Continued...
Suggested Taiwan 9 Days 8 Nights Itinerary
I'll be going to Taiwan in July again and this is my planned itinerary
Day Two: Departs Taipei for Chiayi to go to Alishan. Trip takes 1.5 hour by high speed rail.
Very comfortable buses from Chiayi to Alishan leave roughly hourly, take just over two hours and cost NT$221 each way. However, the route isn't quite as scenic, with more tea plantations and small villages than cliffs and mountains. The bus ride can also be quite windy, so be careful if you have motion sickness. Buses stop at Ruili on the way. Note: The last bus to Alishan from Chaiyi is at 2PM. After that the only way to get to Alishan is by taxi which will cost $1600NT.
The last bus back to Chiayi leaves at 17:10. Buses leave from the 7-11 store across from the tourist information center. Tickets are also purchased inside the 7-11.
Note: Most take bus from Chiayi rail station to Alishan. As of Oct 2011, there is a direct bus service from Chiayi HSR station to Alishan. Only two buses a day, between 10 am to 1130am. Go to the visitors information counter at Chiayi HSR station for more info. Cost is less than NT$300 one way, takes about 2.5 hrs. If you get the driver who drives like a Daytona driver (by the name of Mr Luo), get ready the motion sickness pills and the journey is about 2 hrs including the toilet breaks.
Alishan's park is a relatively family-friendly tourist attraction for nature-lovers and tea enthusiasts. The Ali shan area also offers sublime hiking and mountain climbing.
Chase the Sun
Like most places in Taiwan, Alishan has its primary claim to fame - the sunrise. If you ask any local what the most important thing to do at Alishan is, they will almost all mention heading to one of the high peaks in the scenic area to catch the sun peeking up from underneath the "sea of clouds".
You'll want to take the old Alishan train from Ali-shan station to the top of Jhushan, where you and dozens of others will be crowding around to get a glimpse of the phenomenon. It might be worth it to wander around or hike up a bit, away from the train station, to find some more personal space. If you're willing to get up early enough, you could also make the hike up the Jhushan Sunrise Trail.
Alishan Giant Tree Trail
More hiking in Alishan reveals more natural wonders, and the Giant Tree Trail is no exception. The photogenic giant cypress trees make it totally unnecessary to stop and think about why Japanese colonialists would want to take advantage of Taiwan's timber. Their legacy lives on in the trail; Japanese temples as well as the Tree Spirit Pagoda are remnants of that time, which you can spot if you remember to look down as well as up.
Alishan Tea Tourism
A friend once told me a story about Alishan tea: a Taiwanese man was on a business trip to Russia and brought several containers of the stuff to give as a gift to his Russian acquaintance. The Russian customs agent, recognizing the high-grade drink, corruptly inquired as to what the purpose of bringing so much tea was. "It's for my friend in Russia," the Taiwanese said. The customs officer, eyeing the tea, replied "I'm not your friend?"
Alishan is a name that rings out across the tea-drinking world, and it's your chance to get a couple containers and bring it home. Recently, throughout Taiwan, stuff falsely billing itself as "Alishan tea" has been crowding the shelves, but you can be assured going there yourself is a great way to ensure authenticity.
Traveling Around Alishan / Local Transport
Getting around in Alishan is quite easy, and will involve some combination of trains and walking and hiking. Maps are widely available in English for travelers, and signposts clearly mark every trail and direction. Getting lost will be a challenge. For the Alishan forest railway, be sure to check the train times with your hotel as some may only depart for sunrises and the like, and they are also prone to shutdowns due to the volatile mountain terrain.
Eating in Alishan / Restaurants / Food
Most restaurants in Alishan are more or less on the same level, serving up a mixture of local mountain veggies in Taiwanese style. Strolling around Alishan's main square near the car park will give you a good sampling of what you'll need.
Fenchihu Station Lunch Box - The Fenchihu Train Station car serves things up old-school with a lunch box on the train, much like Japanese foresters might have done decades ago on their way to haul cypress up and down the mountain. Get a taste of some bamboo from Alishan itself.
Choice of accommodation
Alishan Lauya Homestay. What a name! :p But we decided on this as the review was good.
Suggested Taiwan 9 Days 8 Nights Itinerary
I'll be going to Taiwan in July again and this is my planned itinerary
Day Two: Departs Taipei for Chiayi to go to Alishan. Trip takes 1.5 hour by high speed rail.
Very comfortable buses from Chiayi to Alishan leave roughly hourly, take just over two hours and cost NT$221 each way. However, the route isn't quite as scenic, with more tea plantations and small villages than cliffs and mountains. The bus ride can also be quite windy, so be careful if you have motion sickness. Buses stop at Ruili on the way. Note: The last bus to Alishan from Chaiyi is at 2PM. After that the only way to get to Alishan is by taxi which will cost $1600NT.
The last bus back to Chiayi leaves at 17:10. Buses leave from the 7-11 store across from the tourist information center. Tickets are also purchased inside the 7-11.
Note: Most take bus from Chiayi rail station to Alishan. As of Oct 2011, there is a direct bus service from Chiayi HSR station to Alishan. Only two buses a day, between 10 am to 1130am. Go to the visitors information counter at Chiayi HSR station for more info. Cost is less than NT$300 one way, takes about 2.5 hrs. If you get the driver who drives like a Daytona driver (by the name of Mr Luo), get ready the motion sickness pills and the journey is about 2 hrs including the toilet breaks.
Alishan's park is a relatively family-friendly tourist attraction for nature-lovers and tea enthusiasts. The Ali shan area also offers sublime hiking and mountain climbing.
Chase the Sun
Like most places in Taiwan, Alishan has its primary claim to fame - the sunrise. If you ask any local what the most important thing to do at Alishan is, they will almost all mention heading to one of the high peaks in the scenic area to catch the sun peeking up from underneath the "sea of clouds".
You'll want to take the old Alishan train from Ali-shan station to the top of Jhushan, where you and dozens of others will be crowding around to get a glimpse of the phenomenon. It might be worth it to wander around or hike up a bit, away from the train station, to find some more personal space. If you're willing to get up early enough, you could also make the hike up the Jhushan Sunrise Trail.
Alishan Giant Tree Trail
More hiking in Alishan reveals more natural wonders, and the Giant Tree Trail is no exception. The photogenic giant cypress trees make it totally unnecessary to stop and think about why Japanese colonialists would want to take advantage of Taiwan's timber. Their legacy lives on in the trail; Japanese temples as well as the Tree Spirit Pagoda are remnants of that time, which you can spot if you remember to look down as well as up.
Alishan Tea Tourism
A friend once told me a story about Alishan tea: a Taiwanese man was on a business trip to Russia and brought several containers of the stuff to give as a gift to his Russian acquaintance. The Russian customs agent, recognizing the high-grade drink, corruptly inquired as to what the purpose of bringing so much tea was. "It's for my friend in Russia," the Taiwanese said. The customs officer, eyeing the tea, replied "I'm not your friend?"
Alishan is a name that rings out across the tea-drinking world, and it's your chance to get a couple containers and bring it home. Recently, throughout Taiwan, stuff falsely billing itself as "Alishan tea" has been crowding the shelves, but you can be assured going there yourself is a great way to ensure authenticity.
Traveling Around Alishan / Local Transport
Getting around in Alishan is quite easy, and will involve some combination of trains and walking and hiking. Maps are widely available in English for travelers, and signposts clearly mark every trail and direction. Getting lost will be a challenge. For the Alishan forest railway, be sure to check the train times with your hotel as some may only depart for sunrises and the like, and they are also prone to shutdowns due to the volatile mountain terrain.
Eating in Alishan / Restaurants / Food
Most restaurants in Alishan are more or less on the same level, serving up a mixture of local mountain veggies in Taiwanese style. Strolling around Alishan's main square near the car park will give you a good sampling of what you'll need.
Fenchihu Station Lunch Box - The Fenchihu Train Station car serves things up old-school with a lunch box on the train, much like Japanese foresters might have done decades ago on their way to haul cypress up and down the mountain. Get a taste of some bamboo from Alishan itself.
Choice of accommodation
Alishan Lauya Homestay. What a name! :p But we decided on this as the review was good.
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