Taiwan Alishan Travel Guide, understand how to play in Alishan in one article!
Alishan is one of the famous scenic spots in Taiwan, as famous as Sun Moon Lake, and is one of the must-see attractions when traveling to Taiwan. This article will analyze the Taiwan Alishan travel guide from multiple angles, including the introduction of Taiwan Alishan, tickets, altitude, location, tour routes, must-see attractions, best travel time, weather and clothing, to help you easily plan your trip to Taiwan Alishan.Introduction to Alishan
Tickets: Full ticket NT$ 300, one-way ticket for the Zhuoping/Shenmu Forest Railway Line Full ticket NT$ 100
Altitude: 2216 meters
Location: No. 59, Zhongzheng Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan
Opening hours: All day
Recommended number of days to visit: 1~2 days
Introduction to attractions:
The term Alishan refers to the entire area of the Alishan Mountains, but the Alishan that tourists often visit refers to the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, which is a famous tourist destination in Taiwan. It is surrounded by mountains, dense trees, and towering ancient trees. The scenery is very pleasant, and there are also the famous sunrises, sea of clouds, sunsets, forests and magnificent views of the mountain railway. Here, you can explore the historic Alishan Forest Railway, the ancient sacred trees, the clear Sisters Pond, the quaint and quiet Ciyun Temple and many other wonderful attractions, or you can stroll around, get close to nature, and enjoy a rare leisure time in the beautiful scenery. In addition, Alishan also preserves the ancient Tsou culture, and you can go deep into Alishan to explore the cultural charm of the aboriginals.
Reference for the best tour routes in Alishan:
There are currently two mainstream tour routes in Alishan, namely the section from Zhaoping Station to Shouzhen Temple and the section from Shouzhen Temple to the Alishan Sacred Tree Ruins. If you have enough time, you can play both routes. If you have limited time, you can choose one.
Route A (Zhaoping Station-Shouzhen Temple): Zhuoping Station-Sisters Pond-Three Brothers, Four Sisters-Golden Pig Announces Joy-Eternal Love-Mulan Garden-Shouzhen Temple
Route B (Shouzhen Temple-Alishan Sacred Tree Ruins): Shouzhen Temple-Three Generations of Trees-Alishan Museum-Xianglin Primary School-Ciyun Temple-Alishan Sacred Tree Ruins
Recommended eight must-see attractions in Alishan
1. Zhuoping Station
Zhuoping Station was originally built during the Japanese colonial period and was rebuilt twice. While using reinforced concrete, it also retains the original wooden structure. The entire station style presents an ancient railway style. It is one of the best places to take retro station check-in photos and learn about railway art. In addition, every autumn, the maple leaves around the station are like fire, and the forest is dyed with colors, making the Zhuoping Station a poetic and picturesque place. Occasionally, a retro forest train passes through, and the scenery is even more unique.
2. Sisters Pond
Sisters Pond is composed of two adjacent lakes of different sizes, called "Sister Pond" and "Sister Pond". Sister Pond is rectangular and occupies a larger area, while Sister Pond is slightly round and smaller, only one-eighth of Sister Pond. There is a 180-meter lakeside trail on the shore of Sister Pond, where you can walk around the lake and enjoy the panoramic view of the lake. In addition, there is a quaint Xiangsi Pavilion in the Sister Pond area, which is a great place to enjoy the surrounding lake and mountain scenery.
3. Magnolia Garden
The Magnolia Garden, as its name suggests, is a park with a variety of magnolia plants, such as foreign magnolia, purple magnolia, Japanese magnolia (white flowers), Sulangjiyi, etc., so no matter what time you go there, you can see blooming magnolias. In addition, the environment of the Magnolia Garden is quiet and beautiful, and it is a good place for a relaxing walk and photography.
4. Shouzhen Temple
Shouzhen Temple is the largest Taoist temple in the Alishan Park and the center of faith for local people. It mainly enshrines Xuantian Shangdi, Fude Zhengshen and Zhusheng Niangniang. The temple is solemn and dignified, and is very popular. On the third day of the third lunar month, there will be the famous divine butterfly spectacle (a large number of butterflies staying in the temple and around the statues of gods), which attracts many tourists to visit.
5. Three-generation tree
Three-generation tree is a wonder in Alishan Scenic Area. It is composed of three generations of red cypress trees, symbolizing three generations living together in the tree. After the first generation of old trees died after growing for more than a thousand years, the second generation of saplings continued to live on the first generation of dead trees. After hundreds of years, the second generation of trees also gradually died, and the third generation of saplings also revived on the second generation of old trees and have grown to this day. Today, the three-generation tree is lush and leafy, with a peculiar shape. It is one of the important attractions that cannot be missed in Alishan tourism, attracting countless tourists to come and appreciate and take pictures.
6. Ciyun Temple
Ciyun Temple was built in 1919 and is one of the highest Buddhist temples in Taiwan. The temple's architectural style is different from traditional architecture. It adopts a Hui-style architecture. The temple enshrines Sakyamuni Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva. It is a Buddhist holy place for local people. There is also a fish pond built around the main hall. The koi in the pond are round and fat, with bright colors, which is a highlight of Ciyun Temple. In addition, Ciyun Temple is one of the best viewing spots for watching the sea of clouds, sunset and sunset in Alishan.
7. Giant Trees Trail
The Giant Trees Trail is one of the must-visit forest trails in Alishan, Taiwan, and is also the area with the highest density of giant trees in Taiwan. There are two giant tree trails in Alishan, namely the section from the Thousand-year-old Cypress to the Shenmu Ruins (about 600 meters) and the section from the Alishan Suspension Bridge to the Shenyi Bridge (about 500 meters). The section from the Thousand-year-old Cypress to the Shenmu Ruins has more scenery, so more people will choose this section to play, but if you want to see the No. 28 giant tree, you need to walk from the Alishan Suspension Bridge to the Shenyi Bridge.
8. Alishan Shenmu Site
The Alishan Shenmu Site refers to the site where the first generation of the Shenmu of Alishan fell. The first generation of the Shenmu was a giant red cypress tree, about 3,000 years old, 55 meters high, and about 23 meters in circumference. It is the spiritual symbol of the Alishan Shenmu. Although the Shenmu fell due to natural reasons, its solemn and mysterious remains are still preserved. Today, the scenic area has planted many red cypress seedlings around the site, symbolizing the spirit of the Shenmu's endless life, attracting countless tourists to come and pay homage and feel the awe and praise for life.
Best time to travel to Alishan
The best time to travel to Alishan is spring and autumn, when the climate is comfortable, the weather is stable and the scenery is pleasant, which is very suitable for outdoor tourism and other activities. In addition, Alishan is actually a tourist attraction suitable for all seasons. Whether it is spring cherry blossom viewing, summer summer vacation, autumn red maple viewing, or winter snow scenery, it is a good travel experience.
PS: If you want to see the sunrise and sea of clouds, it is recommended to go there between November and April of the following year. At this time, Alishan is in the dry season and is less disturbed by clouds and fog, so the chance of seeing the sunrise and sea of clouds is greatly increased.
Alishan Weather and Clothing Guide
Alishan is surrounded by high mountains, with undulating terrain, cool climate throughout the year, large temperature difference between morning and evening, and many foggy days. The following are the weather conditions and clothing guide suggestions for different seasons in Alishan for reference.
Alishan Spring Weather (March to May): The average temperature is between 15℃~20℃, with a large temperature difference between morning and evening. The mountain breeze is warm during the day, but there will be occasional drizzle. It is recommended to wear a light jacket, coat or light cotton coat, with a long-sleeved shirt, and prepare an umbrella or raincoat to cope with frequent spring rain.
Alishan Summer Weather (June to August): The average temperature is between 20℃~25℃, the climate is cool and humid, and it is a famous summer resort in Taiwan. It is recommended to wear short-sleeved T-shirts, skirts, shirts or thin coats, and rain gear is also required in summer. Don't forget to bring rain gear.
Alishan autumn weather (September to November): The average temperature is between 15℃ and 20℃, which is similar to the spring climate. The autumn is cool and the mountains are covered with red leaves. It is one of the most beautiful seasons in Alishan. It is recommended to wear long-sleeved shirts, thin sweaters or sweatshirts, with long pants and jackets, windbreakers, etc., and add a warm piece of clothing when it is cold in the morning and evening.
Alishan winter weather (December to February of the following year): The average temperature is between 5℃ and 10℃. The temperature is low but the snow scene is very spectacular. If you go there at this time, it is recommended to wear warm down jackets, plush jackets, etc., and match them with thick sweaters, long pants and warm shoes and socks. You should also bring gloves, hats, scarves and other warm items.
How to get to Alishan?
1. Take public transportation
To take public transportation to Alishan, it is recommended to take the Taiwan Railway/High Speed Rail to Chiayi first, and then transfer to other public transportation to Alishan.
1). Taiwan Railway Chiayi Station: Take Taiwan Express 7322C Alishan B Line or 7322D Alishan B Line (via Fenqihu) at Taiwan Railway Chiayi Station and get off at Alishan Station;
2). High Speed Rail Chiayi Station: Take Taiwan Express 7329 Alishan A Line or 7329A Alishan A Line (via Fenqihu) at High Speed Rail Chiayi Station and get off at Alishan Station;
2. Go with a group or charter a car
Taking public transportation to travel to Alishan is a very tedious and troublesome thing. Not only do you need to plan your own route, but you also need to carry your luggage to transfer. Therefore, traveling to Alishan with a group or charter a car has become the best choice for most tourists. You don't need to worry about anything, just contact us, our professional Taiwan travel planner will arrange everything for you, pick up and drop off the whole trip, which is very convenient. In addition, there will be professional drivers or tour guides to take you to play in depth throughout the tour, so that you can better understand the beauty and cultural customs of Alishan.
After reading the above, I believe you have a deeper understanding of Alishan. If you have not been to Alishan, why not take some time to come here and explore it! I believe you will be impressed by its beauty and charm.
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