the colorful “wall fresco” made from lime deposits and moss growth. In addition, the steam created by the hot spring temperatures makes the whole scene look like a painting, making it the favorite of wild hot spring aficionados.
According to Dahai, a porter from Haiduan Township, it’s great if you want to go to a hot spring in beautiful scenery, but it’s not something that anyone can do. The reason for this is that the hot spring is located in the mountains. You must first drive along Highway 20 to a fork in the road at kilometer mark 169, then hike for 3km before you come to a farmhouse that marks the entrance to the Lisong Springs. From there, you must follow a small trail past farms, climbing through some pretty steep terrain which is, in parts, almost as steep as the sides of a valley, and only after 40 to 60 minutes of hiking will you arrive at the springs.
After this rather demanding journey you come to the hot spring scenery, and this is enough to help even the most weary travelers forget their fatigue as they strip off and enjoy the natural hot water, a pleasure hard to put into words, according to Dahai. Even more magical is the fact that you can share the hot spring with Japanese tree frog tadpoles that can withstand temperatures of up to 50°C.
Dahai warned that potential visitors should first consider whether they are physically up to the journey and be aware of the road conditions. The trip is not really suitable for school kids. People from Haiduan have established an alpine service team, and if you’re not sure about the directions you can get one of the Haiduan porters to help you make arrangements or act as your guide.
(LIBERTY TIMES, TRANSLATED BY PAUL COOPER)
寒流一波波，跳進熱呼呼的溫泉裡泡湯是一大享受，不過，想到被喜愛野溪泡湯者喻為最美麗溫泉的「南橫栗松溫泉」，必須通過體力考驗，才能在渾然天成，如夢境般的大自然「壁畫」中，與蝌蚪一同享受泡湯樂。
台東栗松溫泉位於海拔一千一百七十公尺高的南橫山區新武呂溪上游，夏日有溪水流過，只有在冬天枯水期現身，因碳酸鈣沉澱物和青苔構成五顏六色的溫泉「壁畫」而聞名，加上溫泉溫度形成的霧氣，讓泡湯彷彿在畫中，是不少野溪溫泉探險者的最愛。
海端鄉背伕達亥表示，想要在美景中泡湯，並非人人都可到達，原因在於溫泉位於山中，由台二十線一六九公里的叉路下行三公里，遇見一戶農舍便是栗松溫泉入口，再由農舍菜圃旁的小路進入，沿途地形陡峭，幾個下降坡度幾乎與溪谷呈垂直狀態，約走四十至六十分鐘路程即可抵達。
辛苦一段路程後，見到溫泉美景，多半使登山的疲勞消失一半，再褪去衣物，享受大自然泡湯樂，達亥說，那種享受難以言語，更妙的是還可與耐五十度溫泉高溫的「日本樹蛙」蝌蚪一起泡湯。
達亥提醒，有意前往的民眾需先考慮體能狀況，而受到路況限制，國中、小學童不宜造訪，海端鄉民已成立馬瑪瑪高山服務隊，不熟路況者可由海端鄉背伕代為安排及嚮導。
（自由時報記者王秀亭）
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