Beitou Thermal Valley

Date Captured

January 23rd, 2016 at 10:15 UTC

Camera

NIKON D3100

Lens

AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II

Aperture

ƒ / 3.5

Shutter Speed

1/30 sec

Focal Length

18.0 mm

ISO

400

Exposure Value

8.5 EV

Download

3600 × 2400

A steaming geothermal pond at the head of the Beitou Stream, known locally as “Hell Valley” (地獄谷) after accounts of visitors falling into its near-boiling waters. The green sulfur spring (青磺泉) reaches 90°C and is extremely acidic at pH 1.4 to 1.6, containing trace amounts of radium. It serves as a source for many of the bathhouses further downhill. During the Japanese colonial era the site was celebrated as one of Taiwan’s Eight Views and Twelve Scenic Wonders under the name “Jade Mist of the Sulfur Spring” (磺泉玉霧). Today it is readily visited as a free tourist attraction with a pathway encircling the pond.