Enjoying a quiet hot spring break at Bulao

While the similarly named Baolai Hot Springs, on the main road just a few kilometers away, has grown into a veritable town that gets pretty crowded on fine weekends, Bulao has grown far slower, and development has remained fairly low key with just a handful of small hot spring resorts.

This place may not appeal to everyone — the resort hotels are adequate rather than luxurious — but weekenders looking for a quiet, simple hot spring break might find a stay at Bulao Hot Springs just the ticket.

Nestling at the foot of steep, wooded mountains, Bulao lies just off the spectacular South Cross-island Highway (national route 27). The area around Bulao, while offering much less impressive scenery than further east, still makes for a very scenic location. Pulling into our resort of choice one fine sunny Saturday in April, we were immediately impressed by the peace and quiet of the area, which was almost deserted, apart from a pair of young goats left roaming free to keep the grassy meadow in front of our resort’s wooden cabins trim.

This is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the waters. However, since our group today was an active one, the itch to get out and explore soon overcame the temptation of lazing beside the large hot spa pool, and our explorations began after lunch.

Apart from the hot springs themselves, Bulao Hot Springs is famous for a tree, or rather a pair of trees. Seen as a dot on the map or a photograph in a guidebook, Bulao’s famous Lovers’ Trees (情人樹) may not look particularly grand, but are well worth the short walk out there. A rather overgrown footpath — clearly signposted in Chinese — leaves the road a kilometer or so north of Bulao settlement, and climbs beside a tiny stream before crossing it.

It seems few people come this way these days, judging from the rough, unkempt state of the trail, but hang in there for just 10 minutes, and the Lovers’ Trees won’t disappoint. A pair of ancient banyans, the trees — growing out of the top of a steep bank above the path and overhanging it — have grown towards each other and meet 15 meters above the ground, their branches entwined inextricably, forming a surprisingly majestic sight.

1|2|Next Page>>

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email