Soak in ancient hot springs in southern Taiwan！ The Guanziling and Sihchihxi 2 Major Hot Spring Festivals Kick Off

The 2013 Tainan Guanziling Hot Spring Festival promotes its hot spring brand as “Taiwan’s No. 1 Hot Spring,” “One of the World’s Three Great Mud Hot Springs,” and “Centennial Anniversary of the Public Bathhouse.” As early as in the 1920 Japanese-era book “Guanziling Hot Spring” published by the Guanziling Public Bathhouse, the uniqueness and premium quality of Guanziling Hot Spring were highlighted—with the term “Taiwan’s No. 1 Hot Spring” mentioned four times. Moreover, an old postcard over a century old shows a sign labeled “Spiritual Spring” in front of the Fire King Temple, further proving that Guanziling Hot Spring has been recognized as “Taiwan’s No. 1 Hot Spring” since the Japanese era. Additionally, Guanziling is one of only three mud hot spring destinations in the world, alongside Kagoshima in Japan and Sicily in Italy.

 

Additionally, public bathhouses were established in Beitou and Guanziling in 1913, and December 14 marks the centennial anniversary of the Guanziling Public Bathhouse. In celebration of this milestone, the organizers have planned a series of events exploring its century-old legacy, including guided historical walks around Guanziling, a hot spring music concert, and the restoration of the century-old Spiritual Spring landscape accompanied by explanatory tours on spring water collection. Visitors can also go hiking in Dading Mountain, Jilong Mountain, or Red Leaf Park, or make a side trip to Nanliao to pick green-skinned oranges or head to Dongshan for coffee.

The 2013 Sihchihxi Tourism Hot Spring Festival, spanning two months, continues to offer attractions such as Herbal Beauty Hot Springs, free 10-minute blind massage sessions, and free shuttle services within the hot spring area. To make it easier for visitors to enjoy the hot springs of Sihchihxi, the Pingtung County Government has arranged free shuttle buses, running every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the festival period from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, with departures every 30–40 minutes between Checheng Township Farmers’ Association and Sihchihxi Hot Spring. Visitors can take the Chengkang Express bus from Zuoying HSR Station, Kaohsiung Railway Station, or Pingtung Railway Station, get off at Checheng Township Farmers’ Association, and transfer to the free shuttle bus.

 

The Pingtung County Government has also partnered with the Mudan Tribal Tour to offer package deals: NT$380 per person for a one-day tour, NT$2,500 (for a twin room) and NT$2,100 (for a quad room) for a two-day tour, encouraging visitors to explore beyond Sihchihxi to Mudan and experience hidden gems such as the Sunrise at Shuhai, Shuhai Hot Spring, Mudan Reservoir, the Alishi Ancient Trail, and Dongyuan Forest Recreation Area. Independent travelers can also purchase the Chengkang Express combo ticket to enjoy a 25% discount on round-trip HSR tickets, round-trip Chengkang Express tickets under Taiwan’s Good Travel program, and a complimentary Chengkang Streetcar ride. Alternatively, they can buy a NT$580 round-trip ticket package from Zuoying to Checheng at the Chengkang Express counter at Exit 2 of Zuoying HSR Station, which includes a lodging discount coupon.