Zhushan Sunrise Trail — Attraction in Alishan Township

We were quite lucky to witness the breathtaking sea of clouds and a stunning sunrise. After being completely mesmerized by the view, we began our walk down the mountain. Along the way, we stopped to enjoy a cup of Alishan Aiyu Coffee. The Aiyu jelly here is made from wild Aiyu fruits, extracted through traditional hand-rubbing techniques, and the coffee is locally renowned. It was our first time trying Aiyu Coffee, and it was truly unique with a delightful taste. Near the café, there was a coin souvenir machine, and I collected a few as mementos to take back home. After a brief rest, we continued our descent, soaking in the beautiful scenery. As we passed by the majestic red cypress and maple trees, I picked up a fallen maple leaf and a cypress cone as keepsakes (hopefully this doesn’t count as disturbing nature!). The entire hike took us about 2.5 hours, and the journey was filled with mesmerizing views that made it hard to leave. It was an experience that allowed us to momentarily escape all the worries of daily life. At an altitude of 2,489 meters, the area is higher up and has stronger UV rays, so wearing sunglasses is highly recommended. A visit here truly offers an unforgettable experience that stays with you long...

Was a nice little hike. Pretty well lit with a few lamp posts out, but even at 5am, I don't think it was full darkness anywhere. As with all hikes in taiwan, constant wetness can make it a bit slippery. I think it took us about 30-40 min to get up, and I'm not in particularly good shape. Due to the crowd at the train station for sunrise, I strongly recommend budgeting an extra 10min to hike up past the train station overlook to the next one.

I do think it would be cool if the park mounted a few slabs of ulexite (TV rock) for the cloudy sunrises so you could still see the sun through the clouds. I picture those sight seeing binoculars that are mounted on a swivel at some locations but with ulexite instead of traditional lenses. Maybe even just a 4cm × 30cm diameter slab mounted...

The train to the Sunrise spot was packed and the availability of over the counter ticket varies according to the number of visitors who have booked online as well. So it's highly advisable to book the tickets online. On the day of my travel, only 50 tickets were sold over the counter, those after the 50 tickets have to hike in the dark to the viewing spot which is about 1 hour away by foot.

The timing for the train departure will only be announced the day before. So if you have booked the tickets online but couldn't collect them the day before, you can still collect them in the morning as the counter will be opened 30 minutes before departure.

I was lucky as according to the local guide, there was no Sunrise for the past 6 days...