EP.1 for The Planners' thread - Traveling outside the plan

This thread is for nature lovers like us to share our experiences and knowledge.

Embark on an adventure to a park with vast and pristine forests.

In Taiwan

That is.

"Alishan"

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Alishan

That's it.

You can follow us on Facebook Fan Page at

Link: https://web.facebook.com/theplannersbytsst/

And you can view the previous posts

"The Planners: Unplanned Trip EP.0: Taiwan Trip 5 Days 4 Nights 7 Places Self-Guided Tour for 2 People with a Budget of 21,000 Baht!"

Link: https://pantip.com/topic/36539261

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=== Important Information ===

1. We are two independent travelers who may occasionally draw inspiration from tour itineraries, but we strive to discover new and unexplored destinations.

2. Informal language may be used to enhance the experience.

3. We are not professional photographers, so some of the photos may not be perfect. We apologize for any imperfections.

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Let's embark on our 5-day, 4-night journey.

Before I delve into the details of our trip to Alishan, Taiwan, I feel it's important to provide some context.

As a nature enthusiast, the pig enjoys exploring forests and mountains, surrounded by lush greenery.

As the trip planner, I took the initiative to...

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Finding information is quite difficult.

Due to both of our busy schedules, we have been making an effort to plan.

Make the most of your 5-day, 4-night trip and cover as much ground as possible.

According to the plan, let's go to the place that the pig likes the most first.

Despite having no prior knowledge of Alishan's true appearance, we embarked on our journey.

Is it worth going? But we believe in the sense that "we must go".

The first day, we departed from Don Mueang Airport.

Flight XW182 at 00:20 AM.

After arriving at Taoyuan Airport at approximately 05:10 AM.

Coinciding with the opening hours of the Taiwan Metro (MRT).

After discussing whether to carry our suitcases up the mountain or leave them at the airport luggage storage,

As a result, we decided to leave our luggage at the hotel in Taipei, where we would be staying again in the following days.

(We chose to stay at the Smile Inn Hotel, which is located near the Taipei Main Station MRT station.)

Transportation: Take the MRT from the airport to Taipei Main Station, which costs 160 TWD per person.

After we switched bags, we each put only the essentials in a backpack.

We rushed to the train station, eager to catch the earliest possible train.

This will give you time to stroll and take pictures with the forest and mountains.

However,

Due to insufficient research and preparation,

This caused us to miss our regular train, or TRA.

There are several ways to get to Alishan.

3. Take the HSR high-speed train (approximately 1.5 hours).

The counter staff informed me that the Alishan train is currently unavailable.

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Oh my god! I'm dead! What should I do? So I decided to take the bullet train.

This is a train journey from Taipei to Chiayi.

This is the city where we will transfer to the bus to Alishan. The ticket price is 1,045 TWD per person.

(If you are planning to travel by bullet train, booking in advance may allow you to take advantage of Early Bird discounts of up to 30%.)

The bullet train journey is indeed very short.

We arrived at Chiayi Station in less than two hours.

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Upon arriving in Chiayi City, we, two travelers with no concrete plans, set out to find a way to reach Alishan. Exiting the train station, we were met with a somewhat intimidating atmosphere from the local taxi drivers. (Having lived in China, I was relatively accustomed to this, but my companion was likely quite startled.) These local taxis, or "black cabs," operate as unlicensed taxis or metered taxis, offering their services to tourists. The unsettling aspect was their persistent approach, following us and inquiring about our destination and desired price. While convenient, we both disliked their aggressive soliciting style. Consequently, we decided to head towards the bus stop to check the schedule and wait for a bus. Around 11:30 AM, a green bus arrived at the stop, allowing us to secure our seats.

Passengers taking the bus from Chiayi to Alishan can pay the fare to the driver upon arrival at their destination.

The fare is 273 TWD per person.

Passengers using public transportation should keep their tickets.

This can be used to reduce the entrance fee to the park.

The bus journey takes approximately 3 hours.

We arrived at Alishan bus station at 2:00 PM.

Heavy rain warning! Heavy rain expected!

As if the heavens were playing a cruel trick, a storm was brewing over Alishan that day.

The entire city was shrouded in a veil of mist and raindrops.

We were stuck at the bus stop for approximately 20 minutes.

After waiting for the rain to subside, we decided to brave the downpour and head to our accommodation.

Tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

And then the two of us walked through the entrance.

The entrance fee to Alishan National Park is actually 200 TWD per person. However, if you take the bus from Chiayi, the entrance fee is only 150 TWD per person.

However, I have heard that black taxi drivers charge an additional 300 TWD per person.

(Information uncertain. If anyone knows, please clarify.)

After checking in at the Wankou Hotel, we inquired with the staff about the possibility of entering the forest that day and how long we would have to wait for the rain to stop.

The staff member gave us a very encouraging response: "Oh, it won't stop today, but it might ease up a bit."

= = Well, okay.

Since there was nothing we could do, we took our belongings up to our room and prepared ourselves to wait for the rain to subside before venturing into the forest.

This is the atmosphere of Alishan City, where rain and fog mingle.

Approximately 3:50 PM

The storm has subsided, and it's time for us to embark on our trek into the forest.

Before the sun sets, you will no longer be able to enjoy nature.

Let's go!

The park was bustling with a diverse crowd of hikers from various nationalities, languages, and age groups.

However, the day we visited, there were very few tourists, possibly due to a storm.

The tranquility of the vast forest is vividly captured.

Upon entering, we resolved to proceed to the destination.

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"SISTER POND"

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The first stop, and one of the must-capture photo spots, signifying your arrival at Alishan.

Let's take a look at the pictures along the way.

Finally, we arrived at our first destination.

(This is the same image we used in EP.0)

After meandering through the path, we stumbled upon a magnificent temple.

Shouzhen Palace

At this point, the time is approximately...

5:20 PM.

This has led us to believe that…

Throughout our journey, we haven't encountered any trace of what is called a "lamp."

However, there is one more destination we must visit, which is

Sacred Tree

Or the giant tree walking path

The deepest point in the forest.

According to calculations, if we perform well in terms of time,

We will be able to leave the park just before nightfall.

After admiring the natural beauty for a while, the sunlight was able to penetrate the clouds.

The two of us walked until we reached a point where we had to stop abruptly.

This massive tree is estimated to be over 2,000 years old.

The park's natural environment is very well preserved.

These giant trees are labeled with information about each individual tree.

Age, circumference, and history.

For the past 2,000 years, this grandfather tree has been the most magnificent and awe-inspiring.

Along the path, there are also many centuries-old trees to amaze us.

After our hike through the forest, we picked up the pace as the sky grew darker and darker until we... got lost!

We were truly lost, even our GPS couldn't tell us where we were. We walked in circles, and at first, we started to get scared that we wouldn't be able to find our way back in the dark. Then, we started to worry about the abundance of wildlife in the forest.

The more scared we got, the faster we walked, until we both came to a sudden stop at another location. I can tell you that for the first day, this place was...

Well, how can I put it? It's indescribable. When I first saw it, I could only say one thing:

"I'm so lucky I got lost in the forest!"

We stumbled upon an amazing place with an unforgettable atmosphere. It was a viewpoint with not a single soul around, and a view of the sunset above the clouds!

It's incredibly beautiful.

Before the sun sets, we finally find our way back to the main road.

And walked out of the forest until about 7:00 p.m.

We stopped by 7-11 for a bite to eat and then went back to rest with the memories of the important occasion.

Day 2
We set our alarm for 3:00 AM.
Because we will have to travel to see the sunrise at the viewpoint.
From Alishan Station - Zhushan Station by train at 4:00 AM.

Round-trip train ticket: 300 TWD per person

The train that takes us to the viewpoint.

We were joined by a large group of fellow travelers for this sunrise viewing experience.

This train ride takes approximately 30 minutes.

We will arrive at Zhushan Station.

Upon arrival at the station, we are immediately greeted by a breathtaking sunrise viewpoint.

The number of people waiting to see the event was no different from the number of people who flocked to see the sea of fog at Doi Inthanon.

At the train station, a sign indicates the location of another viewpoint, which is

Ogasawara Mountain Viewpoint

The most spectacular sunrise view at Alishan.

Never before has seeing the sunrise felt so worthwhile.

Here it comes, slowly but surely.

(The sleepy pig blinked its eyes.)

Haha.

"The atmosphere has truly lifted my fatigue."

After watching the sunrise, it was time to walk back to catch the return train.

The last train departs at 7:30 AM.

The sun had already set by the time we finished taking photos and soaking in the atmosphere, leaving us with a sense of accomplishment and contentment.

This makes us walk fast again!!

Fortunately, we arrived just in time and didn't have to walk back. Whew!

However, if you want to take a leisurely stroll through nature and breathe in the fresh air,

Yes, it is possible. It takes about 1.5 hours to walk back.

(And let me tell you, coming with your partner is incredibly romantic.)

Upon returning to our accommodation, we went out for breakfast.

The hotel we booked is called Wankou Hotel.

Price 3,400 TWD, including breakfast.

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To reach our second destination on the trip, we must…

Translation:

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Sun Moon Lake

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Sun Moon Lake

In the late morning, before setting off on the journey.

The morning light revealed a cityscape utterly transformed from the previous day.

For Alishan.

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The level of satisfaction is beyond words, simply "full!!!"

No, because the image captures the atmosphere of the city of fog.

This reveals a different side of Alishan, contrasting with the vibrant forest image held by others.

We agreed that if we have the opportunity to travel to Taiwan again in another season,

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The Planners

Off-the-beaten-path travel