Fenqihu

This shared tour was great value. Besides the 9-seater Benz, the driver also acted as a tour guide, accompanying us throughout the entire trip, providing commentary, and even finding great angles to take photos for us – the photos turned out beautifully. Luckily, the weather was nice that day. We ate at a famous tin box bento box restaurant along the way and finally rode a miniature train. Because some sections of the road have many curves, it's recommended that those prone to motion sickness take motion sickness medication beforehand.

We departed Taipei at 8:00 PM and headed toward Chiayi, picking up some of the other passengers along the way. After three toilet breaks, we took a bus to Alishan Station on the forest railway. We got off around 1:30 AM. The temperature was low, in the teens, so our down jackets came in handy. Tickets went on sale at 5:00 AM, so we spent the time waiting around until 4:20 PM. Our guide bought all of our round-trip tickets from Alishan to Zhushan. With our tickets, we headed to the second-floor platform. The first bus was packed with people coming from Chiayi. We boarded the second bus. There was a countdown sign at the ticket booth, counting down to 300 tickets, and there was quite a line of individual passengers waiting. It seemed like they were flexibly increasing the number of buses for the third bus and other buses. It took just under 30 minutes to reach Zhushan, and Zhushan Station was bustling with about six stalls, offering hot snacks even early in the morning. While the sunrise can be seen from the observation deck before that, a 500-meter walk to the Ogasawarayama Observatory leads to a high vantage point with panoramic views. The sea of clouds and sunrise from there were spectacular. While it's possible to walk to Alishan from Zhushan Station, I took a downhill train and got off at Numahira Station. Near the station, I passed through the cherry blossom trail and forest area before arriving at Sister Pond. From there, I passed through various rare giant tree areas, including the Three Brothers, Four Sisters, the artificial willow forest, and the Mulan Garden, taking a break at Shou Zhen Temple before continuing on to the sacred tree area. From Shenmu Station, I took the forest railway back to Alishan Station. There, I picked up a bento lunch (not the Fenqihu bento). After lunch, I took a bus to Fenqihu. It took about an hour and a half to arrive. I toured the forest railway's Fenqihu depot and station, then walked around the old town, browsing the shops in front of the station. My guide had reserved some hinoki donuts for me, so I was able to buy some without any trouble (though I heard there's usually about an hour's wait). From Fenqihu, we headed to Taipei, taking almost the reverse route of the outbound trip. We arrived earlier than planned at 7pm. I was a little worried because there was no guide in English or Japanese, but with the help of Google Translate and the kind assistance of the people around me, we were able to get through safely. The guide was also considerate. I think it would be quite difficult to recreate this course on my own, but the content was very fulfilling and left me with wonderful memories. The price was reasonable, and I would definitely use it again if I had the opportunity.

The driver was kind and thorough. He took photos for us, and when it rained, he even offered us an umbrella when we got off. The bus was clean and tidy. The lunch we had along the way was delicious. It was a great experience to get to know Alishan, even if only briefly. Alishan is a bit far to visit in one day. For those who can only spare one day, this tour is well worth it.