Dongpu Hot Springs

Dongpu sits at around eleven hundred metres in a steep Bunun valley, with sodium bicarbonate springs feeding a line of hotels along one side and wild pools in the riverbed below. It is where walkers start for the Batongguan historic trail across the central range, and one of the approaches to Yushan runs from here. A suspension bridge crosses to a waterfall on the far side of the valley.

What you'll find

• The hot springs - bicarbonate water in hotel baths and wild riverbed pools.
• The Batongguan trailhead - the start of the long crossing of the central range.
• The suspension bridge - a crossing to the waterfall on the opposite slope.
• The Bunun village - the community the valley belongs to.

When to go

October to April is the hot-spring season. Summer is warm and used for walking instead. Typhoon rain closes the road periodically.

Practical notes

Hotel quality varies and some are dated. The road in is narrow and subject to landslides. Mountain permits are needed for the long trails and must be applied for in advance.

Nearby

Yushan is east, and Shuili is west down the valley.

Key facts