Sunrise at Alishan and Giant Tree Trail 阿里山日出与巨木群步道
September 20, 2025
We woke up before 4 a.m. to catch the Alishan–Zhushan train for sunrise viewing. At 4:50 a.m., in complete darkness, five fully packed cars slowly climbed toward Zhushan Station. There were two main observation platforms—360 and another nearby—and we chose the 360 platform. The weather could not have been better. As dawn broke, the sky lit up with a stunning palette of colors. Yet the sunrise itself was less dramatic; the sun rose from behind a mountain ridge, so by the time it appeared, it was already high above the horizon.
After sunrise, we warmed ourselves with hot tea at a nearby teahouse, enjoying its peaceful setting. Then we followed the pathway downhill into town for the complimentary breakfast included with our accommodation. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the poorest breakfasts we have ever had—labeled as “Western and Chinese style,” but the only “Western” part was coffee and square white bread, while the “Chinese” part was plain rice porridge, salted eggs, and cabbage. Service was equally lackluster. We wished they hadn’t offered breakfast at all, so we could have chosen our own, but options in town were scarce.
After breakfast, we packed, checked out early, and stored our luggage at the hotel before heading out to explore the Giant Sacred Tree group. The boardwalk through the ancient forest was pleasant and satisfying, especially with the perfect weather and fewer tourists around. Suddenly, we heard enchanting music echoing through the trees. Following the sound, we discovered an outdoor amphitheater in front of a massive sacred tree, where a group of young musicians were rehearsing on handpans—an instrument invented in Switzerland in 2000. The meditative tones resonated beautifully in the forest, creating a surreal experience. They were preparing for a concert later that afternoon; we wished we had time to stay for it.
After visiting the key scenic spots, we boarded the narrow-gauge train back to Alishan Station. Our host then dropped us at the bus stop for the two-hour ride back to Chiayi. The first hour was a wild journey—endless sharp curves with hardly a straight stretch of road—leaving us quite motion-sick.
From Chiayi, we continued by train to Kaohsiung. That evening, we visited the Liuhe Night Market (六合夜市). The air was hot and humid, and we found ourselves with little appetite. We sampled stir-fried clams and the famous “big sausage wrapped around small sausage,” then left the market early to return to our hotel and rest.
Although the Alishan Recreation Area offers some of the best-designed walking paths—built both to protect the environment and to ensure comfort for visitors—the overall service in the park felt underwhelming. At night, the town turns quiet and almost deserted, a sharp contrast to the lively atmosphere we often encountered in European mountain destinations. In Europe, the natural parks remain pristine, yet once you return to town, modern amenities and warm hospitality make the stay comfortable. Alishan, by contrast, preserves its untouched beauty in the forest, but the town itself still lacks that same level of service and convenience.
2025年9月20日
我们在凌晨四点前起床，乘坐阿里山–祝山的小火车去看日出。凌晨四点五十分，天还漆黑一片，满载游客的五节车厢缓缓爬升至祝山车站。那里有两个主要观景平台——360度观景台和祝山观日景台，我们选择了360度观景台。据说前几天山顶上一直被雾笼罩，今天我们很幸运，清早的天气再好不过了。黎明时分，天空被渲染成一幅绚丽的色彩画卷。然而日出本身却并不壮观，太阳从山脊后升起，当我们看见它时，它已经高挂在天际。
看完日出后，我们在附近的茶屋喝了热茶，静静享受宁静的氛围。随后沿着小径下行回到小镇，去吃旅馆提供的免费早餐，是在镇上的一家餐厅，这是我们吃过最差的早餐之一。虽然名义上是“中西式早餐”，所谓“西式”只有咖啡和白切片面包，“中式”则是白粥，咸鸭蛋和白菜。服务就更不用说了，完全就没有。只可惜镇上几乎也没有其它选择。
早餐后，我们收拾行李，提前退房并寄存好行李，然后出发去看巨木群。在古老森林中的木栈道修建的非常好，天气晴朗、游客稀少，行走在那里令人心旷神怡。突然，我们听到悠扬的音乐声在林中回荡。循声而去，来到一棵参天巨树前的露天小剧场，一群年轻的音乐家盘腿而坐正在演奏手碟——一种由瑞士音乐人于2000年发明的乐器。那冥想般的音色在森林间回荡，营造出一种超现实的氛围。他们正为下午的音乐会排练，我们真希望能留下来聆听。