Yangmingshan & Heiße Quellen — Taipeis Vulkanischer Bergpark
Yangmingshan National Park (陽明山國家公園 — the volcanic national park immediately north of Taipei city, accessible by bus from the Jiantan MRT station in approximately 30-40 minutes — Taiwan's most accessible mountain park): Yangmingshan is the only active volcanic zone in Taiwan, with numerous fumaroles (volcanic steam vents), sulfur deposits, and hot springs (溫泉 — wēnquán) that have made the area north of Taipei (particularly the Beitou (北投) district) one of the finest hot spring resort areas in Asia.
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Yangmingshan National Park — The Volcanic Crater Above Taipei
Yangmingshan National Park (陽明山國立公園, 11,455 hectares, 30 minutes from central Taipei by bus 260 from Jiantan MRT) is built on the Datun Volcanic Group (the 15 volcanoes in the park, with Qixingshan/Seven Star Mountain at 1,120m the highest point in metropolitan Taipei) — the park's volcanic features: Xiaoyoukeng (the active fumarole field with sulphur vents, the most accessible volcanic activity in Taiwan, free), the Lengshuikeng crater (a hot spring pool at the base of the crater), and the seasonal cherry blossom (February–March, the flower market road, the most crowded blossom site in Taipei); the park is cooler than the city by 5–7°C year-round.
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Beitou Hot Springs — The Radioactive Spring Town
Beitou (北投, the hot spring resort district north of Taipei, accessible by MRT to Xinbeitou Station, 40 minutes from central Taipei) has been a hot spring resort since the Japanese colonial period (1895–1945, when Beitou was developed as a recreation area for Japanese soldiers and officials) — the Green Sulphur Hot Spring (Jieyun Ecological Park, 40°C–70°C, free open air pool) is one of only 2 places in the world with Hokutolite radioactive mineral deposits in the spring water; the Beitou Hot Spring Museum (the 1913 public bathhouse, free, Tuesday–Sunday 9am–5pm) and the dozen public and private hot spring hotels (public baths ¥100–300) complete the experience.
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Caoshan Ecological Farm and Volcanic Landscape
Caoshan Ecological Farm (草山生態農場, Yangmingshan, above Xiaoyoukeng, accessible by bus 108 from Yangmingshan Bus Station) sits within the active volcanic landscape of the Datun Volcanic Group — the farm (strawberry picking December–May, flower viewing September–October) and the walking trail from Caoshan to Qixingshan summit (2.5 hours, a boardwalk through the active thermal area with sulphur fumaroles visible from the path) provide the most complete volcanic experience in Taipei; the view from Qixingshan (1,120m, the highest point in metropolitan Taipei) encompasses both the Taipei basin and the Pacific Ocean on clear days.
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Lengshuikeng Outdoor Hot Spring Pool — Free and Public
Lengshuikeng (冷水坑, 'cold water pit', Yangmingshan, the misnomered cold water valley that actually has 40°C sulphur hot springs, accessible by bus 108 from Yangmingshan Bus Station) is the only free outdoor public hot spring pool in Yangmingshan — the women's and men's sections (separate, swimwear required) are in a reconstructed 1950s-style public bath facility open 9am–5pm except Mondays; the milky-white bicarbonate sulphate water is particularly good for skin (the pH is 2–3, mildly acidic); the adjacent hiking trail (Lengshuikeng to Qixingshan, 1.5 hours) offers volcanic views above the treeline.
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Datun Nature Park — Cherry Blossoms and Taiwan Blue Magpies
Datun Nature Park (大屯自然公園, Yangmingshan, 1,090m, accessible by bus 108 from Yangmingshan Bus Station, free) is the best accessible cherry blossom site in Yangmingshan — the park (accessible in winter when lower elevations may be closed for ice) has mountain cherry (Prunus campanulata, the Taiwan mountain cherry, blooming January–February, bright pink, 2–3 weeks before the standard yoshino cherry of lower elevations); the Taiwan Blue Magpie (Urocissa caerulea, Taiwan's national bird, a large deep blue corvid with a red bill and tail streamers found only in Taiwan) is reliably seen in the park's oak forest; the open summit meadow provides views of both the Taipei basin and the Pacific.
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Xinbeitou's Japanese Heritage Architecture
Xinbeitou (新北投, the hot spring resort suburb, the original colonial hot spring district developed 1896 by the Japanese colonial government) preserves 5 heritage buildings from the Japanese colonial period — the Beitou Hot Spring Museum (1913 public bathhouse, listed heritage, free), the Puji Temple (1905, the only Shinto shrine converted to Buddhist use and maintaining the original torii gate and wooden hall in Taiwan), and the Xinbeitou branch library (the wooden colonial building that inspired a Japanese-style reading room still used as a public library); the Thermal Valley (地熱谷, the emerald-green 100°C sulphurous hot spring pool, free, the most dramatic single attraction in Beitou) is at the top of the resort's main street.