Cherished Memories of the Alishan Forest Railway

☀️87% Sunny Girl The weekend weather forecast initially predicted rain, but I had already purchased tickets for the Alishan Forest Railway and planned the trip long ago. I had been looking forward to it for ages. (The forest railway from Chiayi to Alishan is notoriously hard to get tickets for, but it's truly worth it—the scenery is incredibly diverse.) (Although the tickets for the Alishan Forest Railway are hard to come by, the train was far from full during the ride. I wonder who managed to snag all those tickets?) I was worried about the weather, but thankfully, there was no rain at all 🤞🏻. It had been over a decade since I last rode the Alishan Forest Railway. (The railway had been damaged multiple times over the years due to typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. It took years to repair, and even after reopening last year, another typhoon caused damage, requiring further repairs 🥹.) Riding the train up the mountain offers a unique experience: you can observe the gradual change in vegetation from low to high altitudes and feel the temperature drop by 0.6°C for every 100 meters of elevation gain. Additionally, the railway features three distinct high-altitude train operations: the locomotive pushes the carriages uphill from behind (unlike flatland trains where the locomotive pulls from the front), the spiral ascent method, and the zigzag ascent method 🌟. I thought I’d get sleepy after the initial excitement of boarding the train, but I stayed thrilled throughout the journey, surrounded by lush greenery and countless trees. The route from Chiayi to Alishan includes a stop at Fenqihu for a one-hour break, where you can enjoy Fenqihu lunchboxes, grass jelly cakes, ai-yu jelly, and millet donuts. I tried everything except the lunchbox, which didn’t appeal to me 🤣. The chance to savor coffee mid-journey added a delightful touch to the trip’s design. The train also stops briefly at Erwanping Station for an 8-minute break. If the weather is good, you can catch a glimpse of cloud waterfalls and seas of clouds! Upon arriving at Alishan, there was still plenty of time, so I revisited the familiar Sacred Tree area. It’s a simple trail through a forest of ancient trees, showcasing the grandeur of centuries-old sacred trees. Witnessing such resilient life forms is truly moving. I planned a two-day, one-night trip. On the second day, I woke up at 4 AM to buy tickets for the sunrise train to Zhushan. From there, I headed to the Ogawa Sunrise Viewing Platform to watch the sunrise. Afterward, I hiked the initial section of the Mianyue Line. ⚠️ However, the current Mianyue Line’s initial section has been combined with the Tashan Trail, making it much more challenging with increased elevation changes compared to before. This trip was incredibly fortunate—I managed to see the sea of clouds, the sunset, and a fleeting moment of sunrise. I also got a distant view of the massive landslide on the Mianyue Line. From the opposite side, the sight of such a large crack in the mountain was terrifying 😢. Nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and awe-inspiring. I truly love Alishan ♥. Despite the early wake-up for the sunrise, the moment the sun appeared made all the effort feel worthwhile.