Beitou Hell Valley

Its spring water is the hottest in the Datun volcano group, and the steam-shrouded scene was one of the Eight Views and Twelve Wonders of Taiwan in the Japanese colonial period. Stones in the valley contain the radioactive element radium and are called Beitou stone, the only mineral among the world's several thousand named after a place in Taiwan. A Beitou stone reserve has been set up to help restore the stone. The water is about 80°C to 100°C and it is a hydrochloric acid spring; the water is corrosive and is commonly called qinghuang spring (green sulphur spring) or huangshuitou. Visitors used to boil 'hot spring eggs' in the water, but this has been banned, to protect water quality and to stop people falling and being hurt. After a redesign, the valley has a path around the lake and hot spring facilities, including a hand bath at the entrance for rinsing hands in mineral spring water and a 'love seat' with a large sloping design.

Translated and shortened by DealTaipei from Taiwan's national tourism database. Sources are on the terms page.