Alishan National Scenic Area Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Alishan National Scenic Area. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Private 3-Day Tour from Taipei: Sun Moon Lake, Alishan, Lukang

• Alishan Join-in Day Tour from Taichung (Incl. Park Entrance)

• Exclusive 3-Day Sun Moon Lake and Alishan Private Tour

• Alishan Join-in Day Tour from Chiayi (Incl. Park Entrance)

• Alishan, Sun Moon Lake, Taichung Three Days Tour from Taipei

Admission tickets for Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, which is part of the wider Alishan National Scenic Area, cost 300 New Taiwan dollars for adults. Taiwanese residents and tourists with a public transportation ticket get a discounted entry. Kids ages 3-6 and seniors ages 65 and over pay 10 New Taiwan dollars.

Yes, Alishan National Scenic Area is worth visiting. Its mountainous locations offer a serene break from the busy streets of Taiwan. One of the best times to go is at sunrise, when you'll see the sun rising from a sea of clouds. Witnessing the natural phenomenon is well worth the early alarm.

Per one customer who booked the Alishan Taiwan 2-Day Private Tour from Taipei, "It was fantastic! Joshua Liu was my driver and tour guide for the trip - he was very knowledgeable and a great tour guide! Alishan is beautiful, and the stay in the mountains was beautiful. Highly recommend this tour!"

You can take the train or bus from Taipei to Chiayi station. From there, take the Alishan Forest Railway, Taiwan Tourist Shuttle, Chiayi County Bus, or a taxi. If you have a car, you can drive yourself. Another option is to take a tour with transfers from Taipei.

The best time to see cherry blossoms bloom within the Alishan National Scenic Area is from December to March. Within Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, go from mid-March to April. Expect traffic controls for cherry blossom season. For ease, take the cherry blossom viewing bus, which starts running in March.

Yes, accommodations are available within Alishan National Scenic Area, including hotels and guest houses. However, centrally located options are limited and should be booked well in advance for popular times, such as cherry blossom viewing season, weekends, and summer. Shizhou, an hour away, offers more options.

Yes, Alishan is known for its high-mountain oolong tea. Many tea plantations, tea farms, and tea houses are in the area. The two main tea areas in Alishan are Zhong Shu Hu and Shizhou. The Shizhou area is known for a series of hiking trails that pass through tea fields.

Yes, it’s technically possible to visit Alishan on a day trip from Taipei, but it makes for a long day, with most of it is spent traveling, as it takes nearly four hours each way. For a more relaxing experience, spend the night—that way, you can experience the Alishan sunrise.

Besides high-mountain oolong tea grown locally, visitors should try some Tsou cuisine from the area's indigenous Tsou tribe. Dishes and drinks include grilled meat (especially wild boar), mountain greens, river shrimp, bamboo rice, millet wine, and green bamboo wine. Fenqihu lunch boxes are another local specialty.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting Alishan National Scenic Area. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Taipei:

• Shifen Waterfall

• Taipei 101

• Yehliu Geopark

• Taroko National Park

• Pingxi Branch Rail Line

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Taipei.