Taiwan Day 4 (16 Dec Taichung -> Alishan via Chiayi)

There was no internet access at the hotel we stayed at Alishan, hence, no blog. I'm now at Kaohsiung but I better write about our Alishan trip first before the back log builds up.

We took a train from Taichung to Chiayi, then bought the Alishan Forest Railway ticket to Alishan. The one-way railway ride cost NT399 per pax. Apparently, the route to Alishan has been affected by landslide and hence the Forest Railway only brought all passengers to 十字路口 Station. Thereafter, we boarded a bus (20min ride) to Alishan Recreation Area (part of the trip to Alishan provided by the operator). When we arrived at the Recreation Area, each of us had to pay another NT150 for entry into the Area, something like a toll fee. Actually, we were wondering if we were ripped cos assuming if the rail road was alright, the train would have brought us straight into the Recreation Area, bypassing the toll station. Anyway, no choice right hahah!! Temperature was about 6-8 degrees celcius at night (13 degrees in the day). It was really COLD!!! Thank God I bought a pair of gloves at Taichung!

Alishan Railway tickets
Inside the Cabin
External view
Outside the Alishan Station
Alishan Post Office (looks like a temple right?)
Alishan town
Shops at Alishan

From the Recreation Area, there was free pick-up service from the hotel we stayed at - 高山清大饭店 - cost NT1,600 per night inclusive of breakfast. Well, it surely wasn't as big as it claimed to be, or perhaps only our room was small - really small, and not good at all. The heater operates only certain hours - if I'm not wrong, from 5pm to 4am! Harlow.. it was just as cold in the wee hours of the morning too haha!!

Rather than eating at the restaurants on Alishan, we thought we could try some roadside stall, just nearby. So, these were what we had - a bowl of noodle, a plate of their local vegetables and meatball soup. Cost only NT200! Hehe.. Cheap & good! Errr.. not that we were stingy but we wanted to eat variety mah haha!!

We also bought one fried chicken - they called it 山竹鸡, which don't grow very big - NT100.

Oh, there's Starbucks on Alishan too!! The highest Starbucks outlet in Asia!

Ok, then both of us did something very goondoo haha!! We wanted to watch sunrise, but didn't know what time to wake up. We heard we had to get ready by 4.30am. And we did so - woke up, was out of the hotel by 5am, went to 7-11 for a cuppa, then saw a notice that the sunrise would be at 6.57am. So, we went back to bed, wanting to wake up at 6.45am. When our alarm rang, the sky was already bright! Alamak!! Anyway, where we were wasn't a good place to watch the sunrise. We should take a train to the 祝山 Station...*sigh*..

Breakfast - these standard dishes which were served according to the number of guests + free flow of porridge. Simple food ;)

After we checked out, we took the service offered to us back to Chiayi by coach. For the same price at NT399, they would drive us to 奋起湖 Station where we could stop by to eat the 便当 (NT100 each), walk along its 老街 (we bought the famous mua chee), as well as let us alight at the temple and walk across the bridge. (We were approached when we were buying the Alishan Railway tickets at Chiayi).

Actually, I think 2 nights at Alishan will be better so there will be time to take a train and do some short mountain trail hikes. It was only a touch and go for us at Alishan ;)