COMPLETE ALISHAN NATIONAL FOREST DIY GUIDE: What You Need to Know + How to Get There?

The Alishan National Forest in Chiayi Taiwan is the best destination I’ve been to in Taiwan. Yeap! It provides a refreshing escape to its forested trail, greenery mountains, wooden trains, old railways, scenic lakes, giant old trees, and temple in the woods. These are just some of the highlights to expect at Alishan. Furthermore, it also offers beginner to intermediate trails which makes it really friendly to anyone who wishes to experience Alishan’s breathtaking beauty. (Alishan National Forest DIY itinerary)

As someone who’s been to a lot of nature trips, I can guarantee that Alishan National Forest will exceed everyone’s expectations. If there is something you should not miss in Taiwan, it’s definitely the Alishan National Forest! So if you are planning a day trip to Alishan, save this travel guide for your future reference!

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ALISHAN NATIONAL FOREST IN CHIAYI TAIWAN

Surrounded by mountain ranges, the Alishan provides a cool climate with average temperature of 10 degrees Celcius. It can go down to 8 degrees Celcius while te average high temperature is 15 degrees Celcius. Alishan National Forest, if not surrounded by dense fog, it is surrounded by streams in between mountain ranges.

Alishan National Forest doesn’t only offers a refreshing walk or a breathtaking sunrise, it also offers the chance to learn more about the indigenous cultural heritage of the Tsou people. Moreover, Alishan is rich in natural resources like tea, bamboo shoots, leaf veins, and various other agricultural products.

What is the Best Month to Visit Alishan?

For pleasant weather and vibrant foliage, the best months to visit Alishan is during (1) Spring time from March to April which is also the cherry blossoms season and during (2) Autumn from September to November. These months offer the most favorable weather condition to witness the natural beauty of Alishan.

Although I believe that Alishan is an all year-round destination. Rain or shine, the beauty of Alishan is undeniably breathtaking! I went to Alishan with a little rain in the afternoon but my experience still turned out to be magical! Will definitely come back to spend 2 days or more in Fenqihu and Alishan.

How to Get to Alishan National Forest DIY Way?

Option 1: From Taipei to Chiayi THSR Station

From Taipei, ride the THSR from Taipei to Chiayi which will take about 1.5 hours. Upon arriving Chiayi THSR, go to Exit 2 Platform 7 and ride the shared city tranfer from Chiayi to Alishan. If you will book the shared city transfer I have linked, the entrance fee to Alishan park is already included. Make sure to follow time schedules of THSR and shared city transfer.

Upon arriving, proceed to Alishan Train Station and book one way Alishan forest railway to Shenmu or Zhaoping station. Tickets per way costs NTD100/pax. I highly recommend going to Zhaoping station, follow the trail to Sister

Ponds and then down to Shenmu station. From Shenmu, you can either walk back to Alishan train station or book another one way railway.

Important note: make sure to book the THSR and shared transfer on Klook for a discounted rate and use my code JOANSFOOTPRINTSKLOOK upon check out to get more discounts! It is way cheaper to book online compared to walk-in rates.

BOOK DISCOUNTED THSR FROM TAIPEI TO CHIAYI HERE – Php1,700/adult; Php1,000/child passenger
BOOK DISCOUNTED ROUNDTRIP SHARED CITY TRANSFER FROM CHIAYI THSR TO ALISHAN PARK – Php1,226/pax Alishan park entrance fee included.

Option 2: From Chiayi TRA Station

This was the route I took since I stayed in Chiayi for 3 days during my 14-days solo backpacking trip around Taiwan. The reason why I stayed in Chiayi was because I was also eyeing to visit Meteor Garden’s shooting locations, as a fangirl! Lol! Will definitely write a blog about that soon!

From Chiayi TRA station, go to the Chiayi bus station just in front of the Chiayi TRA station and ride bus 7322. Pay the fare of NTD240 and the travel time is almost 3 hours. So I suggest to take the earliest shuttle at 6AM. Moreover, the last bus going back to Chiayi from Alishan is 4-5PM.

Upon arriving at Alishan bus terminal, walk towards the entrance of Alishan park and pay the entrance fee. Take note: keep the yellow ticket that the bus driver is going to give you and present this at the entrance of Alishan park to avail 50% off the park ticket. From NTD300 regular ticket down to NTD150 if you have the yellow ticket, that’s a big discount!

Then after paying, proceed to Alishan Train Station and book one way Alishan forest railway to Shenmu or Zhaoping station. Tickets per way costs NTD100/pax. I highly recommend going to Zhaoping station, follow the trail to Sister Ponds and then down to Shenmu station. From Shenmu, you can either walk back to Alishan train station or book another one way railway.

Option 3: Arranged Tour on Klook

You can always opt to book an arranged day trip on Klook. This will minimize all the hassle and it is more budget friendly too.

BOOK DISCOUNTED ALISHAN DAY TRIP HERE

Where to Stay in Alishan or Chiayi?

If you are planning to see the sunrise in Alishan, you will need to book a hotel near the area. And mind you, hotels near Alishan are kinda expensive. But if you are planning a day trip, you can stay in the city center of Chiayi where options for backpacker rooms are available.

Option 1: Where to Stay in Alishan?

So yes, there are hotels near Alishan Train Station which is just walking distance from the park. However, rooms are pricey which costs Php6,500 and up given the proximity. If you are a backpacker, this might not be the best option for you. But if you have the extra money to book a room, then a hotel near the park will be very convenient especially if you are planning to see the sunrise in the morning.

Below are options you can choose from when booking a hotel in Alishan. Take note to book rooms in advance as vacancies tend to ran out quickly.

BOOK DISCOUNTED ROOMS AT GAU SHAN CHING HOTEL FOR PHP8,000 – walking distance to Alishan Train Station

BOOK DOSCOUNTED ROOMS AT ALI-SHAN KAOFENG HOTEL FOR PHP6,800 – walking distance to Alishan Train Station

BOOK DISCOUNTED ROOMD AT ALI-SHAN DENGSHAN HOTEL FOR PHP6,500 – near Alishan Train Station

Option 2: Where to Stay in Chiayi?

In my case, I stayed near Chiayi TRA station which is about 2 hours from Alishan. The Chiayi TRA station is like the central part of Chiayi which is the best option if you are planning to visit other places in Chiayi like the National Chung Cheng University (shooting location of Meteor Garden) and other more.

I stayed at An Lan Jie Hotel and it’s a great choice for backpackers like me. The rooms were clean, they have a spacious lobby, free wifi, free coffee and pancakes, hot shower, blower, locker, elevator, etc.

BOOK ROOMS AT AN LAN JIE HOTEL IN CHIAYI – for as low as Php800/pax backpacker room and Php2,500 for a private roome.

What are the Expected Expenses?

Commute expenses:

From Chiayi TRA: NTD240/way to Alishan bus station
From Taipei THSR to Chiayi THSR: Php1,700/way and from Chiayi THSR to Alishan: Php1,226/pax roundtrip

Apart from the commute expenses, here are the expected expenses when you are at the park:

Alishan park entrance fee: NTD300 (50% discount if you show the yellow ticket from the bus ride)
Alishan forest railway to Shenmu or Zhaoping station: NTD100/way

Important Tips & FAQs From Joan’s Footprints

Wear proper and comfy clothes, the weather in Alishan is cold but the rain is a bit unpredictable. My only regret was coming here not prepared. I was wearing sneakers and it rained the whole afternoon. Lol. Expect that you are gonna do a lot of walking here so better wear comfortable footwear.
Bring umbrella or raincoat just in case. If the rain decides to pour while you are in the middle of the trail, there is not much shade in the forest but the trees.
For day trip travelers, this is the trail route I recommend: From Alishan Station, I suggest to go to Zhaoping station first and walk from there to the little sister pond and temple, then walk to Sushen station. Then from Sushen station, ride a train back to alishan station.
Take the earliest trip if you are planning to spend only 1 day in Alishan. There is so much to see and honestly day trip is not enough. If you really want to see the whole of Alishan including the sea of clouds in the morning, spend at least 2 days in Alishan.
Where to eat inside the park? For food, don’t worry because there are food stalls at the stations or at the temple after Sister Ponds.
Is there signal reception? Yes.
Is there a parking lot? Yes.
For more information about Alishan National Forest especially for self-guided travelers, read here.

Day Trip Experience at Alishan National Forest in Chiayi Taiwan

I was originally aiming to see the sunrise at Alishan. However, I may have overlooked my itinerary and booked a hotel in Chiayi. I didn’t plan my trip well which is why I ended up doing a day trip and missing the sunrise. Nevertheless, Alishan’s beauty did not disappoint!

My 3 hours journey up to Alishan from Chiayi was quite familiar. It was like riding a bus to Baguio City in the Philippines. The view outside was covered with thick fog and tall trees. I also saw scenic views of mountain ranges and streams in between. I swear if I didn’t know I was in Taiwan, I could’ve mistaken it as the highlands in Benguet, lol!

Alishan’s Wooden Train

Approaching the Alishan Forest Railway, I was quite excited because I came there on a Wednesday to see and experience the classic wooden train! Yeap, wooden trains only run every Wednesday of the week. Even if I was solo traveling and didn’t have anyone to capture the moment for me, still it was a magical feeling for me! A timeless memory that will remain in my mind and my heart..

It felt like everything was in its perfect place. The cold vibe, the beautiful weather, the trees around, the classic station, a wooden train approaching.. typing these words right now while remembering my experience is like daydreaming about something that already happened.

Alishan wooden train — Alishan Wooden Train

Zhaoping to Shenmu Station

I bought my one way forest railway ticket to Zhaoping Station and it costs NTD100/way. It was a short scenic ride to Zhaoping and from there I started following the trail to the Sister’s Ponds, Shouzhen Temple, giant trees and more. I continued my way down to Shenmu station.

This is one of the most therapeutic walks I’ve ever done in my life! I thought at first I’ll buy another railway ticket to Shenmu station but then I just found myself enjoying the scenic place. Also I was supposed to walk again from Shenmu back to Alishan station but it rained really hard in the afternoon so I just opted to ride the railway train.

The next time I go back to Chiayi, I’ll make sure to spend at least 2 days in Alishan and a few more days to see Fenqihu!

sister pond alishan — Younger Sister Pond

Help me improve my Alishan National Forest DIY itinerary! By commenting suggestions in the comment section below, I am very open to new ideas. Drone shots by yours truly.
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