We woke up late again on Sunday and decided to take a bit of a risk: a hot springs trip in 90 + degree heat.
XinBeitou (New Beitou) was developed as a hot springs resort during the Japanese era (1895-1945). In those days, it had a reputation as a hot spot for licentious behavior, but now it's more known for its swanky hotels and luxury spas. What makes this place really unique, though, is the high sulphur content of the water. Walking into the thermal valley is like walking into a steaming oven fueled by thousands of giant burning matches.
But let's back up a little...
The path into the valley is clearly marked with lots of English signage and well maintained walkways. This was a bit surprising to us, as the Lonely Planet descriptions made the area sound much more rustic. But with number of high class visitors this place seems to get, I suppose the demand for easy access to the springs outweighed any desire to maintain the area's more natural charms. That being said, Beitou is still plenty charming as a developed tourist trap.
It's hard to capture with my camera the clear turquoise color of the creeks and pools. Looking at them, I was reminded of the kind of water you'd see at those stereotypically gorgeous tropical beaches in Thailand. Yet the inviting color is misleading; as this sign points out, a jump in could be lethal.
Honestly, the sign isn't even really needed. As the stream nears the surface of the main pool, the water starts to boil. You couldn't have paid us to cross it...
I'm not sure I've thoroughly conveyed how ungodly hot it was in this thermal valley. The pools' temperatures can reach higher than 105 degrees fahrenheit, and when the steam rises it spreads the heat all around. You could definitely fry an egg on those rocks... if you didn't mind the taste of sulphur.
Apparently, the indigenous people who inhabited Beitou before the Japanese believed that the pools resembled witch's caldrons, and so they named the area "paktaaw" meaning "witch"... then it became the simplified "Beitou" later. Wikipedia asserts that the current name is a modern Chinese version of the original one. Of course, I'm really not qualified to say whether these facts are accurate or not, but I do agree that it looks like a witch's caldron, and I would love to visit during Halloween when the weather is a bit cooler. I can imagine it would be quite fun and spooky to walk around on a chilly autumn night.
In addition to the steam, the lush plant life surrounding the springs also contributes to the wild, mystical quality of the area.
Mini waterfalls help, too.
The entire valley is like a well-paved fairyland. Even so, we could only take so much heat, and it wasn't long before we dragged our sweaty selves back into town, where we were able to rest for a while in the shade near a much cooler road-side creek.
These ladies had the right idea...
Then, after regaining some of the energy, we walked to the bus stop and headed home. It was really a perfect trip for a lazy Sunday, and we were able to turn-in early, ready for another week.
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