Beitou, Taiwan

Beneath the soil of Taiwan bubbles a veritable cauldron of sulphurous water, and though most hot-spring resorts are well away from major urban areas, Taipei¡¯s Beitou (B¨§it, sometimes spelled Peitou) is a notable and welcome exception. It here that locals and travellers alike come for a quick soak in sulphurous waters. (hot springs) in this district have been a lure for m as far back as the Japanese era.Not too long ago, the waters themselves were the priority and comforts such as attractive baths, meals and massages came a distant second. Nowadays Beitou offers dozens of bathing options, from simply soaking your feet in the roadside creeks (cost: nothing) to glamorous private baths in ritzy high-rise resorts (cost: prepare your credit card for a workout). The latter might include the use of several public pools, with optional massages and multicourse dinners and even karaoke. Popular day-trip packages combine a hot-spring visit with lunch or dinner. There are also public hot springs with cheap admission to somewhat downmarket private baths that won¡¯t set you back more than a few hundred NT. But be warned, thought Beitou is lush and lovely, its position as a quick skip from the city centre means that the area can get crowded, especially on chilly winter weekends.