Nantou Wild Hot Springs - Elite Hot Springs Introduction
Today, we traveled via National Highway 6 to Nantou to visit the wild hot springs. After departing from Puli and heading towards Wushe, we turned onto County Road 14B towards Lushan. Along the way, we could see the sign for Chunyang Hot Spring. Descending into the canyon, we observed the bypass where tourists were stranded during the last heavy rain, as well as the construction of a red steel bridge. Local residents informed us that the hot spring had been buried, but a small hot spring was discovered flowing from the rock face nearby, next to a pool that had been excavated but was not very clean. We decided to return the same way, passing by the fork towards Lushan Hot Spring and continuing on. Not far past the sign for Xibao Village, just before entering the Jingying Village community, there was a small sign on the right side. We followed the narrow cement road downwards, which could only accommodate one small car at a time. While passing by some indigenous-style houses, we noticed a red sign indicating that this community was a Type A controlled area and required permission for entry. The road conditions were poor, making it difficult for vehicles without high clearance, and we encountered a construction truck heading up. Fortunately, we were able to reverse back to a bend to let it pass. We continued downwards until we reached the Lover's Suspension Bridge. We parked our vehicle at the fork by the Lover's Suspension Bridge, which had a small area that appeared to be undergoing renovations for a scenic area. Later, we discovered online that parking fees were previously collected here, but since it was not a holiday, there was no one around this time. Occasionally, construction vehicles passed by, but it wasn't necessary to park in that little area, as some people were found parking further up the road. After parking, we walked upstream and circled around to the rock face by the Lover's Suspension Bridge, where we found two pools surrounded by stones. One pool had hotter water, while the other allowed for creek water to adjust the temperature. The flow of hot spring water was substantial, and the scenic surroundings were beautiful, prompting my classmates to start soaking, while I opted to soak my feet. I was puzzled about why everyone believed that Jingying Hot Spring had disappeared, but upon checking online later, I discovered that there used to be many more pools here along the creek. It seems that the largest hot spring pool of Jingying may have been buried. However, for us, having such a beautiful wild hot spring pool was satisfying enough. I also found recent accounts online of others visiting Jingying Hot Spring, but they were at a pool located further up, about six hundred meters away. Next time, I might go explore that area.
