Taipei/Beitou

Beitou 北投區 (Peitou in Wade-Giles) is a northern district of Taipei famous for its hot springs.

Understand
Beitou has two faces. Old Beitou is the area where the local people have lived and worked for over a century and is located around Beitou MRT Station and Beitou Market, while Xin Beitou (New Beitou) is the area around Xin Beitou MRT Station and Qinshui Park that was developed as a hot spring resort during the Japanese era (1895-1945). In addition to the waters, Xin Beitou had the dubious distinction of being one of Taiwan's largest illegal red light districts, and was a popular hangout spot for American soldiers on their R&R leaves during the Vietnam War.

During the 1960s, many characterless concrete hotels were built around the park area, and these structures remained the dominant feature of Beitou's landscape for over twenty years.

With the government making a concerted effort to clean up the area, and with the MRT line reaching Beitou, the late 1980s and 1990s ushered in a new era for the district. As a result, the concrete hotels were either demolished and rebuilt or totally refurbished as luxury spas. In addition, many new apartments were constructed to accommodate young professionals with families who were drawn to the Beitou area because of its good environment and convenient transportation links to downtown Taipei.

Like a phoenix rising from the steam of the scalding waters, the Beitou of today is characterized by its high quality spas, good hotels, excellent living accommodation and green and lush environment.

Due to the smell of sulphur and the constant rising of steam, the Beitou valley had the appearance of a witch's cauldron, and so the Aboriginal inhabitants of the area named it paktaaw, meaning 'witch'. Beitou is the Sinicized form of this name.

Get in
Beitou is on the MRT red line. From Beitou station, a one-station branch line runs to Xin Beitou station, which is near the hot springs area.

Parks

 * The world-famous Yangmingshan National Park covers the volcanic mountain range behind Shilin and Beitou. There are hiking trails, hot springs and numerous areas to relax and fill your lungs with fresh air. Within the mountain range, there is also a cultivated area famous for its flowers, which are especially stunning in the spring. Bus 260 leaves from directly behind Taipei Main Station for the park every ten minutes, traveling along Zhongshan North Road and turning right onto Zhongzheng Road in Shilin. From Beitou, bus 230 plies the route every thirty minutes. It is a short walk from the bus terminal station to the cultivated area of the park. Hikers will enjoy the walk up to the peak of Qixing-shan (Seven-star Mountain).



Temples

 * Puji Temple (普濟寺) is a wonderfully preserved Japanese temple. The temple is across from 'Hotel Kyoto' on Wenquan Road. Walk up flight of stairs to right.

Hot springs
Traditional public hot spring etiquette requires that bathers thoroughly wash and rinse off their bodies before entering the bath, do not wear clothing (including swim wear) in the bath and tie up their hair so that it does not touch the water. Finally, people with high blood pressure, heart disease or open wounds should not enter the baths.

The hot springs in Beitou are known for their high sulphur content—the water is often yellow because of it. Please consider, if you are sensitive to the smell of sulphur. But on the other end this is just what makes a sulphur bath.

Some of the public outdoor hot springs in the Beitou area, especially the ones geared more towards foreign tourists, are modeled more after European spa centers and require swimsuits since you will be bathing in mixed company. Take a peek and check before peeling off all your clothes.

Places to bathe
There are many hotels and traditional baths located around Qinshui Park (previously called Xin Beitou Park). This park is located directly across from Xin Beitou MRT station (Danshui line). Xingyi Road, the main road from Tianmu to Yangming Mountains in Beitou, also has many hot-springs-cum-restaurants, plus a couple of free public baths (at the top end where the bus turns back). For Xingyi Road, take bus 508 from Wenlin Road, Shilin (from Shilin MRT station exit 1, follow the overhead tracks and turn left at Zhongzheng Road and right at next crossroads [with pedestrian overpass], the 508 stop is on the right). On its way to Xingyi Road, the bus makes a stop opposite the Veterans Hospital in Shipai. The spring water in Beitou is acidic, so don't wear anything that could be damaged by acid, such as pearls.


 * Spring City (see 'sleep' section) only has private rooms or an outdoor swimming pool-type pool for non-guests.
 * Beauty Age Hotel (美代) (see 'sleep' section) offers private of family size baths. The family baths are as low as ~NT$600 for 2 without accommodation or NT$1,000 (NT$1,200 at weekends) per room (irrespective of the number of people) - this is a well maintained hotel offering a very relaxing environment.
 * Sweetme Hot Spring Resort (Shuimei) - see 'sleep' section.
 * Millennium Hot Spring is an outdoor public hot spring. At NT$40 (plus an additional NT$20 if you store your stuff in a locker), it's a great choice for the budget minded. After exiting the Xin Beitou MRT station, you'll see a park across the street. Walk up Zhongshan Road, along the left side of the park. On the way you'll pass the Hot Spring Museum. After the museum, you'll come to a fork in the road. The entrance to the hot spring is on the right. As with most outdoor hot springs in Taiwan swimwear is required. Do bring your own swimwear, purchase it on-the-spot is available however limited choices and it can be quite expensive. They have a number of rules, available on English signs; it would behoove you to follow them lest the guy in the red shirt blow his whistle at you.

Eat
Outside of the hotels, good restaurants are sparse in Beitou. Nevertheless, some can be found around Qinshui park. Also, near the Xinbeitou MRT station, McDonald's, KFC, Starbucks, the local Mosburger, a sushi bar, and various Taiwanese eateries can be found.



Coffee
There are a number of cafes directly in front of Beitou MRT Station.