Soak in ancient hot springs in southern Taiwan! The Guanziling and Sishihchi 2 major hot spring festivals kick off

The 2013 Tainan Guanziling Hot Spring Festival spotlighted its hot spring brand as “Taiwan’s No. 1 Hot Spring,” “One of the World’s Three Great Mud Springs,” and “Centennial Anniversary of the Public Bathhouse.” As early as in the 1920 book “Guanziling Hot Spring” published during the Japanese era by the Guanziling Public Bathhouse, the uniqueness and superior quality of Guanziling’s hot spring water were highlighted—the term “Taiwan’s No. 1 Hot Spring” was mentioned four times. Moreover, an old postcard from a century ago shows a sign reading “Spiritual Spring” in front of the Fire God King Temple, further proving that Guanziling’s reputation as “Taiwan’s No. 1 Hot Spring” has existed since the Japanese era. Additionally, Guanziling is home to one of only three mud springs in the world, alongside those in Kagoshima, Japan, and Sicily, Italy.

 

Additionally, public bathhouses were established in Beitou and Guanziling in 1913, and December 14 marks the centennial of the Guanziling Public Bathhouse. To commemorate this milestone, the organizers have planned a variety of events to explore its century-old charm, including historical walking tours of Guanziling with guided commentary, hot spring concerts, and the restoration of the century-old Spiritual Spring landscape along with explanations of the spring water extraction process. Visitors can also go hiking in the Dading Mountain, Jilong Mountain, or Red Leaf Park, and make side trips to Nanhiao to pick green tangerines or head to Dongshan for coffee.

The 2013 Sishihchi Sightseeing Hot Spring Festival, lasting two months, continues to offer attractions such as the herbal beauty hot spring, free 10-minute massages for visually impaired visitors, and free shuttle buses to the hot spring area. To make it easier for tourists to enjoy Sishihchi’s hot springs, Pingtung County has arranged free shuttle buses that run every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the festival period—from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM—between the Checheng Farmers’ Association and Sishihchi Hot Spring, with a bus every 30–40 minutes. Visitors can take the Chengkang Express bus from Zuoying HSR Station, Kaohsiung Railway Station, or Pingtung Railway Station, get off at the Checheng Farmers’ Association, and then transfer to the free shuttle bus.

 

Pingtung County has also partnered with the Mudan Tribe Tour to offer package deals: a one-day tour for NT$380 per person, a two-day tour for NT$2,500 (for a double room) or NT$2,100 (for a quadruple room), encouraging visitors to venture beyond Sishihchi to explore Mudan and experience the beauty of the Sunrise at Shuhai, Shuhai Hot Spring, Mudan Reservoir, the Alishi Historic Trail, and Dongyuan Forest Recreation Area. Independent travelers can also purchase the Chengkang Express pass to enjoy a 25% discount on round-trip HSR tickets, round-trip Chengkang Express tickets via Taiwan Tourist Shuttle, and a free Chengkang Streetcar ride; or they can buy a NT$580 round-trip ticket package from Zuoying HSR Station Exit 2 counter (Zuoying to Checheng), which includes a lodging discount voucher.

 

 

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2013 Hot Spring Festival – Warm Spring Spots Across Taiwan

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