Beitou 北投區 (Peitou in Wade-Giles) is a northern district of Taipei famous for its hot springs.
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.
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.
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).
Beitou Hot Springs Park (Qinshui Park (北投溫泉親水公園)), No. 30, Xinshi Street (Directly across the road from Xin Beitou MRT Station), 25.136592°, 121.506397°. A long, narrow park. Within the park are fountains, the Beitou library, the Beitou Hot Springs Museum and an outdoor hot spring. Due to its central location, the park is a useful landmark for locating Beitou's other attractions. The park is also featured in the Hong Kong movie Turn Left, Turn Right, starring with Takeshi Kaneshiro and Gigi Leung.
Geothermal Valley (Hell Valley (地熱谷)), No. 30, Xinshi Street (at a valley near the end of Zhongshan Road on the left-hand side next to Beitou Park), 25.137745°, 121.511581°. This is one of the most famous spots in Beitou, a natural sulfur hot spring where water temperatures can reach 100°C (212°F).
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.
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.
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.
There are a number of cafes directly in front of Beitou MRT Station.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division