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Dongpu Hot Springs

A hot-spring village high in the Nantou mountains, the western trailhead for Yushan and for the Batongguan trail.

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WhereNantou
Nearest cityShuili
Best seasonOctober to April
Time to allowA day or overnight
Getting thereAbout 40 km east of Shuili on a mountain road
EntryFree at the river; hotels charged

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 actually see

  • 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.

Honest expectations

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.

What to pack for Dongpu Hot Springs

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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