Taiwan's location in the geologically unstable 'ring of fire' gives it an advantage that makes the earthquakes almost worth it. No matter which part of the island they call home, most Taiwanese are within shouting distance of a natural hot spring. No reservations are necessary and many businesses don't even have telephones. The island has no fewer than 128 hot-spring 'zones'. Here are six of the most popular spots.
Sunrise Hot Spring, Green Island, Taitung (pictured)
Located on the southern tip of Green Island, a small volcanic rock off Taiwan's east coast, Sunrise Hot Spring is a fine place to watch the sun come up after a night of soaking. The spring is unique among Taiwan's natural spas and one of only three accessible seawater springs on the planet. According to some aficionados, seawater springs are highly beneficial to health, strengthening bone and muscle, lowering blood-sugar levels and increasing white blood-cell production. The spa is divided into two sections: natural-style ocean hot springs on the beach and Japanese-style pools.
Wenshan Springs, Taroko Gorge, Hualien
One of the most visited natural springs in Taiwan, Wenshan sits inside picturesque Taroko Gorge Park. No entrance fee, no hotels, no Mando-pop piped through loudspeakers here - just carved-rock basins beneath a sheer cliff next to the wild Taisha River, all surrounded by gorgeous gorges and greenery. Hot spring water also bubbles up from the riverbed, so enthusiastic locals often dam small sections to make hot pools within the cold current. Wenshan is a 2km hike from Tienhsiang, where the buses from Hualien stop.
Jiaoshi, Ilan
The town of Jiaoshi, 7km north of Ilan city, is becoming a popular weekend getaway for Taipei residents looking to hang out, eat seafood and soak in the famed hydrogen-sodium carbonate spring waters - which are less odorous than sulphur-laden waters. Hot springs are the big local industry in Jiaoshi (dwarfing even betel-nut production), so expect to find spas of all types and price ranges, from public outdoor spas for NT$50 ($12) a head, to high-class Japanese-style wooden-tub joints such as the Osaki Hot Spring Hotel (tel: 886 3 9887299), admission to which will set you back considerably more. Jiaoshi is the only place you'll find a hot-spring-themed children's park (at the Art Spring Hotel, tel: 886 3 9882 0115), complete with hot-spring waterslide.