Located at the heart of the East Longitudinal Valley, the Ruisui Hot Spring is known for Taiwan's only Golden Hot Spring, soothing valley scenery, and a relaxed travel pace that connects pastoral and rural landscapes. It was selected as one of the Top Five Recommended Hot Spring Destinations at the 2025 Taiwan Hot Spring Golden Spring Awards. This recognition reflects not only its healing appeal, but also its status as a top choice for travelers of all ages. Rather than encouraging a rushed itinerary, this is a place that invites you to experience the rhythm of slow travel, slow food, and slow living amid the everyday scenery where valley plains and indigenous mountain forests meet.
Slow Spring Travel Through Fields and Forests
Spring in Ruisui is the perfect time to let nature shape your itinerary. The flat, open terrain of the East Longitudinal Valley makes bicycles and electric-assist bikes the easiest way to get around. Ride along country roads or near the Xiuguluan River, and you will be greeted by sweeping rice paddies, tea gardens, and mountain ranges in the distance. Under blue skies and white clouds, the East Longitudinal Valley has a natural beauty that needs no elaborate planning. From March to May, you can also add a light-chasing journey to your itinerary by heading north through the valley. In Shoufeng, the annual firefly-viewing season at Liyu Lake quietly begins, with flickering points of light shining through the lakeside woods like stars fallen to earth, adding a romantic and mysterious memory to a springtime journey.
Where Golden and Carbonated Hot Springs Come Together: The Unique Charm of Ruisui
The development of Ruisui Hot Springs can be traced back to the Japanese colonial period. As early as 1919, it was already being used as a police guesthouse and public bathhouse. After successful well drilling in the years that followed, Ruisui gradually developed into one of the largest hot spring areas in Taiwan. The spring water here is especially distinctive. In addition to a colorless, odorless sodium bicarbonate spring with a delicate texture, there is also an iron-rich carbonate spring with a golden hue, known as the Golden Hot Spring. The smooth, gentle water, combined with the convenient transportation of this lowland hot spring area, makes soaking in the springs an easy pleasure to enjoy in every season.
Follow the Land: Ruisui's Slow Food and Nature Experiences
No visit to Ruisui is complete without its local agricultural specialties and pastoral scenery. Tourist dairy farms famous for fresh milk are popular stops for families, while honey scented black tea, coffee, and pomelo showcase the layered flavors of the valley's land. If you are looking for a little more excitement, you can arrange a rafting trip on the Xiuguluan River. If you prefer a slower cultural journey, you can visit nearby Indigenous communities and experience the everyday warmth of life shaped by the aesthetics of the valley. For example, in the rice fields of Ceroh, Taste of Indigenous Cuisines: The Journey to Tribal Villages offers an opportunity to experience farming culture and the aesthetics of daily life, weaving the land's purity and fragrance into a slow journey that is both relaxing and enriching.
Add Ruisui to Your Itinerary and Leave Time for a Hot Spring Soak
Ruisui Hot Spring is an ideal place to unwind during your trip. Spend the day cycling through green rural corridors, then return to the hot spring pools at night to relax body and mind. No matter the season, Ruisui helps visitors rediscover their own rhythm of slow living and set aside a stretch of hot spring time just for themselves.
