trudytrudo

Hello,

We are leaving for Hualien tomorrow. 2 nights at a small minsu in town with a booked tour guide for the taroko gorge. (anything else we shoudl not miss while we are there?)

Since our accommodations are quite modest in Hualien, (we are staying at Daydream B&B) i want to splurge a little on the 3rd night. Any recommendation of hotspring hotels on route back to Taipei? or around Hualien too, as long as it does not make the ride back to Taipei too long.

Our budget is quite generous. Something romantic and quaint would be best. Co-ed hotsprings preferred, or private bath in room.

thank you all for your suggestions!

thursdaysd

It is worth driving the coast road if you have spare time while you are in Hualien, although the gorge is really worth as much time as you can give it. Don't miss the hikes.

rkkwan

There are tonnes of hot springs hotel in Jiufen. I have no recommendations, but you probably can find a luxury one there. From Hualien, you can get off the train at Ruifang and then a short bus ride. However, the fastest Taroko Express don't sttop in Juifen, so you have to take a slower train with more stop - about 2.5 hours from Hualien to Jiufen. Meanwhile, on the Taroko Express you would already arrived in Taipei in the same amount of time.

trudytrudo

Oh! i had no idea there were hotsprings in Jiufen!

Anyone been there for hotspings? any hotel recommendation? i'll start researching.

Very much looking forward to the tarok gorge tomorrow. The weather in Hualien is splendid!

thanks for the suggestions.

Christine_Wu

There are no hot springs in Jioufen, which is an old gold mining town near Ruifang, now taken over by souvenir an food shops and tourist groups.

The closest hot spring would thus be a new one in Keelung: if you drill deep enough you're likely to find geothermal activity: there are over 123 hot springs on the island.

But since the Yilan plain faces Taiwan's two active volcanoes at Turtle Island, I guess what may be referred to is Jiaoxi: both on the railway line back from Hualien, and on the coastal highway to the 14 km Snow tunnel just half an hour away from Taipei by road this way on the 4 hour road trip from Taroko to Taipei. You can even travel by public bus between Taipei and Jiaoxi versus the scenic ride in the train which takes longer (and the trains go underground between Xike and Taipei main station).

Jiaoxi village has two big name hot spring hotels: the Royal hotel and the Evergreen resort hotel, and let's be modest; tens of other local hotels for a short or overnight stay.

Also a nicely built and cheap NT 150 Japanese style 'onsen' public hot spring bath within 10 minute walking distance from the station if you're just stopping by.