👫 I'm back lovely peeps, I apologize (シ. .)シ for the super loooong absence from blogging. Without further ado, here's a continuation of our Taipei trip to bring this blog up to speed! Beitou (北投) is a mountainous district in the north of Taipei City, but this area is a flourishing hot spring tourist industry dotted with hot spring hotels and inns.

 

MRT Danshui line (捷運淡水線)

Xinbeitou MRT Station 新北投站

Unfortunately, we didn't get the chance to try the hot spring spa, which is the major attraction in the Beitou District (北投區). But we opted to visit the Beitou Hot Spring Museum (北投溫泉博物館) built during the Japanese occupation. This Euro-Japanese style building was once an abandoned public bathhouse but recovered by the community and reconstructed into a museum. The building occupies more than 2,300 sqm over two floors. The first floor exhibits the discovery of hokutolite, special exhibition area and the geological landscape and development of the Beitou Hot Springs.

Big Bath

Hokutolite

Beitou Hot Spring Museum Balcony

Tatami Lobby

Through the efforts of local community members, it was declared a Class Three National Historical Site in 1997. Following renovations in 1998 the Taipei City Government transformed it into the Beitou Hot Spring Museum, introducing the building architectural elements, knowledge of hot springs, and the unique characteristics of hot spring baths in Taiwan.

Entrance to the Beitou Hot Spring Museum is free. But it is currently closed for renovations and will be scheduled to reopen on October 27, 2018.