Beitou District, Administrative district with hot springs in Taipei, Taiwan
Beitou is an administrative area in northern Taipei with volcanic valleys, forest parks, and several dozen thermal springs. The area covers forested hills and narrow streets lined with traditional bathhouses and public footbaths.
German sulfur traders set up the first thermal facility here before Japanese colonial times. During Japanese rule, many bathhouses and leisure facilities appeared, which still shape the neighborhood today.
The name comes from the Ketagalan word Kipatauw and refers to the steam rising from the hot springs. Visitors today still see the mist drifting through the valleys and experience bathhouses built in Japanese style along the mountain roads.
Two metro stations connect the area to downtown Taipei, including a branch line that goes directly to the thermal baths. Walking paths in the hills are often steep and can be slippery after rain.
Public parks here have small pools where visitors can soak their feet in hot thermal water, often free of charge. Some springs also feed warm-water streams that flow through walking paths.
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