From Alishan, the forest railway's branch lines take you to different areas of the scenic zone that feel distinct from the resort village. The Zhaoping branch runs to a section of the old Japanese-era forest with walking trails that see fewer visitors than the main circuit. The Erwanping area, reachable by train, has further old-growth forest and a network of hiking paths.
For longer excursions, Chiayi city (at the base of the railway) is worth an afternoon in its own right — the Chiayi City Museum covers the history of the region, and the Hinoki Village (Hinokicho) preserves a block of Japanese colonial-era cypress wood buildings. The Fenqihu station, about halfway up the mountain railway, has a village worth a stop for the station-platform lunch boxes that have been sold there since the railway was built.