Summer Vacation Ideas in Taiwan: Alishan Railway Tour and Sunrise

Alishan is one of Taiwan’s most famous scenic areas and it has been said that you have never really seen the beauty of Taiwan until you visit Alishan. Alishan boasts amazing sunrises amid a sea of clouds, gorgeous sunsets, verdant sacred trees, and one of the only three mountain logging railways in the world. These are collectively known as the “Five Wonders of Alishan.” The classic trip to Alishan usually takes two days. Having arrived in Alishan from Chiayi on the first day, you can take the Sacred Trees train to visit the sacred forest before getting up early on the next day to take the Zhushan train to see the sunrise. Get off at Zhaoping Station on your return journey and visit scenic spots such as Zhaoping Park, the Sisters Pool and other beautiful locations along the mountaineering trail before returning to Chiayi.

The famous Alishan Forest Railway is one of only three mountain logging railways left in the world. It comprises three sightseeing routes: the Zhushan line, which is good for excursions to watch the sunrise, the Zhaoping line, which is good for enjoying cherry blossom, and the Sacred Trees line, which is the best way to explore the sacred forest, which is thousands of years old. The bright red iron engine trundles through the lush primitive forest, or chunters past the festoons of cherry blossom. The Alishan forest railway vividly conjures up the poetic romance of a railway journey.

With its luxuriant vegetation and towering ancient trees, Alishan has become known as the "Forest Treasure-House of Taiwan". There is no shortage of Formosan cypresses, which are thousands of years old and come in many different forms; they are truly amazing. Of these, the most famous is the "Three Generation Tree", which is thought to represent three generations of growth in the forest. It is said that the first generation of trees died because they were struck by lightning, the second generation was cruelly cut down by the Japanese, and the third generation is still growing sturdily, its luxuriant foliage a miracle of nature. In addition to these, don’t miss the "thousand-year-old juniper", the "concentric tree", the "three brothers" and "three sisters", and other rare trees. A wooden walkway has been built among the towering sacred trees in the scenic area; it meanders and twists through the cloud-capped canopy as strollers unhurriedly wander among them. The juniper trees give off a strong fragrance, filling people with pep and vigor.

Sunrise at Alishan is one of the "five wonders" of the area, with many tourists getting up in the middle of the night to enjoy the magnificent and exciting spectacle. The “sun tower” at Chushan is the best place to watching the sunrise, and you can take the narrow-gauge train on the Chushan line to get there. As night gradually fades, the sky shows streaks of a grey dawn and the red disc of the sun slowly climbs behind the main summit of Mt Jade. As dawn banishes the darkness and spreads across the earth, it is easy for tourists to forget their hard work from dawn to dusk. If you are lucky, you will also glimpse a spectacular view of sunrise and a sea of clouds together. The stunning beauty of this moment cannot be captured in words. Seeing the sunrise depends on luck, however; if the clouds are too thick, you won't be able to enjoy it. Don't be too downhearted if you don't see the sunrise – you can still take a narrow-gauge train to see the sacred trees!

March and April are the months to see the spring cherry blossom in Taiwan. Because of its high altitude and low temperatures, Alishan has become the best place for a spring outing to enjoy the cherry blossom. The cherry blossom in Alishan can be seen from the middle of February. The Japanese cherry and Japanese Alpine cherry, with their white and purple blossom, generally open first, with a flowering period of about two or three weeks. Yoshino Cherry, the main cherry blossom, begins to bloom around mid-March. Yosano cherry, also known as Japanese cherry, is pink when in full bloom and then gradually fades to white. If you wish to see scenes like the ones on TV, with pink cherry blossoms all over the mountainside, middle and late March is the best time.

Visit Alishan in summer and not only will you be able to immerse yourself in the forest, you will also get to see fireflies. The clean air and water, along with the abundant food supplies on Mt Alishan, make it a great breeding environment for fireflies. There are thus as many as 23 varieties of firefly to be seen, a third of all the species in Taiwan. Tourists can watch fireflies everywhere on the mountain, at all elevations. The firefly breeding season in Alishan is from March to June. As night falls, the fireflies rise up from the grass and dance in the spaces between trees, looking just like stars hanging in midair. The whole scene is spectacular and moving.

The lyrics of the Mountains are green talk about Tsou people of Alishan. The home of the Tsou people, who live in Leye village in Alishan, is the best place to experience local culture. Besides enjoying the Tsou’s wealth of traditional songs and dances, you can visit the Hamo Culture and History Museum here to learn about the past and present of the tribe, and you can also taste Alishan coffee, Taiwan mountain tea, and local food specialties.