welcome to our ALISHAN travel GUIDE! In this blog post you’ll learn how to plan a trip to Alishan. We’re also supplying some beneficial travel ideas including a sample ALISHAN travel plan and budget breakdown that you can use for your own trip.
It was meant to be my birthday trip. Years ago, when I was planning a backpacking trip around Taiwan, I made sure that my birthday would coincide with the Alishan stop. As a person who would absolutely trade a week on the beach even with just a day in the highlands, I’m always on the lookout for quaint mountain resort villages. Unfortunately, an injury cut that trip short, leaving Alishan an unticked box on my Asian bucket list.
When our team made a decision to cover Taiwan to create a series of travel guides this year, it came as no surprise to my teammates that I assigned myself the one place that has eluded me all these years — Alishan.
WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?
UNDERSTANDING ALISHAN
WHERE TO stay IN ALISHANBest area to stay in Alishan
Top hotels in Alishan
Things to consider before Booking Hotels
POCKET WIFI RENTAL & local SIM
HOW TO get TO ALISHANChiayi to Alishan
HOW TO get around ALISHAN
THINGS TO do in ALISHANChushan Sunrise
Chaoping Trails
Sacred Tree trails and Boardwalks
Other places to visit in Alishan
SAMPLE ALISHAN ITINERARY
MORE ideas FOR THE poor TRAVELER
FREQUENTLY ASKED questions about ALISHANHow to book Alishan express train tickets?
Are there lockers at Chiayi Station?
Are there lockers at Fenqihu Station?
Are there lockers at Alishan Station?
Should I idea in Taiwan?
Is Alishan safe for tourists?
What power plug type is used in Alishan?
More ideas on YouTube ⬇️⬇️⬇️Related Posts:
UNDERSTANDING ALISHAN
The name Alishan refers to a lot of things. If you look at the topographical map of Taiwan, you’ll find a cluster of mountain ranges sprawling from north to south and occupying the central and eastern regions of the island. A section of this feature’s western edge is the Alishan mountain Range, much of which makes up the nature reserve called Alishan national picturesque Area.
The Alishan national picturesque area is composed generally of the northern half of Alishan Township along with a few other townships in Chiayi county including Zhuqi, Meishan, and Fanlu. Within the covered region of Alishan Township is a forest park called the Alishan national forest recreation Area, which is maybe the most popular attraction within the picturesque area.
Confusing? Don’t worry, in this post, when we say Alishan per se, we’re referring only to the recreation area, unless otherwise stated.
The nearest major city is Chiayi City, which makes it the most normal jumpoff point to Alishan. because of its elevation, Alishan enjoys a climate that is a lot more temperate than tropical. It’s a favorite vacation even among locals who wish to cool down and kick back a little.
Essential Information:
Language: Mandarin Chinese, but Taiwanese Min-nan is also spoken. lots of street signs are bilingual: written in Chinese characters with English translations.
Time Zone: UTC+8 (Taiwan national standard Time). Taiwan is in the same time zone as the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia; an hour behind Japan; and an hour ahead of Jakarta.
Currency: new Taiwan dollar (NT$, TWD). NT$ 100 is around USD 3.4, EUR 2.9, SGD 4.66, PHP 166.3 (as of August 2020).
Modes of Payment: a lot of establishments like cash payment, but lots of of them also accept credit scores card transactions.
WHERE TO stay IN ALISHAN
Best area to stay in Alishan
The Alishan national forest recreation area spans 1400 hectares, but the best place to stay is absolutely the main vacationer hub, the area in front of the forest railway station (near the gate). From here, restaurants, shops, comfort stores, the train station, the bus station and information center are all within touching distance.
Alishan Train Station
Lodging options in Alishan are quite limited. but down the hill is the hotel Area, where you’ll find the highest concentration of accommodations including the following hotels:
Alishan Shermuh Hotel
Yingshan Hotel
Wunsun Hotel
Kaofeng Hotel
Chingshan Villa
Gaushanching Hotel
Hofong Villa
Wankou Hotel
Dafong Hotel
Dengshan Hotel
Maria Hotel
Outside the main vacationer area, you can also find other hotels. one of these is the Alishan House, maybe the most well-known property in the area. If you’re after a a lot more luxurious experience or celebrating a special occasion, this is something to consider. It’s a bit detached, but it uses transfers to and from the station.
Top hotels in Alishan
Here are the top properties on Agoda, as scored by their customers.
Alishan Shermuh Hotel
Alishan House. check rates & Availability! ✅
Alishan Shermuh Hotel. check rates & Availability! ✅
Chinshan Hotel. check rates & Availability! ✅
Wun sun Hotel. check rates & Availability! ✅
Ali-Shan Kaofeng Hotel. check rates & Availability! ✅
Things to consider before Booking Hotels
Hotels in Alishan are normally much a lot more expensive than in other parts of Taiwan a lot of likely because of the limited options.
The hotel area (at the main vacationer hub) is situated downhill from the train station, so climbing back up can be a challenge if you’re not that fit. What we did: on our last day, we taken a look at early and deposited our bags in a locker at the train station before touring so we won’t need to go down and up again just to check out.
Some hotels don’t have elevators, so make sure you express your preference for a lower level.
Some hotels offer complimentary transfers and sell sunrise tickets. coordinate with hotel management before your trip.
Check in time is normally between 3pm and 4pm.
Most hotels offer complimentary breakfast, served at a partner restaurant at the central area, a bit far from the actual hotel building. breakfast time is normally between 7am to 9am.
POCKET WIFI RENTAL & local SIM
You can make your life much easier during your trip by staying connected to the Internet. You have two options: rent a pocket wifi or purchase a local data SIM.
Pocket Wifi Rental is a lot more convenient because you just need to connect to the device, which can accommodate up to 5 devices at once. Klook’s wifi rental service also supplies unrestricted 4G data with no decelaration to 3G.
You can also get a 4G SIM Card that will give you unrestricted data without worrying about roaming costs. This SIM card is from Chunghwa Telecom, the greatest telco in Taiwan. available in 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, or 30-day validity.
Available units are limited so it’s best to reserve online. Whatever you choose, you can pick it up at Taiwan Taoyuan international Airport, Taipei Songshan Airport, Kaohsiung airport or Taichung airport when you arrive.
✅ RESERVE A POCKET WIFI HERE!
✅ RESERVE A 4G SIM CARD HERE
HOW TO get TO ALISHAN
Because Taiwan is a small island with an efficient transportation network, it’s easy to get to Alishan from any of the major airports — Taiwan Taoyuan international Airport, Kaohsiung international Airport, and Taichung international Airport.
You can search for cheap flights here!
From any of these airports, all you need to do is make your way to the nearest TRA or THSR station to catch a train to Chiayi City.
If Alishan is just a side trip, you can also easily reach Alishan from Taipei, Taichung, or Kaohsiung. just proceed to the a TRA or THSR station and board a train to Chiayi City.
We’ll create a separate, a lot more in-depth post about getting to Chiayi from other parts of Taiwan.
Chiayi to Alishan
The best way to reach Alishan is by taking the train from Chiayi City. It’s not the fastest option, but this route will allow you to experience the Alishan Express, a vintage train widely regarded as one of the wonders of Alishan.
Alishan express departs from Chiayi TRA station (TRA, not THSR). If you’re coming to THSR, you can simply catch a shuttle bus from Chiayi THSR station to TRA Station.
Note that, as of now, Alishan express doesn’t go directly to Alishan because the far end of the rails were damaged by typhoons and have yet to be repaired. Hence, you need to transfer to a bus when you reach Fenqihu Station.
Here’s how to get to Alishan from Chiayi.
Book a train ticket to Fenqihu station online. Fare: TWD 384, adult; TWD 192, child. Alishan express makes only one trip on weekdays (scheduled at 9am) and two on weekends and holidays (9am and 9:30am), which indicates limited seats. It’s best to reserve online. We have a step-by-step guide here: how to book Alishan train tickets online!
Claim your reserved tickets at Chiayi TRA Station. note that it’s TRA Station, NOT THSR. find the Alishan express ticket window in front of the station, present your reservation number and the passport you used to book, and get your train tickets.
Board the train. The platform is located at the far end of the first platform (if you’re facing the rails), past the police Station. travel time: 2 hours, 21 minutes.
Alight at Fenqihu Station. You’ll arrive at around 11:30am, in time for lunch. While waiting for the bus, you can try Fenqihu’s well-known bento boxes. several restaurants offer this meal, but the most popular is served by Fenchihu hotel (Price: NT$ 160-180).
Catch the bus to Alishan. The bus stop is on the other side of the railway (not on the side of the station and old street). There are only three buses scheduled at 11:30am, 12:50pm, 2:00pm. travel time: 1 hour. Fare: NT$ TWD 98 (adult), TWD 49 (concession, child).
Pay the entrance fee. At the Alishan Bus terminal building, where you will be dropped off, find the ticket machines. Admission rate is NT$ 150.
Drop by Alishan Train Station. once you have the ticket, enter the park through the massive gate. around 200 meters from the gate is the Alishan Train Station, where you can purchase tickets for tomorrow’s sunrise train journey.
If you’re staying at the hotel Area, you can simply walk. From the train station, cross the road and go down the staircase. cross the parking lot and you’ll find a small alley with another flight of stairs. Climb down and you’ll reach the hotel Area.
If your hotel uses complimentary transfer, you may be picked up here at the train station.
If you need a lot more information about how to Alishan, we have a step-by-step guide here: CHIAYI TO ALISHAN!
HOW TO get around ALISHAN
Before that, let me describe something quickly. Within the Alishan national forest recreation area are four main areas:
Main vacationer hub, the area surrounding Alishan Train station and directly after the primary gate. This is where a lot of hotels, restaurants and shops are located.
Chushan, also spelled Zhushan, where you can catch the popular Alishan sunrise.
Chaoping, also spelled Zhaoping, where you’ll find the Zhaoping Park (Cherry blossoms trail) and the sister Pond.
Sacred Tree area, which is scribbled with walking trails that will lead you to the Shouzhen Temple, the Shun Bao Fu De Temple, the three Generations Tree, the big Tree, and of course, the sacred Tree.
All these areas are connected by the picturesque Alishan forest Railway, with Alishan station as the central point. You can simply ride the train to get from one station to another. Fare to and from Chaoping, sacred Tree or Alishan station is NT$ 100. Fare to or from Chushan is NT$ 150.
However, the a lot more recommended option is by hiking. Every train stations is only 30 minutes to 1 hour on foot from the next station. The walking trails will take you to the points of interest in the area. It’s an easy hike, if you have no issues physically.
This map is a simplified illustration of the journeys, whether by train or by foot.
Our recommended route is this: First, take the train from Alishan to Chushan to catch the sunrise (since it may be too dark or too cold for an early morning walk). After dawn, they hop back into the train to Chaoping station and walk all the way to sacred Tree Station, stopping at crucial attractions along the way. Then, they catch another train back to Alishan.
THINGS TO do in ALISHAN
Chushan Sunrise
Perhaps the most popular attraction in Alishan. hundreds of people enjoy the day break from a checking out platform in Chushan. It’s easy to be mesmerized by the first light of day seeping through the mountains above a sea of clouds.
Skipping hotel breakfast? You can get hold of a quick bite from the lane of food stalls at the checking out area. local favorites like tea eggs to western staples like French toast are available.
How to get to Chushan: At Alishan Station, take the train to Chushan Station. One-way fare: NT$ 150 (adult), NT$ 75 (concession).
IMPORTANT! purchase a ticket the afternoon before (1pm to 4:30pm). because the sunrise time varies every day, the departure time of the Chushan train changes with it too. The final schedule is posted at the station and is shared with hotel receptions in the late afternoon. You can simply ask your hotel’s reception staff for the departure time and set up a wakeup call for good measure.
On the day of sunrise viewing, wake up early and proceed to the Alishan Station. The train can get packed so to make sure you get seated, arrive at least 30 minutes ahead of time.
Chaoping Trails
After sunrise viewing, head back to the station and catch the train to Chaoping. Upon exiting the station, you’ll be greeted by the Chaoping Park, next to the plum garden. From here, you can take one of the lots of walking trails that cut across the area including the following:
Chaoping Skywalk Trail
Alishan Sakura trail (cherry blossoms!), if your timing is right
Poetry Trail
But a lot of visitors follow the main forest trail that leads to the sacred Tree. Along the way, you’ll be passing by the sister Pond, the Magnolia Garden, the Alishan Shouzhen Temple, and other picturesque spots.
How to get to Chaoping: From Chushan station or Alishan Station, take the train to Chaoping Station. Fare from Chushan is NT$ 150, from Alishan NT$100.
Sacred Tree trails and Boar