Tainan

I made a booking for 5 people just two days before we wanted to go. The agency immediately reached out on WhatsApp to confirm and ask a few more questions. Our driver Jackie arrived right on time, and was wonderful - driving safely, giving guidance, and even providing umbrellas for when it rained. Our booking was for 8 hours which was, enough to cover Yehliu, Jiufen, and Shifen Waterfall. We arrived back in Taipei a little after the agreed time and were fully prepared to pay an additional fee for the extra time, but instead got mango jelly as a farewell gift from Jackie. Great experience overall and I can highly recommend!

We opted for the high-speed rail round trip, and a private car took us to Alishan Station. The trails were easy to walk on, and the guide was very interesting and even helped us take photos. Dinner was hot pot, which was alright, with three side dishes, but the pot for two was quite small, making us afraid of tipping it over. For an extra NT$350, we saw fireflies; they provided red flashlights—quite a few, small and cute, but unfortunately, my phone couldn't capture them clearly in a photo. Our accommodation was the Sakurayama Hotel, which was quite clean. The room didn't have any strange smells, and the staff were very responsive. There was a water dispenser with hot water, and the location was near the Alishan parking lot, just a few minutes' walk away. We were lucky enough to see the sunrise the next day. We initially thought the fog would be too thick, but thankfully we waited a few extra minutes and saw the sun slowly rise. The temperature was about 13 degrees Celsius, and my long-sleeved shirt, thick down jacket, thick pants, and thin scarf were just right. The next day at Fenqihu, due to time constraints, we only visited the old street area. We also bought some donuts. The tour guide reminded us of the arrival time at Fenqihu Railway Station, as it was the last train, and we had to catch it. The Alishan Express was very bumpy, but also very fun and exciting. We took motion sickness medication to avoid getting sick. I think the price was quite reasonable, including meals, accommodation, and a driver. It wasn't too tiring. There was Line customer service available for inquiries. A great trip!