Day 1: Alishan

Getting There

The easiest way to get to Alishan is to by public bus. You can buy the bus ticket (台灣好行7322B) a day in advance using a kiosk at any convenience store.

You can use this kiosk to buy bus tickets (Image by author)

You first use the kiosk to select the bus and number of tickets (kids over 12 are considered adult). It will then print a receipt with a bar code on top. You can take that receipt to the cashier and pay for the ticket. The cashier will print the official tickets for you. Bus tickets have to be paid in cash.

If you are doing day trip to Alishan, I would recommend that you also buy the return ticket becuase if the return bus is full, you won't be able to leave the mountain and you will be forced to stay for the night.

Twisty Road

The road to Alishan is very twisty and long (2.5 hours total). You may want to be prepared for motion sickness. If you are worried about that, taking a train to Alishan may be a better option. You will not save much time but it will likely be more comfortable.

Temperature

When we were there in late October, the temperature on Alishan is about 16℃ lower than that in the city. Luckily, we had prepared warm clothes to make our journey more enjoyable. In addition, weather on the mountain was also a little unpredictable. So, having a rain coat is recommended too.

Alishan Sakura Trail

In the right season, you can watch sakura (cherry) blossom on the Alishan Sakura Trail. Even in the off season, we still enjoyed the sceneries.

Three Generation Tree

The Three Generation Tree is one of the coolest attractions in Alishan. It was three generations of the same tree growing on top of each other. These three generations span over 1500 years. The youngest generation is over 300 years old as well.

Tree Spirit Pagoda

During Japanese occupation, many trees in Alishan were cut down to build a railway. To commemorate and to soothe the spirits of the trees, the Japanese built this Tree Spirit Pagoda.

Alishan Sianglin Sacred Tree

This tree received the most votes to become the Alishan Sianglin Sacred Tree back in January 1, 2007. It was 45m tall and was about 2300 years old. The tree was quite very impressive to see.

Boardwalk through the forest

Alishan has a network of boardwalk throughout the forest. The boardwalk was well maintained and easy to walk on. It was a easy and enjoyable hike for the whole family.