When we travel, we usually try to avoid pre-planning everything. By rigidly scripting every activity down to the minute, you can easily deprive yourself of genuine travel experiences, instead just following the “script”. But that doesn’t work with sunrises and sunsets, especially if you want to catch them from a popular viewpoint or a landmark. In this case, everything needs to be carefully planned. Timing is the whole game; a slight delay, and you can miss the show. Sunrises are particularly tough because not only do you need to be on time, but you also have to wake up well before dawn and get to that sunrise spot in the darkness in a half-asleep state.
But we were ready to do that in Alishan.
Without a doubt, the most popular activity in the Alishan National Scenic Area is to take a sunrise train to Zhushan station. The reason why so many people make a trek to Alishan and deal with the planning headaches is to see a very special sunrise and a so-called “sea of clouds” phenomenon when clouds fill the entire valley, with the sun majestically rising over them.
To get on the sunrise train, we woke up well before 5 a.m. and did our half-awake zombie walk from the hotel to the train station. As is customary in Alishan, the departure time for the sunrise train was announced the evening before, and it felt like everyone was very diligent in setting their alarm clocks in order not to miss it. The platform was busy: a lively chatter echoing in the chilly morning air. It felt strangely energetic, considering all these people had to wake up so early. The atmosphere was a mix of elated anticipation and faint anxiety out of fear of missing the train. At least, that’s how I felt standing on that platform. The whole experience reminded me of waking up at 4 a.m. in Cambodia to make it to the sunrise watching party at Angkor Wat.
The train departed at 5:40 a.m., and we rode for about 25 minutes to the other side of the park. We rode in complete darkness, unable to see any of Alishan’s beautiful scenery. That would have to wait until the ride back.
Getting off at Zhushan station, we were greeted by local restaurant operators serving breakfast. One vendor, who was brewing pour-over Alishan coffee, was especially popular. Capitalizing on those who sacrificed much-needed sleep to make the sunrise train, his sales were going strong. In addition to high-quality tea, Alishan is also known for producing limited, premium mountain-grown coffee. It costs as much as Jamaica’s Blue Mountain coffee and is one of the most expensive in the world.
After grabbing a cup of joe, we had a decision to make. Some people stayed at the platform overlooking mountains right by the train station, but we saw that many darted into the darkness to (presumably) another viewing platform. We had a split-second decision to make as the sunrise time was quickly approaching and followed the path into the forest. The trail was surprisingly steep, and soon we were out of breath. Having no idea where the other viewpoint was or how long it would take us to reach it, we were in a hurry. The only comforting thought was that we were not alone. Other people were chugging along, and they were equally out of breath and concerned that the walk was taking longer than they had expected.
Finally, we reached the second platform. It was much better, providing an expansive view of the valley and surrounding mountain peaks. The sunrise was at 6:57 am, and everyone gathered on the platform, waiting for the daily spectacle of nature to begin.
We didn’t have to wait long. The sky gradually brightened, and clouds rolled into the valley. The sunlight began to seep through, beautifully illuminating the clouds. Because we were so high in the mountains, the sun initially lit the clouds from below, and it looked as if the sun was not rising but had just dipped below the horizon. It felt almost like a continuation of the gorgeous sunset that we witnessed the day before. Although we didn’t get the entire valley filled with clouds, and some people may have been disappointed not to get the “sea of clouds” image that often appears on Instagram or in promotional materials, the sunrise was still magical. The sun finally popped over the mountains and lit up the entire valley with soft morning light.
The train back to Alishan was at 7:40 a.m. (the departing time changes daily depending on the sunrise time). There are no other return trains. So, if you miss it, you’ll have to hike back, which is not a bad way to spend a morning if you ask me. Back in Alishan, we grabbed a complimentary breakfast from our hotel, served at a local restaurant, where we shared tables and a Chinese buffet with other people who took the sunrise train with us.
The rest of the morning we spent walking around the park, breathing in fresh, mountainous air, and hugging more beautiful Formosan cypresses. There wasn’t much else to do, but that’s not a bad thing about Alishan. That’s exactly why you should go there. To slow down. To relax. To count your breaths. The forest was a great place for relaxing and recharging batteries, and a logical place to sandwich a nature break between urban explorations of Taipei and Tainan/Kaohsiung.
We left Alishan the way we arrived, on a shuttle bus, going to a nearby tea-growing village that we passed on the way to the park.
Alishan is not as well-known as other world-famous forests, like Germany’s Black Forest or California’s Sequoia and Redwood national parks. At the beginning, I wasn’t even sure whether it was worth the trouble of going there. Planning everything – be it getting to this remote location or figuring out the details of how to get on the sunrise train – was surely a challenge. But it was absolutely worth it!
