Thermal Valley Audio Guide

Thermal Valley: what does the audio guide cover?

1. 01

   Welcome to Thermal Valley

   Welcome to Thermal Valley, known in Chinese as Diyu Gu, which translates as Hell Valley. You are in Beitou District, in the northern part of Taipei, on the foothills of Yangmingshan National Park. A cloud of sulfurous steam hangs over a turquoise pool, and the air carries a mineral scent that tells you something powerful is happening underground. This is one of the sources of the acidic sulfur hot spring water of the Beitou area. Over the next few minutes we will look at why this pool earned such dramatic nicknames, what makes the water and the rocks here so unusual, and how this spot became the starting point of Taiwan's hot spring culture. Take a slow breath, keep a respectful distance from the water's edge, and let the steam set the mood. Everything here begins with heat.

2. 02

   A Pool Called Hell and Ghost

   Look at the pool and you will see why people reached for such frightening names. The sulfuric steam blankets the valley all year round, drifting and curling in the breeze, and that gives the place an eerie quality. One of its nicknames is Ghost Lake. It is also called Hell Valley, Jade Spring Valley and Geothermal Valley, depending on who is telling the story. The heat behind the drama is real. The springs here are the hottest in the Datunshan volcano group, with water temperatures ranging from 80 to 100 degrees Celsius. That is far too hot for bathing. Some of the sodium carbonate springs in the area are corrosive, and they came to be known as green sulfur springs and sulfur heads. Visitors once boiled eggs in these springs. The practice has since been prohibited, both to protect the water quality and to keep tourists from falling in and boiling themselves. So enjoy the view, and leave the picnic ideas behind.

3. 03

   Radium and the Rock Named for Beitou

   Here is the part that makes geologists lean in. The water in Thermal Valley is crystal clear with a slight green tint, and it is one of only two places in the world whose green sulfur hot springs are known to contain radium. The other is in Japan. The same chemistry produces a rare mineral often called Beitou rock, or hokutolite, also known as anglesobarite. It contains the radioactive element radium. Hokutolite takes its name from Hokuto, the Japanese name for Beitou. Of the many thousands of minerals in the world, it is the only one named after a place in Taiwan. It can be found naturally in just two places, Beitou and Tamagawa in Japan. Because such rocks are so rare, a Beitou Rock Conservation Area has been established to protect them. So when you stand here, you are looking at more than a spectacular pool. You are standing beside a natural rarity that is protected for the future.

4. 04

   Where Taiwan's Hot Spring Culture Began

   Thermal Valley is the first of a series of cascades you meet as you travel up Beitou Creek, and it witnessed the beginnings of Taiwan's hot spring culture. During the Japanese era it was considered especially photogenic, and it was counted among the 12 great sights of Taiwan. Part of that fame came from its misty, otherworldly atmosphere. The valley still feeds the neighborhood's bathing tradition. Near the entrance there is a hand bath shaped like the island of Taiwan, filled with warm water drawn from the springs of Thermal Valley. It is a small, friendly gesture that lets you feel the water without any risk. Beitou has long been known for more than its water. Its spas gave rise to a vibrant cultural history, with traditions of itinerant musical performances and high-end cuisine. The surrounding area still holds echoes of that era, including the Beitou Hot Springs Museum, which is a fine example of architecture from the Japanese period, and the more traditional Puji Temple and Plum Garden.

5. 05

   Before You Head Off

   Before you move on, walk around the whole pool and watch how the steam shifts with the breeze. You will see how the color of the water changes with the angle of the light. In front of the park entrance there are stalls and restaurants selling ice cream and tea, and warm water from nearby hotels runs down the hillside, a reminder of how closely the springs are woven into daily life here. If you would like to keep exploring, Beitou has plenty more. The Ketagalan Culture Center, the Taiwan Folk Arts Museum and the recently reconstructed Japanese-era Beitou train station are all part of the area's wider story.