I thought long and hard about it before heading to Alishan – how can I take on Alishan the best way because every itinerary seemed to be really tedious. A tour could be the easy way out but is that really necessary?
After experiencing it, it’s just not as complicated as it seemed thanks to the extensive tourism programme by the government. Everything just falls right in place when we were there.
A day trip was definitely not sufficient so we got us one night in Alishan – that will give us 24 hours to cover the 5 wonders of Alishan.
Overview
- How to get there? (From Chiayi)
- Entering Alishan National Scenic Area
- Where to stay?
- 5 Wonders of Alishan
- Alishan Sakura Trail
- Dinner: Alishan Hotpot
- Taking the Railway Train
- Hidden Sunrise Spot
- Tea Appreciation
How to get there? (From Chiayi)
By Bus (via Fenchihu)
The cheapest way to get there is by bus and you can strategically stopover at Fenchihu 奮起湖 for a quick eating spree. Here’s our recommendation on what to eat at Fenchihu.
We hopped on the 11.00 AM bus from HSR Chiayi Station – the only bus from this station that will stop at Fenchihu on the way to Alishan, so be sure to not miss this bus if you are planning to head to Fenchihu.
However, if you are boarding from the TRA Chiayi Station, there are 2 buses that stop by Fenchihu – 9.35 AM and 12.05 PM.
By Train
You have to book your tickets as soon as it is available online here (15 days in advance). There is only one daily train on weekdays at 9:00 AM and two on weekends or holidays at 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
The train only goes from Chiayi to Fenchihu where you still have to transfer to a bus to reach Alishan.
The last bus from Fenchihu to Alishan is 2.00 PM – once you miss this bus, you need to hire a private bus or catch the one the following morning.
Entering Alishan National Scenic Area
All buses will stop at the 7-eleven outside of the scenic area. A 5-minute walk should bring you to the ticketing entrance of the scenic area and a one-time entrance fee of 300 TWD per person is required.
Where to stay?
With such limited time in Alishan, we decided to stay in the scenic area to easily access the different attractions and make it in time for sunrise.
The prices are definitely much steeper but it saves us a lot of time (and more sleep!). Most of the hotels are located just behind the Alishan Visitor Centre which is very near to the train station for the sunrise and the restaurants.
The hotels there are more or less the same – very modest looking with basic facilities. We didn’t expect anything since we are only there for a night. However, it does get fully booked pretty early so try to secure your rooms before you run out of choices.
We stayed at Ali-Shan Dengshan Hotel 登山別館 which had heated beds and vintage decorations.
Things to do in Alishan: 5 Wonders 阿里山五奇
Every traveller who visits Alishan chased after the 5 wonders – Sunrise, Sea of Clouds, Forest, Sunset and Railway.
By taking the bus from Fenchihu, you’ll reach there at about 4 pm. Check-in to your hotel and head right out to secure your train tickets at Alishan Station 阿里山火車站 for tomorrow morning – remember to do it before 4.30 pm!
If you did not secure the train tickets the day before, you need to purchase at least half an hour before the train sets off which is around 4.30 am on that day itself. Read more on Alishan Sunrise Train here.
With no time to waste, head out for a walk and catch the beautiful sunset and walk through the forest.
5:00 PM – Sunset
We recommend taking the Alishan Sakura Trail 櫻之道 for the evening. As the name suggests, it is an observation deck for the cherry blossom season which peaks around March but we did see a handful blooms during our trip in December! This trail should take you about an hour to and fro.
7:00 PM
As usual, within the national scenic areas, there are not much food options available. In here, there are two main areas you can have your dinner.
For budget or solo travellers, you can consider 娜若瑪菲 美食街 where you can get an individual portion of noodles or rice at very affordable prices. A reminder not to get your hopes too high here.
Alternatively, a stone throw away lies a cluster of restaurants selling local dishes near the Alishan post office. We had our dinner here and the hotpot is definitely perfect for the weather – definitely don’t miss out their famous wild boar meat 山豬肉 and bamboo rice 竹筒飯.
We ordered the set that includes a hotpot plus 5 dishes and rice and it costs 1200 TWD. Perfect for a group of 4.
山芝鄉風味館
Address
605, Taiwan, Chiayi County, Alishan Township, 23號
605嘉義縣阿里山鄉23號
Google Maps
Well, if neither option above suits you, you can’t go wrong with 7-eleven. There is one located not far from the hotel street. Get yourself a bowl of Taiwanese instant noodles and sausages!
Day 2
4:00 AM
Rise and shine! The first train usually sets off at 5:00 am but it changes according to the different time of the year – remember to check at the ticketing office when you purchase the tickets.
5:00 AM – Railway
Be prepared for a long queue to board the train at Alishan Station but it moves very quickly once we are able to start boarding. The same train also picks up passengers at Chaoping Station but continue the ride and only get off at Zhushan Station 祝山車站 for the sunrise.
6.00 AM – Sunrise & Sea of Clouds
At that time, you are also likely to be freezing and hungry but you’re in Taiwan – that means food vendors are always wherever you are at. Don’t worry, once you exit the station, you’ll see rows of stalls selling steaming hot sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, hot coffee plus whatever you name it, they got it.
99% of the passengers will crowd at Zhushan Observation Deck but if you’d like to escape being a human sardine and have your own space, then follow us to another sunrise spot. Read this article to find out how you can head to the locals’ spot.
7:30 AM – Forest
You should be done once the sunrises and can start walking back to your hotel. Within the 40 minutes walk down, you will pass by a few major attractions:
- Sister Lakes 姊妹潭
- Magnolia Garden 木蘭園
- Shouzhen Temple 阿里山受鎮宮
- Three Generation Tree 三代木
- Sacred Tree Station 神木車站
If you are in a hurry or want to skip the walk, you can head back to Zhushan Station and buy a railway ticket back to Alishan Station.
9:30 AM
Under the chilly weather, it’s comforting to sit down for a short tea appreciation. Especially when you’re high in the mountains where they grow top-notch Oolong tea leaves – such a pity to not bring home a few tea bags with you.
We then hopped on a bus and head directly to Sun Moon Lake.
Within 24 hours, we had ticked all the 5 wonders of Alishan off our list!
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