Vacation vibes! First we did a nighttime eco-excursion tour in Sheding Nature Park, led by local guide, Mr. Wu Fu-sheng. It was owned by a family who run the tea plantation and processing facility there, and they could kindly pick us up to the B&B or to Shi Zhuo bus top. If you are interested in history and railways, this is the perfect playground for you. ( per group. Note: If you don’t know what a mikado pheasant looks like, take out a NT$1,000 bill; the pheasant is on the backside. No minimum guest requirement. I was eagerly looking forward to take, for the first time, the Alishan Forest Railway, which transports travelers from low-altitude Chiayi City to the high-altitude Alishan area. High altitude brings a cold climate and large temperature differences between the day and night. Alishan and Kenting are two of the top-tourist draws in Taiwan. customizable. One is known for high mountains with coniferous forests, bamboo groves, tea plantations, indigenous villages, and a narrow-gauge alpine railway line, the other is the island’s most popular tropical beach resort location with fine-sand beaches, coral reefs, and plenty of outdoor fun. The abundance of natural habitats and the variety of flora and fauna is astonishing. In summer of 2018, I went to Shizhuo and Alishan as a part of my round-Taiwan trip with my two kids. This proximity makes it easy for tourists arriving by train to continue their journey by bus. Trip … if you have breakfast on the terrace of the teahouse, be aware of the white-whiskered laughingthrushes trying to get close to your table. The owner, Xie Xing … Alishan tea is a high mountain oolong tea grown in the central mountains of Taiwan. A bat! Let’s see… Alishan, Aowanda, Fuyuan, Guanwu, Hehuanshan, Kenting, Manyueyuan, Neidong, Taipingshan, Wuling, and Zhiben. This is the Mountain Ali Tea No. Experience the perfect day tour of Alishan from nearby Taichung or Chiayi. /Person, Child It is located slightly after the 61 km mark beside Alishan road. US$150. 1 day / 9 hr. Then the train, slowly but surely, makes its way uphill. There is no aircon in our room but a fan is available. Really? More articles about ChiayiThings to Do in CHIAYI COUNTYMEISHAN Township in CHIAYI CountyOld Neighborhoods in CHIAYI. Jade (Yushan), Taiwan’s highest mountain. ・Tread through giant forests and take in the natural beauty of one of Taiwan's biggest national parks But no, there it was, feeding peacefully, not far from the boardwalk, oblivious of the people snapping pictures. A big Thanks to the Forestry Bureau for making this trip possible. Nearest 7-11 is about 5 min drive away. Can’t wait to do a trip like that again soon! Long-time resident of Taiwan, Twelli likes to go on trips around Taiwan and make videos. Our tour bus was already waiting to take us further uphill. Experience tea picking and tea making in the plantations. Best Tea tours in Taiwan that I recommend: – To organize a full-scale tea tour in Taiwan, please contact me and I can recommend the most suitable local operator for your needs. I also soon realized that the water in the bay is in fact very shallow, which allowed us to simply and safely walk through the water to the nearest rocks where we boarded the kayak again. 1 - 1 Pax ), ( We did this a few times, trying to catch bigger waves each time. Alishan, itself has become one of the major landmarks associated with Taiwan. The busy city streets of Chiayi soon give way to rural countryside, still on the plain. Signing a waiver, in case something bad would happen, was still required, though…. After the eco-tour the night before, our final activity of this memorable trip was walking through tropical forest again, this time during the day. Private vehicles and tour buses are not permitted past the parking lot, and getting to our hotel, the Alishan House, required us to switch to mini shuttle buses. 2 - 7 Pax ) Kayaking at Fulong on the Northeast Coasteval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'taiwaneverything_cc-leader-2','ezslot_2',126,'0','0'])); If you are looking for a good-quality beach-side resort hotel in Taiwan, look no further than the Chateau Beach Resort in Kenting. Plans are to have the complete line restored by 2022. Tea Cloud B&B: Best place to enjoy Alishan trails with the tea culture - Read 48 reviews, view 80 traveller photos, and find great deals for Tea Cloud B&B at Tripadvisor. For more stories about this trip visit the Hidden Treasure of Asia website. We’ll have the entire day to explore the Greater Alishan region, visit tea plantations, … A central-government agency the bureau is part of the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, and is in charge of managing national forest recreation areas around Taiwan, including Alishan and Kenting, as well as the Alishan Forest Railway. You’ll pass many a bamboo grove and the occasional tea plantation as well. Wearing a life vest and having tested the water temperature already there was nothing to worry about, though. Someone even spotted a sika deer in the dark, though it quickly disappeared, most likely because of the many flashlights pointed its way. The most interesting part of the journey is looking out the window and witnessing how the scenery changes, dramatically. Tea Homestay is situated about 1 hr drive from the Alishan scenic area. Since this was an organized trip, we didn’t have to wait for the tourist shuttle. I also could not wait to do sea kayaking, another first for me. We had done kayaking before but not in this kind of windy conditions. Tea Plantations. Hinoki Village, not far from the station, is a cluster of dark-brown Japanese-era wood buildings housing gift shops and eateries. Visit organic tea farms in the high mountains, make a savory tea with a sub-minority group, and make Taiwan's famous bubble milk tea at the original shop. In arm’s reach. As described, I would have preferred to go to Alishan on our own and stay the night as it would have given us the most freedom to explore the area. Even if you don’t head to the plantation, make sure to buy some near your hotel, after all, Taiwan does make the best tea in the world. 35 teahouse, a great place to have a simple breakfast, which includes excellent high-mountain tea (Oolung and black tea) produced in the Alishan region. She has also been heavily involved in activities to protect the local natural environment. Known for its pillowy cloud seas, spectacular sunrises, glowing sunsets, enchanting forests and charming railway, it's no wonder Alishan is a popular day (or weekend) trip for tourists and locals alike. For a more in-depth experience, you’ll find numerous tea farms in Shizhao that offer tours of the plantations, tastings and homely accommodation. One of the best times to visit is also during the harvest period which occurs just twice in Alishan, often in October and June, when workers take to the fields to collect the leaves. There were a total of 10 foreign participants, each writing and sharing his/her experience. I waited my turn. 2 Days Northern Alishan Tea Tour . I took bus down from Alishan Mountain to another small town call Sizhuo. Cultivation of Taiwan’s celebrated High Mountain Oolong Tea began around the spread-out village of Shizhuo (1300m~1500m), on Provincial Highway 18, Alishan’s main access road. 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