The Ultimate Guide to Alishan, Taiwan

The Alishan National Scenic Area was the most magical and memorable place I have visited in Taiwan during my 6 months on the island. From its picturesque sunrises and sunsets, Japanese-built trains, peaceful hiking trails with sacred trees, and the production of Taiwan’s internationally-famous tea. Alishan is definitely not to be missed. For the rest of the island, our Taiwan travel guides map out where else to go.

What and Where is Alishan?

With an average of 2,500 metres above sea level, Alishan sits in the eastern mountains of Chiayi County. In winter the air is cool and thin, dropping as low as 5°C at the highest elevations. In summer it is mild and a little humid, between 14°C and 24°C. My girlfriend and I arrived in January and it was about 8°C!

One thing worth clearing up before you go: Alishan National Scenic Area is the huge tourism region, covering tea-growing villages, indigenous communities and the mountains around them. The Alishan National Forest Recreation Area is the smaller core zone within it, the 1,400-hectare park with the famous railway, sunrise viewpoints, sacred trees and signposted trails. When people say they are “going to Alishan”, this forest recreation area is almost always what they mean, and it is what most of this guide covers.

Entrance fee to the Forest Recreation Area: a standard adult ticket is around NT$300 (~£7.50), with a discounted rate of about NT$200 for local residents, and a little less if you arrive by public bus rather than by car. Rates change, so confirm the current price before you go.

When is the Best Time to Visit Alishan?

The sweet spot is November to April, when the skies are clearer, the air is crisp and the trails are at their best. Two of Alishan’s signature sights fall in this window:

• Cherry blossom season, usually mid-March to early April, when the park turns pink and the Zhaoping railway route is at its prettiest.
• The sea of clouds, which you are far more likely to catch on clear winter mornings.

Summer is greener but much wetter, with afternoon mist and heavier rain, so if the sunrise and the sea of clouds are your priority, aim for the cooler months. Either way, pack warm layers, as it gets genuinely cold up here.

Getting to Alishan from Chiayi

From Chiayi, you can get to Alishan by;

• Direct bus (7322 from Chiayi TRA station)
• The famous forest railway to Fenqihu from Chiayi TRA station, followed by a bus to complete the journey

Many people highly recommend the longer but scenic route by taking the forest railway to Fenqihi where you enjoy a 3-hour ride through mountain tunnels and scenic bridges before you catch a bus for the final stretch to Alishan. However, we were a bit pushed for time so we took the direct bus from Chiayi TRA station which cost NT$236 (~£6) pp

The buses are easy enough to do on the day, but if you would rather have the transport and park entry sorted before you arrive, Alishan tickets and tours on GetYourGuide are worth a look.

Top 5 Best Things to Do in Alishan

1. Alishan Forest Railway​

You will see this time and time again on most, if not all, blog posts about Alishan and that’s because you simply cannot miss it! The railway was built by the Japanese Colonial Government in 1912 to help with the logging of wood. Parts of the line were damaged by typhoons over the years, but the full Chiayi to Alishan route reopened in July 2024, so you can once again ride it the whole way. You can also take the following lines from the scenic area to view some breathtaking sights for as little as NT$100 (~£2.50).

• Sacred Tree Route: This train runs every 15 minutes from 09:30-16:30 and takes just 10 minutes. We took this train one afternoon to watch the sunset from one of the two recommended viewing points. It was a 45 minute walk back, but the views are great and the trail was well lit.

• Zhaoping Route: This is an extra special route in Spring for the cherry blossom season
• Zhushan Route: This route runs just once a day (there and back) at around 06:00 and takes 30 minutes. This is the route that takes you to the sunrise and sea of clouds

2. Hiking trails

There are so many amazing trails to go on so make sure you bring your hiking boots or comfortable trainers! All of them are extremely well sign posted making it super-easy to navigate and the tourist information point in the main square will help you with any questions. They also have maps all along the trails telling you where you are currently. The routes are deep within the forest and open up to some great views along the way.

3. Shoujhen Temple

Taiwan’s highest elevation temple and Alishan’s largest temple. You must go to the second floor to see the surreal room of 10,000 miniature Buddhas!

The surrounding area has a few nice food stalls where you can grab a quick snack and drinks to help you continue on you way back to the hotel area.

Bonus points if you can recreate this photo!

4. Sunrise and sea of clouds

This was by far my most memorable experience of Alishan. Getting up at 4:30am in 8°C temperature wasn’t my perfect idea of fun, but it was definitely all worth it in the end! You need to check and book tickets at the main train station the day before as train times are adjusted according to the estimated sunrise time the following day.

Unfortunately, it was a little foggy when we went, but it was still a magical experience.

Note: Get there early! The queues build up quickly and we had to wait for a few trains before getting on. This will also ensure you beat some of the crowds to get a better view.

5. Send a wooden postcard home from 2,216 meters above sea level

Make your Mum, Granny, Grandad, siblings, friends smile with a unique wooden postcard all the way from one of the highest summits in Taiwan. The post office is situated in the main square and delivers worldwide. My girlfriend and I sent a few from here and it was a perfect ending to the perfect trip!

What to Eat and Drink in Alishan

Although you won’t find a variety of food choices in Alishan, you won’t go hungry either. Around the main square you can find a few places to eat to suit all budgets. We couldn’t find a place to eat with indoor heating, so I would recommend ordering some warm food in the winter months!

• Street food: You can find some street food around the Alishan main square, as well as around Shoujhen temple. Scallion pancakes, taiwanese sausages and hot clear soup are all available. You will also find a lot of hot drink stalls, selling hot chocolate, coffee, and of course, their famous mountain oolong tea

• Restaurants: The restaurants are found around the main square where you can get local cuisine and some Alishan specialities

• 7/11: Like the rest of Taiwan, you won’t struggle to find a 7/11, even at 2,500 meters above sea level! There are two 7/11 shops in the main square, where you can grab a quick snack or microwave meal. We found this useful when we were eager to get out to explore and just wanted something on the go

• Local tourist shops: As well as eating out, you can also purchase dry foods, tea and spices that are native to the area

Where to Stay in Alishan

The best advice I could give you is, avoid staying anywhere outside the recreational area. Staying inside the Alishan National Scenic Area is slightly more expensive but well worth it! It really added to the experience to wake up in the hotel area and enjoy a short walk to the main square with spectacular views.

Another factor to consider is the entrance fee, if you want to return daily, you’ll have to pay every time you return.

• Hotels: They can range considerably in price. You will find hotels that are very pricey, but other cheaper, quite basic rooms too. (Alishan House, Alishan Gou Hotel, Dafeng, Gao Shan Ching and many others). Check out Trip.com for the best rates.

Note: There is often little to no heating in the budget hotels. There can also be a time restriction on hot water, so please bare this in mind when booking. Bring an extra blanket with you if you can and some pyjamas!

• Camping: Not permitted within the Alishan Scenic Area, however there are a few campsites within a short driving distance. For us, we wanted to stay within the grounds so we opted for a hotel.

Where to Next?

It is fairly easy to return to Chiayi by bus. You can however visit the following two locations if you want to extend your trip:

• Sun Moon Lake: It is quite common for tourists to visit Sun Moon Lake after Alishan, or vice-versa, due to the proximity of the locations. There is a direct bus to Sun Moon Lake that leaves Alishan at 1pm and 2pm daily

Top Things to Do in Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

• Guanzihling Hot Springs: Visitors often visit the hot springs on their way back to Chiayi. There are regular busses that return in this direction

If you are heading south afterwards, the temple-filled Lotus Pond in Kaohsiung makes an easy add-on by high speed rail.

Enjoy Alishan! Please share this blog post with your friends if it helps you.