Beitou Thermal Valley / Geothermal Hell Valley in Taipei Guide

Beitou’s ‘mist see’ attraction, Thermal Valley is a spectacular geothermal park and bubbling hot spring that locals often refer to as ‘Hell Valley’.

Free to visit and easily accessible via boardwalks around the steamy pool, Beitou’s Thermal Valley (“地熱谷”) is a short walk from Beitou Park and the Hot Spring Museum – just follow your nose (the whole area smells of sulfur) and see Beitou’s most spectacular (and steamy!) attraction.

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Beitou Thermal Valley / Geothermal Hell Valley in Taipei

A quick day trip from Taipei, whilst this is one hot-spring you can’t soak in, it is one of the best free things to do in Beitou and a nice escape from the city. It really is ‘hot’ stuff!

From how to get there to its history, here is our guide to visiting Beitou’s Thermal Valley near Taipei.

You might like – Our Taiwanderers guide to more things to do in Beitou >

Table of Contents

Beitou Thermal Valley admission costs

Incredibly it is free to visit Thermal Valley in Beitou – there is no admission ticket required. This is also true of Beitou’s other famous geothermal recreational area Sulfur Valley.

You might like – Our 1 Taipei highlights itinerary or ‘the best of Taipei’ 3 day itinerary including Beitou

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Thermal Valley Taiwan opening times

Hell Valley / Thermal Valley 地熱谷 is open and has free public access from 9am to 5pm every Tuesday to Sunday.

Opening hours are extended in summer until 6pm from 15 May to 14 September.

Thermal Valley is closed on Mondays for maintenance and cleaning unless it is a public holiday.

There is a small visitor center onsite plus a couple of gift-shops and free toilets.

Taiwan checklist

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For more recommendations, check out our Taiwan travel booking resources page >

All set for Taiwan? Do one final check with our Taipei first timers guide and our packing list guide. Travelling with kids? Check out our Taipei For Kids eBook >

How to get to Beitou Thermal Valley

To get to Beitou from Taipei, take the Taipei Metro (MRT) to Beitou MRT Station on the red Tamsui-Xinyi Line.

Once at Beitou Station, change platforms and jump on the Xinbeitou Line one stop to Xinbeitou MRT Station. The entire journey lasts less than 20 minutes so it is a very easy trip from Taipei.

The shuttle MRT train between Beitou and Xinbeitou is pretty unique – it has themed carriages with installations relating to Taiwan and Beitou, including a cute Bravo the Bear model that people love to pose with, plus a hot spring style carriage and an art gallery carriage.

You might like – More wonderfully weird and unusual things to do in Taipei >

To walk from Xinbeitou Station to Thermal Valley, it takes 14 minutes and is a straight walk from the station through or around Beitou Park up a small hill. Thermal Valley will be at the top (look out for a HiLife convenience store and that is the entrance).

Alternatively, take bus s39 from outside Xinbeitou station which will take 9 minutes, followed by a 7 minute walk (if you are able to, it is easier / better to walk).

Also check Google Maps or the official Go! Taipei Metro app to see which is the quickest and best route for you.

Taiwanderers Tip

Grab a Taiwan EasyCard as a convenient way to use buses and public transport in Taipei and across Taiwan. They can be easily topped up at stations and convenience stores.

Read more about how to use a Taiwan EasyCard, including how to top up >

You might also like – 30 cute Taiwan EasyCard designs and where to buy them >

If you’d rather do a tour to Beitou and Yangmingshan National Park, try these:

Beitou & Geothermal Valley, Yangmingshan and Yehliu one-day tour >

Beitou and Yangmingshan day tour from Taipei >

Recommended Beitou Taipei accommodation and hotels

On My Way – Taipei Hostel
Popular hostel located a few minutes walk to the Beitou hot spring area with spacious common lounge area. Check rates and availability on booking.com and agoda.com

Luxury ($$$)
Hotel Double One
Elegant hotel with suites that include a balcony with hot spring bathtub. The hotel also provides a free shuttle bus to the MRT station. Check rates and availability on booking.com and agoda.com

Luxury ($$$)
The Gaia Hotel – Taipei
Elegant hotel with outdoor pool, hot spring, spa, 3 restaurants and free shuttle bus to the MRT station. Check rates and availability on booking.com and agoda.com

Beitou Thermal Valley vs Sulfur Valley

There are two main geothermal areas in Beitou – the Thermal Valley / Hells Valley is the most famous, plus there is also the Sulfur Valley (which is a little way out from downtown Beitou).

The difference between the two sites is that given its downtown location near Beitou Park, Thermal Valley is a lot more popular and visited by thousands of people every day.

Sulfur Valley is much larger, has much more thermal activity and is a more rugged landscape. It isn’t as visually ‘pretty’ as Thermal Valley but it is an equally interesting experience and the short bus ride or 30 to 40 minute walk from town is definitely worth it.

Check out our Taipei neighbourhoods guides:
Beitou >
Dihua Street and Dadaocheng >
Gongguan and Longquan >
Tamsui >
Ximending >
Xinyi >
Zhongshan >

Also check out our guide to the best neighbourhoods in Taipei >

Exploring Thermal Valley in Beitou

We’d recommend visiting Thermal Valley after a nice walk through Beitou Park, a visit to the free Beitou Hot Spring Museum and possibly a soak at the Beitou public hot springs (as you cannot take a dip in the water at Thermal Valley).

These are all located along the walk from Xinbeitou station to the Thermal Valley as you walk up the hill.

At the entrance to THE Beitou Thermal Valley, there is a small hot spring basin so you wash your hands in the ‘rejuvenating’ spring waters.

Plus if you are hungry, there are a few stalls and restaurants on the road leading up to it including a HiLife convenience store, plus a small kiosk selling Taiwanese tea eggs for NT$20.

As you approach the main pool of Thermal Valley, the wafts of strong smelling sulfur waft through your nostrils but you soon get used to it.

As one of the main sources of all of Beitou’s hot springs, it is also known as ‘Jade Spring Valley” due to its turquoise ‘jade-like’ spring waters that shine green in the sun.

In addition to the turquoise colors of the main pool, the continuous mist and steam arising over the waters is just magical to watch.

The hot bubbling water of this geothermal park is said to be always around 85°C to 100°C so it isn’t somewhere you can bathe!

According to an interpretation panel by the valley entrance, the spring water can strengthen your immunity, improve skin conditions and is beneficial for your bones and muscles.

You might like – Our guide to Wulai, an easy day trip from Taipei full of natural hot springs and spas >

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History of Thermal Valley & Beitou

The hot springs in the local Beitou area are over 200 years old – in recent years, fences have been installed to stop visitors getting too close to the boiling water and hot springs.

However, years ago, it is said locals regularly would come here to boil eggs in the hot water. These days, you’ll have to make do with the Taiwanese tea egg stall just outside the main gates.

According to legend (and the information panel by the entrance!), when the indigenous Plains Aborigines discovered Thermal Valley, they believed the hot springs were haunted by spirits so they prayed to the local witch to protect the area with her mystic powers and magical spells.

She transformed the mountain mists into a protective force and transformed the water into a ‘healing spring’ – so make sure you dip your digits into the hand baths at the start to feel the benefits.

To ‘dive in’ and learn about the rich thermal history of the area, take a visit to the Beitou Hot Spring Museum (free admission – note like Thermal Valley, it is also closed on a Monday).

Opened in 1913 and once the largest bathhouse in East Asia, the Beitou Hot Spring Museum has two levels.

The ground floor shows the former public bath (still with water in it) with a history of the building whilst the upper area has exhibitions, gift shop, a traditional spa resting area (very popular) with a woven matt floor plus a balcony to look out over Beitou Park.

You might like – Our guide to Heping Island GeoPark in Keelung plus other things to do in Keelung

Hell Valley highlights

The geothermal park is quite small with one main pool that is around 100 meters long and a boardwalk that goes around the entire perimeter – there is also a small shrine onsite plus waterfalls and several look out spots.

Most of the park is wheelchair accessible and the majority of the boardwalk area is quite flat. It is also safe for families as there is fencing all around the hot springs.