Jiaoxi

Jiaoxi is Yilan County's geothermal escape, located less than an hour south of Taipei via the Hsuehshan Tunnel. The town sits directly on a low-sulfur alkaline spring bed, so mineral bathhouses line almost every central street. You can easily walk between public soak parks, night market food stalls, and foothill hiking trails. Avoid Sunday evenings, when return traffic to Taipei grinds to a halt.

Jiaoxi's culinary identity revolves around Sanxing scallions, grown in nearby Sanxing Township using clean spring runoff. These scallions have thick, sweet stems that lack harsh bitterness, making them the star of fried scallion pancakes and steamed buns across town.Local farms also cultivate hot spring vegetables like water spinach and loofah using lukewarm irrigation. Restaurants along Zhongzheng Road flash-fry these greens with garlic, yielding a remarkably tender texture unique to Yilan's soil.

• Order hot spring water spinach

  Look for 溫泉空心菜 on menu boards. The hollow stems are twice as thick as standard varieties.

• Cash dominates street stalls

  Noodle shops and pancake carts rarely accept digital payments or credit cards. Carry small NT$100 bills.

The Kavalan indigenous people originally inhabited the Yilan plain, utilizing the natural warm water bubbling from the ground. Japanese colonial administrators later engineered public bathhouses in the early 20th century, formalizing Jiaoxi as a health retreat.Completion of the Hsuehshan Tunnel in 2006 transformed Jiaoxi from a quiet provincial spa town into a suburban weekend escape for Taipei residents. Modern high-rise resort hotels now stand alongside traditional public soaking pools.

1. 1796

   Han Settlement

   Han Chinese settlers arrive on the Yilan plain and record natural hot water springs bubbling up near mountain streams.

2. 1895

   Japanese Colonial Era

   Japanese engineers build public bath structures, introducing commercial hot spring culture and hotel infrastructure.

3. 2006

   Hsuehshan Tunnel Opens

   Freeway 5 cuts through the mountains, reducing travel time from Taipei to under an hour and driving a hotel boom.

4. 2019

   Matcha Mountain Trend

   Shengmu Trail gains viral international fame for its deep green, lush ridge landscapes resembling Japanese matcha powder.

Choose your base by your primary daily focus: transit access, night market dining, or mountain quiet. Almost every commercial hotel in town piped warm mineral water directly into guestroom bathtubs.

• First-timers & bus ridersJiaoxi Station Core — Walkable from arrival terminals with endless food options right outside.
• Boutique bathhouse seekersTangweigou & Central Spring — Direct access to central footbaths, fish spas, and evening strolls.
• Hikers & luxury travellersWufengchi Foothills — Secluded high-end resorts positioned straight at trailheads.
• Families with carsLongtan Lake District — Spacious grounds, lakeside running tracks, and easy parking.

Central Jiaoxi is compact and highly walkable on foot. To visit mountain trails or nearby coastal spots, take local Yilan county buses or hire short-haul taxis from the train station exit.

• You can tap EasyCard or iPASS on all express buses and local Yilan city transit lines.

• Taipei-bound buses get trapped in Hsuehshan Tunnel gridlock. Take the TRA train on Sunday evenings instead.

• YouBike 2.0 public bicycles are available near Jiaoxi Station for quick trips around the flat town center.

Jiaoxi offers budget-friendly street dining alongside premium resort soaking experiences. Public foot baths are completely free, making it easy to enjoy the hot spring water without spending much.

• Public footbath soaking: Free

  Free outdoor public foot pools operate daily at Tangweigou and Jiaoxi Hot Spring Parks.

• Fish spa foot nibble: NT$80

  Private stalls around Tangweigou charge a flat fee including a small towel.

• Private 90-min bathhouse room: NT$800–1,800

  Rates vary by luxury level and midweek versus weekend booking.

• Ke's scallion pancake with egg: NT$45

  Classic street snack freshly fried on the griddle.

• Public bath etiquette

  Rinse your body thoroughly at shower stations before entering shared public soaking pools.

• Hydrate during soak sessions

  Drink water frequently. Limit soak intervals to 15 minutes to avoid dizziness from thermal heat.

• ATM access at convenience stores

  7-Eleven and FamilyMart stores across town accept international debit cards for cash withdrawals.

• Pack trail rain gear

  Yilan County experiences sudden afternoon showers. Carry a light waterproof shell on hikes.

• Matcha Mountain prep

  Bring at least 1.5 liters of water per person. There are no vending machines past the trail base.