Hot spring picks! Spend a great Chinese New Year at the Beitou Park outdoor hot spring pools

The warmest place in the north during the cold winter is undoubtedly Beitou Hot Spring, and among them the Beitou Park outdoor hot spring baths are famous far and wide. The Parks Office of the Public Works Department stated that during this year's (2018) Chinese New Year period, the outdoor hot spring baths will be closed for a major cleanup after noon on February 14 until Chinese New Year's Eve on February 15, and will only open on February 16; they will operate as normal for the rest of the Chinese New Year period. Everyone is welcome to soak in the hot springs and enjoy a great Chinese New Year.

The Beitou Park outdoor hot spring baths are located in Beitou Park. The outdoor hot spring baths opened at the end of 1999, which coincided with the year 2000 AD, so they are also called "Millennium Baths"; the source of the spring water comes from Geothermal Valley and belongs to a chloride sulfate spring, commonly known as green sulfur spring, a rare spring quality both in Taiwan, China and abroad.

The park has a total of 6 public pools, arranged in a staggered pattern according to the terrain, including 4 hot spring pools and 2 cold water pools. Tickets cost only 40 yuan for a full-price ticket and 20 yuan for a concession ticket. Opening hours run from 5:30 to closing at 22:00, with 6 sessions in total. Bathers entering the pools must wear swimsuits and shower before entering. On-site notices also post hot spring rules for everyone to observe together, including the relevant dress regulations for bathers entering to soak regarding swimsuits and swim trunks.

Lin Chaojia, director of the Yangmingshan Park Management Office, said that to come to the Beitou Park outdoor hot springs for a soak, you can take the MRT and get off at Xinbeitou Station. Next to the MRT station, Qixing Park already has the Xinbeitou Railway Station, rebuilt in 2017, available for visiting. Going up along Zhongshan Road, there are also many attractions along the way, including the Beitou Library, Beitou Hot Spring Museum, Beitou Park outdoor hot spring baths and Meiting (the former residence of calligraphy master Yu Youren). Going further up, you can also reach Geothermal Valley and many other scenic spots, giving you a 1-day itinerary full of leisurely sightseeing and both intellectual and emotional richness.