Making Each Day Count

In March the temperature in the Philippines started to get warmer and more humid giving way to the incoming summer season. D and I packed our hand-carry luggage for a much-awaited trip to Taiwan. After enjoying our trip to Taipei last year, we decided to visit Taiwan yearly, as much as possible, as there are national forests we would like to go to.

This time, instead of going back to Taipei, we flew to Kaohsiung via Air Asia, a short flight of less than 2 hours from Manila. We were pleased to feel the cool temperature in Kaohsiung which was around 20 degrees Celsius. At the airport we took the red line train to Kaohsiung Station. At Kaohsiung Station, we grabbed a light dinner before we boarded the Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR) on to Chiayi, Taiwan, where we would stay the night. The train ride to Chiayi took only a little more than 30 minutes. When we arrived at the train station, we found that there was a free bus shuttle with a drop off near our hotel. We checked in at Chiayi Look Hotel and called it a day, because even though the travel time was short, we needed to energize for a full day of activities the next day.

The next morning, we woke up early and had breakfast at the hotel as we would be joining a group tour to Alishan National Forest that leaves exactly at 0800. We booked a Grab car for a quicker travel time back to Chiayi HSR Station, and got there in less than 30 minutes. It was easy to spot the tour group as a small crowd had already gathered next to the station’s entrance. Once our tour guide accounted for all of us, he led us to the bus and explained that our journey to Alishan would take approximately 3 hours.

We rode through winding mountain roads, and after enjoying the view of the lush greenery, D and I dozed off until our tour guide woke us all up later on to announce we have arrived. At the main entrance of the Alishan National Forest my excitement built up as I saw the blooming cherry blossom trees.

As we stepped off the bus, we knew that trip would be awesome. The air was cold, the skies were clear, and the view of the trees and blooms was simply beautiful. The paths were well-paved but still had that rustic, nature-immersion feel.

We spent a couple of hours strolling through the ancient forest, marveling at giant cypress and cedar trees, some of them having stood for hundreds of years. I quite liked the Sisters Ponds – one was a smaller and the elder sister was larger.

A few meters away we admired the Magnolia Garden.

At around 1330, we had lunch at a square near the Shouzen Temple, where street-style food was sold by the locals. D had pork rolled in rice (ala burrito) and I had fish tofu skewers in hot broth. For dessert we got a chewy (but yummy) donut. The last time I had it was in Japan in 2019, so that donut shop was a happy find. Lastly, we had a cup of coffee to keep us warm, because towards that afternoon the air started to get colder, and the mist quickly descended upon us.

Our guide led us to the train station where we boarded the red Alishan train to bring us back to the forest entrance. While we waited for our bus to pick us up, our guide handed out local sweets from Alishan. I thought it was a thoughtful gesture.

Alishan National Forest is one of the most popular destinations in Taiwan, especially during spring (March to April). Alishan felt like a world away from the city life. It was peaceful, slow-paced and soul-soothing. If you’re ever in Taiwan and want a quick break that’s both scenic and relaxing, Alishan is definitely worth the detour.

We booked our Alishan daytour via Klook.