Antong Hot Springs Introduction
Antong Hot Springs is located by the An-Tong Creek in Yuli Township, surrounded by serene mountains and forests, offering stunning scenery. In earlier times, it was known as "Antong Zhuo Nuan" and was listed as one of Hualien's eight scenic spots. The water temperature of Antong Hot Springs ranges from 60 to 70 degrees Celsius, and its water is a weak alkaline "chloride-sulfate hot spring," almost transparent with a slight smell of hydrogen sulfide. The spring has abundant water flow, with outlets distributed along the An-Tong Creek, extending approximately 200 to 300 meters. In 1904, a Japanese man collecting camphor discovered a hot spring outlet by the An-Tong Creek. By 1930, the Japanese built a police guesthouse here, which also served as the residence for the head of the Hualien administrative office, and established a public bath, gradually developing it into a hot spring resort. After the restoration of sovereignty, private operators purchased and managed it, transforming it into the Antong Hot Spring Hotel. The operators preserved the wooden bungalows built during the Japanese colonial period, which have been designated as historical monuments by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, making Antong a site rich in historical significance and nostalgic charm for hot spring bathing. The Antong area has several hot spring hotels, each equipped with hot spring facilities for visitors, offering both outdoor pools and spa functions, as well as private and family hot spring rooms, providing travelers with a relaxing hot spring experience. The Yuli Township Office has built three free outdoor hot spring pools by the creek, complete with changing rooms; there are also multiple natural hot springs along the banks of the An-Tong Creek, where local farmers have dug simple hot spring pools, creating a bathing area for the local residents.
