[TAIWAN] TAIPEI - How to Plan A Half Day Trip to Beitou

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Beitou is famous for its natural hot springs and rich history, making it a perfect spot for relaxation and culture. It was developed as a hot spring resort during the Japanese era. Beitou of today is characterized by its high quality spas and onsen hotels. 

Getting There:


Getting to Beitou is very easy via the Taipei Metro (MRT). Just take the Red Line (Tamsui-Xinyi Line) to Beitou Station (R22). At Beitou Station, transfer to the short, dedicated Pink Line (Xinbeitou Branch Line). Then take the Pink Line one stop to Xinbeitou Station (R22A). 

What to see in Beitou?


1)Xinbeitou Historic Station 新北頭車站

The main attractions are conveniently located within easy walking distance of the Xinbeitou MRT station. Xinbeitou Historic Station is our first stop in Beitou. It is a beautifully restored wooden railway station, originally built during the Japanese colonial era. It is located next tot he modern Xinbeitou MRT station. Opening hours: 10am - 6pm

2) Ketagalan Culture Center凱達格蘭文化館

The ten storey building of Ketagalan Culture Center is dedicated to the culture of Taiwan's indigenous peoples, particularly the Ketagalan tribe, which originally inhabited the Taipei Basin. The displays typically include historical artifacts, traditional clothing, tools, and artwork, providing a comprehensive look at the unique heritage of these groups. Opening hours: 9am - 5pm

3) Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch 臺北市立圖書館 北投分館

We dropped by the Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch to admire its wooden architecture before visiting the historical Beitou Hot Spring Museum.

Opening hours: 
Tuesday - Saturday: 08:30 - 21:00
Sunday - Monday: 09:00 - 17:00
Closed: National Holidays and the first Thursday of each mont

4) Beitou Hot Spring Museum 北投溫泉博物館

Completed in 1913, Beitou Hot Spring Museum is a beautiful, century-old building that once served as the largest public bathhouse in East Asia during the Japanese colonial era. To preserve the historic wooden floors, visitors are asked to remove their shoes and change into slippers provided by the museum.

Tatamis rest area is where bathers would relax after soaking, featuring tatami mats.

The Large Bath on the first floor is the centerpiece, a massive indoor bathing pool lined with green tiles. At the time it was built, it was the largest bathhouse of its kind in East Asia.

A smaller pool was designated for family or individual use. Exhibits detailing the geology of the Beitou area, the types of hot springs (green sulfur, white sulfur, iron sulfur), and the development of the bathhouse industry over the centuries.

Beitou Hot Spring Museum
Opening hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, closed on Mon
Admission is free

Before entering Thermal Valley, we tried the unique spicy onsen egg at Tea Colors Cafe (茶色泡沫紅茶).

5) Thermal Valley 地熱谷

Thermal Valley is one of the primary sources for the hot spring water supplied to the Beitou area's public and private baths. The water temperature here is incredibly high, often reaching 80°C to 100°C. For safety reasons, public access to the water is strictly prohibited. The strong, distinctive smell of sulfur (often described as smelling like rotten eggs) is due to the hydrogen sulfide gas released from the hot spring water. We bought some souvenirs here at the souvenir shop besides the Thermal Valley.

6) Spring City Resort

Our ultimate relaxation came with an outdoor soak at Spring City Resort. We spent about an hour soaking in the hot spring pools. Different pools have different temperature. 

Shower caps, towels and slippers are provided in a basket. Men’s and women’s locker and changing room are separately located. The facilities are clean and has all the amenities guests need (eg. shower cubicle, comb and hairdryer). They even provide a spinning tub to spin dry the wet clothes. Overall, it’s a really good hot spring spa experience. We took their free shuttle bus to the MRT station. 

Tips: Buying voucher from Klook (NT$ 464 per person) is much cheaper than booking directly from the resort (NT$800 per adult, NT$550 per child not taller than 140 cm; free of charge for children under 110cm).


Spring City Resort - outdoor spa
Opening: 9AM - 10PM

We had lunch at a dumpling restaurant 正豪季水餃專賣店（忠孝西路店) before heading to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

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