 |
| Gourmet dining goes hand in hand with soaking in luxurious surroundings of Guan Xiang Four Seasons in Jiaushi./ Guan Xiang Four Seasons |
Pampering oneself in a hot spring to wash away stress and pain is a practice which has come a long way in Taiwan. Soaking today takes place not just close to nature but also in tastefully decorated surroundings.
Geologic upheavals and volcanic activities have contributed greatly to the emergence of hot springs around Taiwan. These are spread out in the cities, in the remote mountains, along the coasts, and on islands.
The Japanese colonizers brought the "onsen" culture to the island towards the end of the 19th century. As they went around opening up and developing frontier areas with natural resources to tap and harness, they tried to find hot spring sites for their leisurely indulgence and relaxation.
The opening of the first hot spring hotel in Beitou in 1896 marked the birth of the hot spring culture in Taiwan. Over the years, spas and resorts have sprung up around Taiwan.
Beitou, Yangmingshan, Guanziling, and Sichongxi were for years the places to visit for soaking and bathing. But more locations in scenic areas around the country have since then been discovered to satisfy a modern-day need for physical therapy and spiritual rejuvenation. An improved road network has rendered them very accessible.
 |
| Pop star Jolin Tsai takes time off from her rather busy schedule to refresh herself in a hot spring pool. / Courtesy of Tourism Bureau, MOTC |
With the departure of the Japanese colonizers in 1945, the hot spring trend waned in popularity. The "fin du siecle" or end of the 20th century, however, saw a revival of interest in hot springs mainly for beauty and health benefits. Government support led to the proliferation of fancy resorts and spas with amenities designed to meet the demands of an epicurean lifestyle.
Hot spring options in Taiwan today cover the range: sodium carbonate springs, sulfur springs, ferrous springs, sodium hydrogen carbonate springs, mud springs with water containing alkaline and iodine, and salt or hydrogen sulfide springs. The water can be cold, warm or scalding hot. While the water is usually clear, it can be odorless or can smell heavily of mineral.
Traditional soaking, plain and simple, has given way to water therapy to counter all kinds of physical ailments, such as rheumatism, arthritis, poor blood circulation, backaches, headaches, sprains, and even skin problems.
 |
| A good massage is part of the pampering at a hot spring resort in Taiwan./ Guan Xiang Four Seasons |
Couples often prefer the luxurious private bathtubs, which can be designed with great creativity and imagination to delight the users. But others like better the open-air spring pool with built-in whirlpools and cascades to provide instant body massage. Indoor common baths sometimes require users to plunge into the water "tout nu" or stark naked. When such strict house rule exists, however, segregation of sexes is usually enforced.
A good hot spring experience in Taiwan today consists of not just bathing but also gourmet dining afterwards for good health and physical well-being. The Tourism Bureau, in fact, has rallied for the first time the top hot spring resort operators in 16 areas throughout the island to get their act together to promote Taiwan as a land of excellent hot springs and exquisite cuisine.
Sightseeing tourists in Taiwan can conveniently program a refreshing splash in a hot spring into their itineraries. Northern Taiwan's highly-rated hot springs are concentrated in Jinshan, Beitou, Yangmingshan, Wulai, and Jiaushi. As for Central Taiwan, the best-known resorts can be found in Taian, Guguan, Lushan, and Dongpu. Meanwhile Guanziling, Baolai, Bulau, and Sichongxi are the famous hot spring areas in Southern Taiwan. Rueishuei, Andong, and Jhihpen are the popular destinations of bathing enthusiasts, who end up in Eastern Taiwan.
Autumn and winter are seasons ideal for soaking in a hot spring. Over 200 hotels and resorts are joining the all-out effort to trumpet Taiwan as a hot spring haven. Their special offers include free soaking in a spring pool after paying for a meal, a bonus dinner to go with an overnight stay, or simply a flat discounted rate for the duration of the 2007 Taiwan Hot Spring and Cuisine Festival.
 |
| Foot massage by tiny fishes is offered in Jiaushi, Yilan County. / Courtesy of Sun Spring Resort |
As part of the promotion of gourmet dining in the hot spring areas around the country, the hotels and resorts are now inviting the public to savor special menus, which tap the finest local produce and highlight the culinary specialties of the respective places. Beitou hot spring establishments, for example, are serving a hearty meal of wild chicken while those in Yangmingshan are trotting out wild vegetable dishes. Jinshan enterprises are proud of their duck meat delights while those in Wulai tout Atayal aboriginal cooking. Jiaushi boasts water convolvulus, sponge gourd, and water bamboo at their best while Taian has a reputation for Hakka ethnic cooking.
Freshwater trout dining is suggested as the palatable finale to time spent in a hot spring in Guguan just as Atayal feasting is recommended as the perfect way to end a day of bathing at Lushan. Meanwhile Dongpu grabs the attention of the hot spring crowd with plum-flavored recipes. As for Guanziling, the local culinary profession practitioners are rather focused on stimulating appetite through creative lotus menus.
 |
| The Onsen Papawaqa in Taian Township, Miaoli County, has 21 different pools outside./ Courtesy of Onsen Papawaqa |
Baolai and Bulau hot springs like to serve a glutinous taro specialty along with a meal, which has a plum theme. Sichongxi is associated with duck egg while Rueishuei deserves mention as place to relish native or wild chicken. Andong promises visitors a wonderful experience in pig's trotter dining and Jhihpen is ready to receive rave for offering spear fish cuisine.
The Taiwan High Speed Rail has a special tie-up with Fast-Link Transportation to help bring tourists from the THSR stations to some of the hot spring areas. The connecting service, which will continue until Jan. 31, 2008, covers routes like Taipei Station to Jiaushi, Taipei Station to Guguan, Taichung Station to Taian, Chiayi Station to Guanziling, Tainan Station to Guanziling as well as Zhuoying Station to Sichongxi. Call Fast-Link Transportation at 4128168 for more information, including charges. When using a mobile or cellular phone, dial 024128168. As for the THSR timetable, and to reserve a train ticket, go to website http://www.thsrc.com.tw
The Taiwan Tour Bus is also offering a 15 percent discount on weekdays and a 10 percent discount on weekends and holidays to hot spring-bound tourists. The fifth person in a group of five even gets to take the Taiwan Tour Bus free of charge. Souvenirs are given away too. One-day tours of Jiaushi, Taian, Guguan, Baolai, and Liouguei are offered. Go to website http://taiwantourbus.com.tw for more information about hot spring areas reached by the tour service. Also, try calling the Tourism Bureau hotline 0800-011765.
|
