By rail
Chiayi station, the Alishan Forest Railway climbs from here
East Asia · Taiwan
Alishan, Taiwan
Sunrise over a sea of clouds
Getting there
By air
Taoyuan (TPE), ~4 h
Best time to visit
March to April for cherry blossom, October to December for clear skies
Don't miss
The Zhushan sunrise viewpoint
The Sacred Tree
The Sister Ponds
The Alishan Forest Railway
Things to do
The sunrise train to Zhushan
Tea plantations
The forest railway
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: lumoplank · CC0
What to pack
Warm layers for the sunrise
A quieter corner
The forest trail through giant cypresses
Questions travellers ask
When should I go to Alishan?
March to April for the cherry blossom, or October to December for clear skies.
How do I get up to Alishan?
Start at Chiayi station, where the Alishan Forest Railway begins its climb. From Taoyuan (TPE), allow about 4 hours.
How do I catch the sunrise at Alishan?
Take the sunrise train to Zhushan, and bring warm layers.
Is there a forest walk at Alishan?
Yes, the forest trail through giant cypresses. The Sacred Tree and the Sister Ponds are worth seeing as well.
About Alishan
- Mountains
- Forest
Where it is
Alishan is a mountain area in Chiayi County in south-central Taiwan, a range west of Yushan whose forest recreation area lies at about 2,200 m, reached by the Alishan Forest Railway from the city of Chiayi.
History
Alishan is the homeland of the Tsou people, one of Taiwan's indigenous peoples. Under Japanese rule its forests of giant cypress were logged, and the Alishan Forest Railway, opened in 1912, was built to carry the timber down to Chiayi; the mountain later became a place of tea gardens and resorts.
People
The Tsou live in villages such as Dabang and Tefuye, where the men's meeting house, the kuba, is the setting for the Mayasvi ceremony. Farmers grow high-mountain oolong tea, wasabi and coffee on the slopes, and Mandarin and Taiwanese Hokkien are widely spoken alongside the Tsou language.
Known for
- Sunrise over the sea of clouds at Zhushan
- The Alishan Forest Railway
- Giant red cypress trees
- High-mountain oolong tea
- Cherry blossom in spring
Did you know?
The Alishan Forest Railway climbs from near sea level at Chiayi to more than 2,000 m, using switchbacks and a spiral to gain height on the steep slopes.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.