A photo with the "Marriage
Hogs" is a long-standing lucky
charm for newlyweds.

The Persimmons Garden offers
fruit-picking fun.

Atayal tribal-style sweet sticky
rice cakes are a rare treat

A thousand-year-old pine tree

This all-nude hot spring pool
area is filled with South Pacific
flair.

2008 Taiwan Hot Springs & Gourmet Festival: Come for the hot springs, stay for the history

By Josie Wu　Translated by Ann Lee

As the weather turns cooler, we're heading into hot springs season! The 2008 Taiwan Hot Springs & Gourmet Festival started on October 25 and will last, in some places, for three months. During this festival, 17 hot springs destinations throughout Taiwan are hosting celebrations and special events. To promote these festivals and hot springs culture in general, many travel agents are offering special travel packages.

Guguan Hot Springs, celebrating its 101st anniversary, enjoys a reputation as "the number one beauty spring pool in central Taiwan". Even though Typhoon Sinlaku left the nearby roads in a bit of a mess, they have all been restored and are ready for the influx of tourists that the cooler months bring. At the Guguan festival, you can enjoy the "Hike the Mountains & Dive in the Waters" package, the "Basianshan-Guguan Healthy Tour", "Journey to Song-he Community & Cultural Tour of the Atayal Tribe", "A Trip to the Dajia Creek Generator Factories", "Fun on Tour Buses" or a series of exhibitions that show cultural aspects of the Taiwan hot springs history. Weekends will feature street performers, the Wuyesong Cultural Exhibition, and the Guguan Drum Arts Festival. This festival will lead you to appreciate Guguan's ever-changing natural resources and environment.

Apart from soaking up inside the hot spring pools and strolling along the walking trails, you can enjoy persimmon season this fall and winter. A fruit-picking excursion is an ideal afternoon activity and wonderful family fun. One recommended bed & breakfast in Guguan is the Walang Leisure Farm House. Apart from being a comfortable place to sleep, it also has a cafe conveniently located on the mountain and always full of warmth and laughter. Their numerous dessert items are made with mulberries, persimmons or herbal jelly and they also sell a variety of Atayal specialty dishes.

Even though persimmons are ripe this time of year, a lot of the fruit-picking gardens are closed to the public. If you are still keen on picking but can't find a place, the owners of the Walang Leisure Farm House will take you to their own fruit garden in their backyard, so you can get in on some fruit-picking fun. The owners of the farm are known for their green thumbs.

Close by this area you'll also find Sihkeba Walking Trail and the "Guguan Eight Men's Pine Tree" at the Mt. Malun entrance. There you will see some famous creeks like the Basiansih and the Sihwensih. This area is filled with abundant biological resources that are wonderful excursions for anyone who has the time or energy.

Left: Fresh & tasty sturgeon is a local specialty dish.
Right: Pine-style tea snacks are refreshing and delicious.