TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — No more boring or cold winter days with this list of hot springs near Taipei, as recommended by The Storm Media.
1. Beitou: Emperor Spa (北投:皇池溫泉御膳館)
Price: Public hot spring NT$250 / person (US$ 8)
2-person hot spring room NT$500
2-person hot spring room plus + meal NT$800
Choosing a hot spring in Beitou from among so many choices can be overwhelming. Emperor Spa is a local favorite for its price, quality, and food. Guests can opt for the communal hot spring or a two-person hot spring room.
(Photo: Emperor Hot Spring website)
(Photo: Emperor Hot Spring website)
After a soak, enjoy a bowl of Emperor Spa's famous "Casserole dish porridge" (砂鍋粥).
(Photo courtesy Hann0249 Instagram)
2. Yang-ming Mountain: Tsuwu Hot Springs (陽明山:出霧溫泉)
Price: Public hot spring NT$100 /person
Bath + Meal (weekdays) NT$1,200 / person
Room pool + meal NT$3,600+ / person
Nestled in the Yang-ming Mountains sits Tsuwu Hot Springs. While their facilities are more steeply priced, the views duly compensate for the extra expense. The facilities are constructed principally out of wood and stone, for a trendy, luxurious feel.
(Photo courtesy sintung94 Instagram)
Tsuwu's hot spring pools are sourced from rare "weak alkaline sulfur springs." The public hot springs are separated into a female and a male bathing area.
(Photo courtesy kittywuroro Instagram)
3. Wu-lai: Full Moon Spa (烏來: 明月溫泉會館)
Price: Public hot spring: NT$600 / person
Bath + landscape view: NT$1,200+ / 2 people
Conveniently located south of Taipei, Full Moon Spa is on Wu-lai's "hot spring street." Don't be deceived by the building's average-looking exterior.
(Photo courtesy _sunny1203_ Instagram)
The interior of Full Moon is a tranquil paradise crafted from locally-sourced Cyprus wood, as are the baths. Japanese white charcoal lines the floorboards "to absorb impurities in the air and release [of] negative ions.”
4. Ba-Ian Hot Spring Resort: (金山:八煙溫泉會館)
Price: Outdoor hot spring: NT$300 / person
Indoor hot spring (weekday): NT$400 / person
Room pool: NT$1,000
Tucked into the northeast side of the Yang-ming Mountain is the Ba-ian Hot Spring Resort. Ba-ian's secluded grounds are perfect for immersing oneself among nature and forgetting the daily grind.
(Photo courtesy Chinshan website)
(Photo courtesy s.leiii Instagram)
Ba-ian even offers retro overnight sleepers.
(Photo courtesy Ba-ian website)
5. Jiao-xi: Hot Spring Onion (礁溪:蔥澡)
Price: 2-person 90 minute hot spring room: NT$900
Once again, don't be fooled by Hot Spring Onion's muted exterior. Once inside guests are enveloped by vibrant style, redefining expectations of what a hot spring resort "should look like."
(Photo courtesy Hot Spring Onion website)
Of the eight rooms inside, six have been hand-painted murals by various artists in cute, welcoming styles, featuring hippopotamuses and geese, for instance. Each room is a different experience
(Photo courtesy Hot Spring Onion website)