East District

I have a lung condition and was a little worried because the hotel was at an altitude of 2200m, but Alishan Hotel was wonderful. I enjoyed bathing while looking at the forest, watching the sunrise and fireflies. Although I couldn't go for a walk, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. When I took the Alishan Railway down the mountain, people along the line waved to me, and I really felt that it was a special train. The stop was only about 10 minutes, but I was able to buy a delicious bento box at Fenqi Station, which made me happy. However, a journey of almost 4 hours is quite long😅 For those with lung conditions who are concerned about their blood oxygen levels, please be aware that my resting oxygen level was 97-98, but it dropped to 80-85, and sometimes even below 70 while walking.

Most of the accommodations were great, especially all the staff (the lovely receptionists explained things very clearly, responded quickly, and were very attentive; Mr. Wang, who picked us up, arrived early and was very attentive and helpful, chatting like a tour guide in the train carriage; and Mr. Wu explained every detail in a very humorous way, making us listen very carefully). The accommodations were very convenient, located near the train station with shopping malls and restaurants, though they were a bit old. The biggest regret was not seeing the sunrise because the weather wasn't as expected.

The good points were the train's facilities, the train schedule, the music and dancing at intermediate stations, the content of the light meal, and the chopsticks that could be taken away. Areas for improvement were the condition of the tracks [the shaking could be reduced], the need to be informed of the details immediately after ordering and payment, the need to make it possible to communicate in English or Japanese for passengers who do not understand Chinese [Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese], the insufficient bus information after disbanding at the crossroads, and the fact that the commemorative ticket was a dull one that was not worth keeping as a souvenir, unlike the wonderful ones for regular trains. When I asked where I could purchase the book that had been on display from the beginning until just before the meal, I couldn't get an immediate answer, but I received the correct information and purchased it the next day.