Beitou (Peitou) is one of the 12 districts of Taipei City. It is located in the northern part of the city next to Yangming Mountain.
Beitou Hot Springs
The main draw of Beitou is, without question, the hot springs. The area is littered with hot spring pools ranging from the cheap public variety to the exclusive, upscale versions. If you’ve never had the hot spring experience, Beitou is a great place to make it happen.
On the other hand, those wanting to dip into the springs on the cheap, check out the public Millenium Hot Spring, more or less directly in front of Xinbeitou MRT Station, where entry is a mere NT$40. The exact address is: 6 Zhongshan Rd.
Some popular hot spring resorts in Beitou, Taipei are:
Longnai Hot Springs Inn
244 Guangming Rd; NT$80 per hour; 6:30am – 9:00pm
Spring City Resort
The Spring City Hot Spring Resort in Beitou is a 5 star hotel located at the top of a hill where you can use outdoor hot spring pools and other spa facilities for NT800 a day. I went there one winter and I had an amazing experience! It’s totally worth the price!
18 Youya Rd, 02/28975555; 8:00am to 1:00am
Attractions in Beitou
Hot springs are a huge part of Taiwanese culture, both as a favorite pastime and a vital sector of the tourism economy. To learn more about hot springs, you can make a trip to the Beitou Hot Springs Museum, which is nice to look at in itself, designed and built during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan.
To see one of the natural wonders of the Taipei area, you should head to Geothermal Valley in Beitou. Inside the valley is a natural sulfur hot spring, and checking out the explosions of heat is one of the biggest tourist draws in Taipei.
Finally, be sure to check up on the latest architectural and environmental trends in Taiwan at the Taipei Public Library, Beitou Branch. The library is beautifully designed using all-natural wood and is totally eco-friendly, utilizing rainwater, sunlight and other natural sources to keep it running. Surrounding the library is Qinshui Park, a great place to kick back with the locals before or after making it to the hot springs that you came for.
Accommodation in Beitou
If you’re looking to stay the night in Beitou, many hotels are strategically placed on top of the right geographical locations, meaning your hotel will have hot springs inside, possibly even channeled directly to your room.
One of the hotels in Beitou that I highly recommend is the 3 star Nine Plus Spa Hot Spring Hotel. I know, the name is long and hard to memorize, so write it down, or even better, check it out at Hotels Combined to see discounts or make a reservation right away.
If you don’t want to sleep in Beitou, you can always go back to Taipei City (more downtown) to get more options. Find hotels in Taipei here.
Getting to Beitou from Taipei City
Beitou is on the Danshui MRT line. Take the MRT to Xinbeitou Station.
For more information about transportation and how to get around Taipei and the northern part of Taiwan, you can check this page about Travel in Taipei.
Map of Beitou Hot Springs
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More Travel Destinations in North Taiwan
Keelung
Keelung is just 40 minutes away from Beitou and Taipei City, along the northeast coast of Taiwan. One of the most popular attractions in Keelung City is its huge Miaokou Market.
Yangmingshan
Right next door to Beitou Hot springs is Yangmingshan, a highly popular hiking destination that also has some decent hot spring resorts.
Fulong Beach
Taiwan’s most accessible beach (and also one of the most beautiful) is south of Keelung City. Great place to surf, swim, and enjoy the sun.