
TAIPEI -- Mountain ranges stretch from north to south along Taiwan's main island, with some peaks reaching 3,000 meters above sea level. Located on the Ring of Fire, Taiwan also boasts numerous natural hot springs. The resorts around these hot springs were initially developed by Japan during its colonial rule of the island from 1895 to 1945, and today's visitors can still see traces of that era.
I visited two of Taiwan's major hot-spring spots -- Beitou hot spring in Taipei and Guanziling hot spring, situated in the central-southern region of Taiwan. In addition to warming guests through and through, both spots are famous for their delicious local cuisine.