Alishan is a mountain resort area in Chiayi County, known throughout Taiwan for its sea of clouds, ancient cypress forests, and the narrow-gauge forest railway that climbs through three climate zones to reach it. The area sits at around 2,200 metres and the air is noticeably cooler and cleaner than on the plains below.
The morning spectacle at Chushan is the main draw: visitors pile onto a small train before dawn to reach the sunrise-viewing platform, where jagged peaks jut out above a rolling sea of clouds as the light comes up. It is genuinely impressive — more so than most such dawn pilgrimages — though you will not be alone. The cherry blossoms in late March and early April add another layer and attract huge crowds.
The old-growth cypress forests are the other reason to come. Many of the trees are hundreds of years old, survivors of the Japanese-era logging that cleared most of the original forest in the early 20th century. The Giant Trees trail passes some of the most impressive specimens, including the site of the ancient Sacred Tree and the curious Tree Spirit Pagoda built on a felled ancient cypress stump. Sisters Lake makes a peaceful addition to the forest walk circuit.
The Alishan Forest Railway — the route from Chiayi up to the high station — is a historic narrow-gauge line worth taking in its own right. The journey takes about two and a half hours and passes through tropical, subtropical, and temperate zones, with views of tea plantations and mountain valleys. The Alishan Museum near the resort village gives context for both the railway history and the indigenous Tsou culture of the mountains.