Thursday 9 July 2015

One day short trip Taichung-Alishan (Taiwan)


How to visit alishan from taichung? Transportation to alishan? So after some research using internet, this is what i founded, if you want to visit alishan from taichung... And also what i did with my trip. ALISHAN OFFICIAL SITE
There are 2 options to reach alishan, but there are not a direct trip, u have to choose to reach chiayi first or reach sun moon lake first.

1. First option, Taichung-sun moon lake-alishan (by bus)
There is a shuttle bus from taichung-sunmoonlake-alishan-chiayi and they sell it one set including (+alishan forest ticket),very affordable only 699nt. More cheaper than take a transit one. And the 699nt pack valid for 5 days trip, buy the ticket at Taichung THSR Station or Taichung Train Station. You only need buy another bus ticket from chiayi back to taichung, so another 150nt. Total will cost only 849nt.

But i prefer to take a train (because they said go to alishan using train is for get the best view and experience ya!) but if you dont want a trouble, then just take the tourist shuttle bus.

2. Second option, Taichung-chiayi-alishan (by bus, train, thsr)
***Taichung-Chiayi
 -Bus operator to chiayi from chaoma-taichung are hoshin 和欣 and guoguang 國光 it cost 150nt estimate time travel around 1,5hours. The first shift of hoshin bus is 7:10am, and for guoguang is 6:00am. If you are from taichung train station, there is a taichung bus operator 台中客運, where the first shift is 7:00am and also cost 150nt. Check the web for detail.
 -By train, there are three operator Chu-Kuang莒光 172nt,Tze-Chiang 自強 224nt,and Local Train 144nt. Check the web for detail.
 -By THSR of course it will be more expensive la, start from 410nt for adult, with duration only 27minutes, the first shift leaving on 6:30am. Check the web for detail.

I take 07:10am Ho-Shin Bus from chaoma taichung to chiayi, cost me 150nt for oneway, the seat is very big, comfortable and clean, there is also small television for your entertainment on the road. 


***Chiayi-Alishan
After get chiayi, you have so many option to reach alishan, take a train, take a bus, or just rent a taxi. But first, no matter what you take, you need to go to front station after you get-off from the bus. Follow the instructions!
 
- For train, you will be have a long trip, 2hours20mins, and it will cost a lil bit more expensive. You will have to stop at fenqihu station, and you have a lil time to visit fenqihu old street, have some local snacks there. Then take another local bus to reach alishan, another 1hour.
嘉義火車站Chiayi Train Station-奮起湖火車站FenQiHu Train Station  「train」
 (Departure everyday 9am, Extra on Sat,Sun 10am)
 (Ticket Price 240nt oneway)
 (Travel Duration 2hrs20mins) 
奮起湖FenQiHu-阿里山ALiShan 「local bus」
 (Departure everyday 1300/1440, Extra on Sat,Sun,Holiday 11:55)
 (Ticket Price 98nt oneway, estimate travel time 1hrs)

Please remind! If you plan to travel using train, need to book the ticket 2-3days before, or you wont get the seat, and u need to stand in the train for 2hours and more! Because i didnt get the ticket, so i just cancel the trip using train la. Huft~~


- Tourist Shuttle Bus, visit the shuttle bus counter, from front station, you just go out and find a blue building on the right (picture below), there is a small counter specially for selling bus ticket to alishan. It cost 236nt/way, 2,5hours on the road.
There is also have a shuttle bus from THSR station, it cost 276nt/way, 2,5hours on the road.
Find all the information about the tourist shuttle bus here.


- Or u can take a taxi la, there is so many sales person offering u a private taxi to alishan. They just sell it 250nt/pax, but because i go with 3 other friends, and they just offer me 900nt/one-way/4pax, save 11nt compare to the shuttle bus and save time, good deal. Ok la, just take taxi then, more efficient and more comfortable. And we ask them to pick us again later at 5pm.We take a private taxi when we go, but they sometimes scheduled a sharing taxi for back.
~beautiful scenery, clean air, and good weather~
For people who easily get a carsick, you better prepare!

That's how you get alishan from taichung. I also found out that if you are from taipei, guoguang motor transport also have a direct bus to come here alishan, it cost u 620nt for one way trip. There are so many ways available to reach alishan, not as hard as we think to travel.


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And this is my trip! Its a noon time when we arrive at alishan, but the air is so fresh, so cool, even on summer day and its shows 21 degree celsius. Its great weather to explore the nature, but first thing first was find a lunch, and we found a small restaurant near the alishan train station.

One medium hotpot, taiwan's fresh veggies, sweet and sour fish, and braised chicken, 880nt.
The hotpot actually really big size, is enough for 4-5people, and after cooked long enough to let the soup become a broth, its so delicious to drink a hot warm soup in cold weather. Sweet sour fish dish also not bad, but the size is too small. And the braised chicken, well we dont really like it, i think its a cooked meal and they just steam it to make it warm before they served it. So i just feel its just not so fresh made.

Alishan Map and Hotel Area Map

Then time to explore, so this is the legendary alishan train. They have 2 destination point, zhao ping station near the sister pond, or sacred tree. U can walk thru there anyway, but because i want to try sit on traditional running train at least once in my life, so~~~I buy the train ticket that cost me 50nt/pax/trip and pick the sacred tree. And i plan to going down on walk.
We see the timetable there, its written that we will spend 15mins on train, but i feel like just 5minutes just pass and they told us to get-off the train because its arrive already. Hahaha....

If the train is not running anyway, u can take a small shuttle bus, with same price but different experience only. So anyway, 3-4hours is so enough to go around the alishan. And advise for u, dont be lazy to explore, hey u already come so far just don't waste your time because u are too tired to hike. LoL!

Sacred Tree, when u got there then u will really know how big is that tree!

Three Generation Tree, the first generation tree has lived for 1500years and then died, after 250years passed there was a seed dropping on the dead root and lived for 300years, that's a second generation tree, and even the others died, the root still got alive and grew up as a third generation tree. 

Pig Shaped Old Trunk

Forever Love Tree

Three Brothers Tree, and they just near the three sisters tree.

Shouzhen Temple of Alishan

Sister Ponds

One of Alishan's Beauty

Sky Walk, good for bungee jump~~~

I got the mist coming experience also, wow its cool! Like a misty monster is coming try to reach you! (Too much film i guess) hahaha...  


The Red Cypress Forest

So this is my itinerary
- 07:10 depart from taichung to chiayi.
- 08:40 arrive chiayi, and find the taxi.
- 09:10 depart from chiayi to alishan by taxi.
- 11:15 arrive at alishan.
- 11:15~16:30 sightseeing!!
- 17:00 the driver pick us up.
- 17:10 leaving alishan, have a very nice day!
- 19:15 arrive chiayi
- 20:10 depart from chiayi to taichung.
- around 22:00 just arrived in taichung.

There is still one hour to go until our bus leaving to taichung, thats why we decided to have a dinner first, and here we are! At this old restaurant near chiayi train station to eat chiayi most famous turkey chicken rice. Why old? They said its been 35years since they opened. 280nt for 4 ppl.
And guess what, its really delicious ye~~~ Nom...Nom...Nom... They pour a lil bit broth into the rice, but its so different flavor compare in taichung. Cheap also!!

And the expenses each:
-300 round trip bus taichung-chiayi-taichung
-450 taxi (round trip chiayi-alishan-chiayi)
-100 alishan national park entry ticket (200nt for normal price, 100nt for student price)
- 50 alishan train (toward sacred tree or sister pond)
-220 lunch
- 70 dinner
Total 1190nt

18 comments:

  1. WOW keren,berharap suatu saat bisa pergi ke Taiwan,kalo beruntung bisa ketemu SpeXial XD

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. anytime sis! feel free to contact ya kl visit, siapa tau ada yg bisa d bantu :)

      Delete
  2. Hi

    From Chiayi to Alishan by bus, do you know if the bus travels from the front station to Alishan directly or it goes to Fenqihu as well?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. they are directly to alishan.... visit http://www.taiwantrip.com.tw/Profile/ to more detail information... :) there is english provided...

      Delete
  3. haii... mau tnya dong biaya hidup di taiwan khususnya di taicung. berminat banget ni sekolah di taiwan. makasih

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. biaya hidup yah, mari aku jabarkan.
      *tempat tinggal 3500nt-8000nt/bln (dari paling sederhana sampai mewah, itu 3500/bln walaupun sederhana namun bersih dan kamar mandi dalam kok)
      *listrik air gas 500nt-2000nt/bln (pemakaian kmu kl ac nonstop ya bisa sampai 2000-an, kl cuma malam aja pas tidur atau pas lg kepanasan siang-siang btr buka, paling sebulan 800-1000nt)
      *skali makan antara 60nt-250nt jg ada, tergantung kamu lagi mau makan sederhana atau yang mewah dikit. (kalau nasi, ikan/ayam/daging, 3 macem sayur itu ibaratnya nasi kotak, 60-70nt jg sudah lengkap)

      Oh ya bisa lanjut ngobrolnya di http://bazk3t.blogspot.tw/2013/01/how-to-study-in-taiwan.html , jadi temen-temen yang lain nanya hal sama bisa baca juga.

      Delete
  4. Hi,
    Do you still have the Driver contact number from Chiayi to Alisan? I tried to ask the homestay to help arrange car from Chiayi to Alisan plus 1 night accomodation, the price is very expensive...After reading your blog, I was thinking to make day trip. Our group had total of 4-ppl


    Regards,
    Mandy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mandy, I didn't save driver's contact number, but don't worry!
      After you arrive at chiayi train station, just go to front station and try to buy the shuttle bus ticket (or just pretend to stand and checking the ticket price for the shuttle bus).
      Later on, there will be people coming to you and offer you the private cab. As you know the price, try to keep calm when bargaining, so they can give you cheaper price... LoL
      Hope this information can be use for you...

      Delete
  5. So amazing and helpful! Thank you so much! Exactly what I needed!

    ReplyDelete
  6. hi,

    I checked many websites, you are the only one with such cheap cab fare. Are you sure I can get the same cab fare as mentioned in your blog?

    cheers...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yap...on that time i got that fare, its really my own experience. you just find the taxi driver on the spot... but let them find you... let them offer you the price. the driver found me just in front of the bus ticket counter....

      Delete
  7. HI, mau tanya , aku ada rencana ke Taichung, dan Alishan. Tapi setelah ngeliat beberapa blog, kebanyakan mereka ke Chia Yi, setelah Chia Yi menuju Alishan.

    Aku agak bingung masalah penginapan, enaknya nginap di Taichung atau Chia Yi ya?
    Mohon infonya, terima kasih :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. kalau memang tujuannya ke Alishan, kamu mesti di Chiayi. karena dari Chiayi menuju Alishan ada banyak pilihan transportasinya.

      Kecuali kamu mau ke Sun moon lake dulu baru ke alishan, bisa pakai shuttle bus dari Taichung, cuma itu mesti pagi2 juga, kalau siang udah full nanti kmu buang waktu, sampe alishan udah kesorean.

      Delete
  8. Thank you for your information, so useful :)

    ReplyDelete
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