Beitou has been well known for its natural resources and wonderful scenery for a long period of time. Since the Qing Dynasty, Beitou has been well known for the extraction of sulphur, which is the main component of the Beitou Hot Spring. Beitou Hot Spring facilities were developed while Taiwan was under Japanese Imperial Rule. At that time, the Japanese were very fond of hot springs and regarded them as a way of healing diseases. As time progressed, Beitou Hot Spring has developed into one of the popular leisure attractions in Taiwan. Located in Taipei City, Beitou features public hot spring pools and a great number of hot spring resorts and hotels. Due to the local belief that the hot spring is able to heal a variety of physical pain (such as arthritis, muscle soreness, chronic dermatitis etc), Beitou hot springs had become increasingly popular. It is now one of the major hot spring areas in Taiwan.

Popular hot springs in Beitou include Diregu Hot Spring, Shinyi Road Hot Spring, and Hushanli Hot Spring. Apart from that, there is also a special Hot Spring Museum at Beitou that displays a wide range of hot spring information.