Fenqihu

I was staying in Taipei and was able to catch the 6:30 AM high-speed train from Taipei Station, which would allow me to make it in time for the meeting. Although the guide only spoke Chinese, I connected with the travel agency via LINE in advance and received a Japanese-language summary of the hike and preparation notes and itinerary, so I had no worries at all. The tour consisted of four people: a Singaporean couple and myself. Our guide, Mr. Xu, naturally spoke mostly Chinese, but he made sure to confirm important points. The mountain trail was full of hairpin turns, but our guide, Mr. Xu, was an excellent driver, making the trip safe and comfortable. He took us to various photo spots and took lots of fun photos. He also provided explanations. The train ride took about 12 minutes, with two stops. The Alishan hike involves stairs and slopes, but the well-maintained walking trails make it easy to walk in sneakers. The bento lunches were also delicious! It was fun to wander through the narrow alleys of Fenqihu Old Street, and the food was delicious everywhere! It was a short but satisfying experience in Alishan. After the tour, we were supposed to end at Chiayi Station, but we wanted to visit the Wenhua Road Night Market in Chiayi City, so we asked our guide, Mr. Xu, and he was flexible enough to change our plans. We had dinner at the night market, then took the bullet train from Chiayi Station at around 9:30 PM, arriving back in Taipei at 11 PM. I highly recommend it.