ALISHAN 阿里山

Alishan is located in Chiayi County, and it is one of the most famous sights in Taiwan. The natural landscapes are the main reasons for visitors to come. The popular scenic spots in Alishan include Fenchihu, Rueili, Fengshan, and Alishan Forest Recreation Area. There are connected mountain peaks low and high, streams and ponds. Vertical and horizontal in the area, which have not only utter danger of sheer precipices and overhanging rocks, but also the elegance of flying waterfall in deep valleys. The mountain is well known to the whole world for its four beautiful scenes of mystical tree, oriental cheery, a see of clouds and sunrise, thus goes the saying; "Those who haven't been to Alishan can not know the beauty of Taiwan."

Alishan Railway
One of the best ways to reach Alishan is by the area's famous narrow-gauge railway, which was built by the Japanese mainly to take advantage of Alishan's wealth of timber resources. The track has been in use since around 1912. Despite massive deforestation during the Japanese occupation, the area's forests have largely been restored to their former glory by a careful program of reforestation and logging at as sustained rate.

The railroad certainly rates as one of the world's most scenic. The famous red engine pushes and pulls its carriages from an elevation of 30 meters to Alishan at 2,216 meters above sea level. In good weather, passengers can see astounding variety of flora and fauna as the train climbs from the subtropics to the pine forests in just 72 kolometers.

Mystical Tree of Alishan
Every tourist for Alishan is interested in withessing the majestic view of 'Mystical Tree of Alishan". On the east side of the Mystical Tree Railway Station of the main Peak of Alishan, there stands a sturdy towering tree slightly slant. Although the main trunk is broken, yet the branches on the top are green and verdant. The tree is about 52 meters high and the diameter is about 23 meters, which needs ten more people to jointly embrace it. It is estimated that its high age is 3000 odd years, a king tree in Asia.

Oriental Cherrry in Alishan
The oriental cherry all over the slopes of Alishan is also a wonder. During spring, red and white oriental cherry blossoms up hill and down dale, crowding together gorgeously. They mingles with the verdant forest, as if the peaks of Alishan had been splendidly attrired in green clothes dotted with red flowers, making one intoxicated.

Alishan's Sea of Clouds
In the evening, there appears often the magnificient sea of clouds in Alishan. Reaching the terrace at the peak, when one looks far into the distance, you can see the white clouds emerging form valleys and hovering with wind. Sometimes it looks like waves breaking and foaming with tides high and low. Sometimes it looks like earth covered with cotton, and you feel a vast expanse oh whiteness under you feet. When it is good day, the verdant sunset-bathed sea of cloud glitters in different colors, it appears more mystical and attractive.

There is a beautiful sun observation tower on the terrace of the famous Zhu Mountain peak of Alishan. At the crack of dawn, if you ascend the tower in the midst of freshness of air, you can see the grey outline of Yu Mountain far away would suddenly be edged with golden glow when radiance, increases all of a sudden.