Taiwan’s hot springs are how locals relax and rejuvenate – and they consider it important for both their physical and mental wellbeing.

I stepped out of the warm pool to towel myself dry, shivering in Taiwan's chilly winter air. The skin on my fingers had shrivelled like prunes, but that was to be expected after spending more than two hours in the water. Looking around the upscale hot springs resort in the Taipei district of Beitou, it seemed to me like the whole city was there that afternoon: but then, it was a Sunday, and this is what locals tend to do in their free time in Taiwan.

"In the West, people go to bars after work to relax and catch up with friends. In Taiwan, we go to hot springs to meet our friends and socialise," Taiwanese marketing professional Jacquelyn Wu told me. The concept of yì bó èr shí is very popular in Taiwan, she elaborated. Literally translated as "one stay two meals", it refers to the phenomenon where people head to a hot springs resort after work, usually on Friday evenings, to enjoy a soak, dinner and a good night's sleep, followed by another soak and lunch, before going home.

For a relatively small island, Taiwan has one of the largest concentrations of geothermal springs anywhere in the world, thanks to its location in an active volcanic zone with constant subterranean heat. It was the Japanese colonisers in Taiwan who popularised the idea of bathing in these natural thermal springs. Just like Finns flock to their saunas, the Taiwanese frequent their hot springs for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Having learned about the therapeutic value of hot soaks from the Japanese, the Taiwanese have made it much more accessible compared to traditional onsen in Japan – both in terms of location (there are several within an hour's distance from Taipei itself, easily accessed by metro rail) and rules of use (many allow mixed gender bathing, with no restrictions on swimsuits or tattoos).

"Virtually every onsen in Taiwan is tattoo-friendly, whereas in Japan, these are more difficult to find, so visitors with tattoos either have to seek them out or forgo the experience," explained Nick Kembel, who lived in Taiwan for more than 10 years and blogs at Taiwan Obsessed.

Wu added, "Soaking in hot springs is often a family activity in Taiwan, so apart from the gender-segregated nude bathing areas, there are also public pools or private suites where entire families or groups of friends can enjoy together."

Adding to the attraction is how relatively uncrowded some of Taiwan’s best hot springs are, especially when compared to Japan’s most popular onsen. Fewer people and fewer restrictions – what's not to love about this easier, lesser known and offbeat........

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