Qualla: Jiaoxi

Jiaoxi: Introduction

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Most hot springs in Taiwan hide up in the mountains, accessible only by winding switchbacks. Jiaoxi defies the pattern. Here, thermal waters bubble up at ground level through the floor of the Lanyang Plain, a geological quirk so unusual that the township has built its entire identity around it. Taiwanese call it the 'beauty hot spring' — not a marketing slogan but a reference to the mineral-rich water that locals swear smooths skin after regular soaking. The completion of the Hsuehshan Tunnel transformed what was once a half-day excursion into an easy day trip from Taipei, and the town has hummed ever since.

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Jiaoxi: Waters from Below

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Geologically, ground-level hot springs are vanishingly rare. In most thermal districts, the heat source sits deep beneath mountain ridges, and the water must climb significant elevation before it reaches the surface. In Jiaoxi, the spring water emerges almost at sea level, lacing...

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Jiaoxi: Temples, Rituals, and the Return of the Gods

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Jiaoxi's spiritual life is anchored by the Sietian Temple — 協天廟 — on Zhongshan Road. Twice a year, on the 13th of January and the 24th of June by the lunar calendar, the temple draws pilgrims from across Taiwan for the Spring and Autumn Rituals of Kuankung. According to tradition...

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Jiaoxi: Green Hills Above the Plain

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Step away from the hot-spring lanes and the terrain rises quickly into forested hills. The Wufongci Scenic Area, a short ride from the town centre, shelters trails leading to a three-tiered waterfall whose silhouette resembles the triangular flags worn by generals in classical Ch...

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Jiaoxi: What to Carry Home

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Jiaoxi's market stalls and small shops specialize in products that exist nowhere else. Hot-spring tomatoes — 溫泉番茄 — are grown in soil irrigated by the mineral waters, giving them an unusual sweetness that locals serve with a dab of plum powder and ginger syrup. Hot-spring glutino...

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Jiaoxi: The View from Linmei Golf Course

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

From the fairways of the Linmei Golf Course, an 18-hole international-standard course set across 50 acres of hill terrain, the full geography of northeast Taiwan spreads out below. The Lanyang Plain runs flat to the sea. Turtle Island — Guishan Island — floats offshore, its volca...

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