Su'ao Cold Springs

Su'ao's water comes out of the ground at around twenty-two degrees and carries enough dissolved carbon dioxide that it fizzes: sitting in it, bubbles collect on the skin and the water tingles. Cold carbonated springs of this kind are found in very few places. The Japanese developed the site in the 1910s and also used the water to make a soda drink, which the town still sells. Public and private pools operate in the town centre.

What you actually see

• The carbonated water - bubbles forming on the skin in a twenty-two degree pool.
• The public pools - the municipal baths in the centre of Su'ao.
• The soda drink - the local carbonated drink made from the same water since the Japanese era.
• The contrast - a cold spring in a country otherwise full of hot ones.

When to go

June to September is the season; the water is refreshing in summer heat and bracing in winter. Weekends fill the pools. The site keeps daily hours.

Honest expectations

At twenty-two degrees the first minute is a shock and some people cannot stay in. The public pools are basic and get crowded. The town itself is a working port with little charm.

Nearby

Nanfang'ao is next door, and Yilan is north.