Alishan

Alishan (Mount Ali), located 75 kilometers east of Chiayi City, Taiwan, stands at an elevation of 2,216 meters and is adjacent to Yushan, the highest peak in Taiwan, to the east. Thanks to its mild mountainous climate, which remains cool and pleasant even during the height of summer, and its lush greenery, it is considered the most ideal summer retreat in all of Taiwan and is a famous tourist destination in the region.

Highlights of Ali Mountain

Alishan Forest Railway

Alishan Forest Railway

As one of the world’s famous mountain-climbing railways, it runs from Chiayi (at an altitude of 30 meters) all the way up to Alishan (at an altitude of 2,216 meters), passing through 49 tunnels and 77 bridges along the route. During the journey, you can enjoy the changes in plant species across tropical, subtropical and temperate forest zones, as well as beautiful mountain ranges and valleys. When the train travels to Duli Mountain in a pushing mode, it has to circle the mountain three times in a spiral to reach the top. From the train, you can see Zhangnaoliao Station—now far below—three times, sometimes on the left and sometimes on the right. After that, the railway leaves Duli Mountain in a figure-eight path. This fun phenomenon is known as the "Alishan Train Circling the Mountain".

Zhushan Sunrise Viewing

Zhushan is the best spot to watch the sunrise in Alishan. With its high terrain and wide view, you can enjoy the stunning sunrise scenery from every angle (360 degrees with no blind spots). Tourists can take the sunrise special train of the Alishan Forest Railway to get there, and the ride takes about 20 minutes. After arriving at the viewing platform, you will see the sun slowly rising from the sea of clouds. The steaming mountain mists drift gently in the early morning light, dyeing the sky into an endless sea of clouds—an extremely spectacular sight. There are also shops around the platform where tourists can buy souvenirs and food.

Zhaoping Park

Located next to Zhaoping Station of the Alishan Forest Railway, Zhaoping Park sits at an altitude of 2,274 meters. It was originally a logging village and was rebuilt into a park after a fire. This is a great place to enjoy cherry blossoms in Alishan. There are nearly 600 cherry trees in the park, most of which are quite old. From mid-March to mid-April every year, mountain cherries, Yoshino cherries and double-petaled cherries bloom in competition, turning the whole mountain into a beautiful and colorful sea of flowers. Even when it’s not cherry blossom season, the park still has gorgeous flowers all year round, along with many alpine plants—all of which attract numerous tourists to visit.

Giant Tree Group Boardwalk

The boardwalk is approximately 1 kilometer long, with multiple thousand-year-old giant Taiwan cypress trees scattered along the way—including the famous "Sacred Tree". This tree stands 52 meters tall, has a circumference of 23 meters, and is about 3,000 years old. Once known as the "King of Trees in Asia", it was manually felled in 1998 due to poor health after being struck by lightning in 1956. These ancient trees, which have witnessed the vicissitudes of time, are living witnesses to Alishan’s historical changes and precious gifts from nature to humanity. As you walk along the boardwalk, the tall, straight trees block out the sun, the air is filled with a moist, fresh scent, and you can occasionally hear the melodious chirping of birds. It feels like stepping into a fairy tale, allowing you to fully experience the tranquility and beauty of nature.

Educational Value

Alishan is situated in Taiwan’s central mountain range, with its elevation climbing from the Chiayi Plain (30 meters above sea level) up to its main peak area (2,216 meters above sea level). This unique elevation difference creates four vertical vegetation zones corresponding to tropical, subtropical, temperate, and frigid climates. Starting from the tropical monsoon forests at the mountain foot, the vegetation shifts to camphor-laurel forests and cryptomeria forests at mid-elevation, then to Taiwan cypress forests and fir forests at high elevation—forming a complete "ecological gradient". This natural "ecological classroom" provides the best chance to understand "vertical zonation" in a direct, visual way.

Activities to do at Ali Mountain

Coffee and Tea Experiences in Alishan's Leye Village

Alishan’s Leye Village has an "unplugged coffee experience" for you to join. All steps—roasting coffee beans, grinding them, brewing coffee—are done by tourists’ hands; this manual work lets them pick their coffee’s taste. High-mountain tea from Alishan is well-known too. Professional tea masters work in some tea plantations and teahouses. They help tourists see Alishan’s tea beauty and try fragrant oolong tea, which leaves a sweet taste after you drink it.