Guanziling Water and Fire Cave 關仔嶺的水火同源

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FIRE hot springs! What other reason do you need to visit this place? Hopefully that should be enough, because there is not much else to see besides a natural gas fire and a hot spring. It's name Chinese literally means water and fire coming from the same source (水火同源). Some have called it one of the seven wonders of Taiwan. This is a place that we have wanted to go for a long time, and the first place that we have checked off of our “secret places” list. 

Historical Background:

According to local Chinese folklore, the Kirin, a mythical Chinese Dragon-Horse creature, is said to have long ago lived in the spot where the fire spring now stands.  The spring water is his leftover urine and the fire his breath. This legend comes purely from the sign above.
Another legend from the Taiwan Tourism website says that the legend is actually about two dragons: a fire dragon and a water dragon. They both lost in battle, one became the spring's water and the other the spring's fire. 
In recent times the cave has become a popular tourist location especially for people enjoying the hot spring hotels in Guanziling. 

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

How to get there:
​By car/scooter: We came south on National Highway 3 from Jiayi and exited near Tainan Baihe district. Looking for scooter rental in Tainan? You can search KKday here or Klook here to look for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. 
If you are looking for car rentals in Tainan, you can also search Klook here or KKDay here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. 
By Bus: If you do not have a vehicle, Water and Fire hot spring can also be reached via Xinying Bus (新營客運) or tour bus. You can book tickets to travel to Tainan via inter-city bus on Klook here. You can book tickets to Tainan via high speed rail (HSR)  on Klook here or KKDay here. 
Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here.

Where to stay?
Most of the accommodation you will find is near the city center.  If you only want to visit old Tainan, you can book a hotel near the west part of downtown and consider walking or cycling around the city. 
We have stayed at and recommend Liho Hotel, a quality hotel right next to Chikan Tower, and Famouse Hotel, which is another great hotel also within walking distance of Chikan Tower in old Tainan. 
You can find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.
Need travel insurance? Compare prices on Insubuy here. 
You can also book Wifi and SIM cards for Taiwan on Gigago here.  

Tours: 
You can find more tours and activities in Tainan such as SUPing / Paddle Boarding, Oyster Harvesting , Wind Surfing, Glamping and more on Klook here or KKday here. 
 
Map:

After we drove into Baihe, we made our way past a few Buddhist temples, and then the road got really steep. We were stuck behind 7 tour buses, which seem to break the rules of “no oversize vehicles” on the mountain road. They took up both lanes on every switchback. Below the spring, there is a parking lot and bathroom from which you can walk up to the entrance.

The entrance is full of snacks and other “street food” of which we did not partake except ice cream, because looking at fire on a scorching 36 degree autumn day is quite a hot experience. 

We noticed that the tour buses were not full of foreign tourists, but rather Taiwan senior citizens. We made our way through the crowds of Taiwanese elderly to the front of spring to take pictures. No one was standing there, probably because it was so hot. 

There is a shrine underneath which burns a natural gas fire, and the water beneath bubbles. It reminded me of the natural gas fireplace I had growing up in Seattle. There's not much more to say except that it is a rare natural wonder.

Here is a video of the fire so you can see Water and Fire hot spring in all its glory.

History of Fire and Water Cave:

The Fire and Water Hot Spring and Cave was supposedly discovered by a Fujianese monk from a nearby monetary on the mountain in Baihe. After the Japanese Colonial Period ended in Taiwan, the local people created a shrine here and placed a God atop the spring called “不動明王” “unmoving king.” The natural gas for the fire is supplied from the Liuchong River Fault that runs underneath the ground here. In 1964 there was an earthquake that apparently split the fire apart, whereas before the fire all came from one hole. Nowadays this place is a tourist destination that from which locals can cash in on by selling various snacks and merchandise.  
 
Informative signs next to the spring:

This sign is a series of beautiful poems about the Water and Fire Cave put up by the Tainan County Chairmain. 

Some information about the spring's history in Chinese, English, and Japanese.

Legend of the Water and Fire Cave:

According to local Chinese folklore, the Kirin, a mythical Chinese Dragon-Horse creature, is said to have long ago lived in the spot where the fire spring now stands.  The spring water is his leftover urine and the fire his breath. This legend comes purely from the sign above.

Another legend from the Taiwan Tourism website says that the legend is actually about two dragons: a fire dragon and a water dragon. They both lost in battle, one became the spring's water and the other the spring's fire. Source: www.siraya-nsa.gov.tw/mainweb/article.aspx?L=2&SNO=04000653
This legend seems to go along with the mural next to the spring which depicts two dragons fighting. I don't understand why they put the above sign which seems to clash with mural next to it.

​Now you are ready for your trip to Fire and Water Cave! Be sure to like, share and comment below!

You can find more tours and activities in Tainan such as SUPing / Paddle Boarding, Oyster Harvesting , Wind Surfing, Glamping and more on Klook here or KKday here. 

Check out our full guide to Tainan here.

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here. ​

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