Day 14 March 20 2024 Wednesday (Chiayi, Taiwan) - focusing my visit to Alishan National Scenic Area by taking an iconic train from Chiayi > Fenqihu.
Morning walk from Back Home Hotel > Chiayi Morning Market
Day 14 March 20 2024 (Alishan National Scenic Area)
- Construction of Alishan Forest Railway commenced in 1899 by the Japanese
- Main purpose was to transport logs down the mountain
- A 86km network of 2ft 6in in narrow gauge railway running up to & throughout the popular mountain resort of Alishan in Chiayi County, Taiwan
- The railway climbs from 30m above sea level to 2,216m, has 47 tunnels & 72 bridges
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| Forest Railway Alishan Station > Fenqihu Station Winding Mountain Route (46km) |
My Alishan Forest train ride from Chiayi Alishan Forest Railway Station (departing 09.00) > Fenqihu (45.8km, arriving 11.20, train journey approx 2hr 20 mins), return train ticket NT$384 x 2 = NT$768 (Rm115.20 = US$24); train route Chiayi > Beimen > Lumachan > Zhuqi > Zhangnaoliao > Dulishan > Liyuanliao > Jiaoliping > Shusheliao > Fenqihu
1) Alishan Forest Railway Chiayi Station
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| Alishan, Sakura in Spring ! |
2) Beimen Station - a 5 minutes ride from Chiayi station, built in 1912 for the convenience of the the people living in Hanoki Village which provides dormitories & residences for railway workers, nearby there is a history museum.
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| New Beimen Station |
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| The old refurbished station |
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| Old trains on display in Beimen Station |
3) Suburban & countryside scenery (rice fields, pineapple, bananas growing, orchards etc) from Beimen station > Lumachan station / Zhuqi station as viewed from the moving train's windows.
4) Lumachan Station (Elevation 82m) - built in 1910 but abandoned in 1982, reopened as a stop along the Alishan Railway in 2019 after a renovation, Luma literally means "full of deer", approx 11km from Chiayi.
5) Zhuqi Station (Elevation 127m) - completed in 1912, a popular & busiest station, the beginning of the mountain climb from this section of the track ! In the olden days, trains switched engines here to help with the mountain climb ! Zhu in Chinese means bamboo.
6) Countryside scenery (Bamboo forest, Binlang trees, bridges etc) from Zhuqi Station > Zhangnaoliao Station as viewed from the moving train's windows.
7) Mu Fu Liao Station - a non-stop station
8) Mountain scenery from Mu Fu Liao Station > Zhangnaoliao Station as viewed from the moving train gradually going uphill.
9) Zhangnaoliao Station (Elevation 543m) - built in 1912, the 1st mountain stop, the only station in Taiwan that uses ziz-zag railway ! Hikers favourite place !
10) Mountain scenery from Zhangaoliao Station > Dulishan Station as viewed from the moving train's windows.
11) Dulishan Station (elevation 743m) - built in 1912 & lies between 9 & 10, at this point, the train is circling around the mountain, Dulishan which has a total of 11 tunnels circling around it to help the train gain elevation, hikers enjoy coming here to start their hiking !
12) Mountain scenery from Dulishan station > Liyuanliao station as viewed from the moving train's windows.
13) Liyuanliao Station (Elevation 904m)
14) Mountain scenery from Liyuanliao > Jiaoliping Station as viewed from the moving train's windows.
15) Jiaoliping Station (Elevation 997m)
16) Mountain scenery from Jiaoliping Station > Shuisheliao Station as viewed from the moving train's windows.
17) Shuisheliao Station (Elevation 1,816m)
18) Mountain scenery from Shuisheliao Station > Fengqihu station as viewed from the moving train's windows.
19) Fenqihu Station (Elevation 1,389m)
20) Tourist information on Alishan Railway Culture, Alishan Forest Railway, Alishan Express, The History & Story of Fenqihu, Wildlife Habitat etc
21) Fenqihu Old Street - a slow & leisure walk amidst a pleasant, fresh cool mountain air, panoramic views of Alishan, stalls promoting local delicacies, snacks & beverages, souvenir shops, homestay etc
22) Cedar Wooden Plank Trail
23) Railway Crossing - Fenqihu Village
24) Earth God Temple, Fenqihu Village
25) Wandering around the Fenqihu Village - guided by clear local road signs (Fenqihu old street, upper old street, old old street, corner etc) ! Start your walk from upper old street or lower old old street, pick your choice as long as you are physically able, no worry ! No hurry, I have 3 hrs of spare time loitering in this little quaint village, walking every nook & corner, the weather here is superb, cool & fine till our train departure time returning to Chiayi at 14.30 ! So KM, enjoy as much as you can as this is your 1st time visit to Alishan National Scenic Area ! Due to time constraints, our group had to give a miss in visiting the two upper stations ie Shizilu & Duolin - KIV for a future visit !
26) Calocedrus Formosana Trees, Fenqihu
27) Water Quality Control & Outflow Facility System - Fenqihu
28) Penqihu Old Lower Street - Penqihu Old Old Street with 100 years of history; as it was a weekday at the time of our visit, the old old street was pretty quiet !
29) Companionship verses written by a local writer I picked up in Fenqihu Old Street - very meaningful indeed to a traveller ! After my retirement in 2006, a number of my travel buddies / companions I acquainted with over the last 18 years had one way or another gave me a "lift" in my travelling life & their friendship / contributions to planning & company had made my overseas free & easy travelling less stressful & a more pleasant one as I believe "birds of the feather flock together" - all of them walking down the same road like me for a common cause !
- I don't need a sense of direction because you are leading my way
- I don't need your sweet nothing as I am holding your promise
- God knows when an encounter grew into companionship
- All I know is to follow your footprints, walking down the same road
- Yangmingshan National Park (Taipei)
- Yehliu Geopark (New Taipei)
- Houtong Cat Village (New Taipei)
- Jiufen (New Taipei)
- Pingxi (New Taipei)
- Shifen (New Taipei)
- Qingjing Farm (Taichung)
- Sun Moon Lake (Taichung)
- Alishan National Recreation Area (Chiayi)
- Taijiang National Park (Tainan)
- Fo Guang Shan (Kaohsiung) !
31) A bus stop in front of Chiayi Forest Railway Station where tourists could board a local tour bus direct to Alishan, one way full fare ticket NT$240 = Rm36 (US$7.50), bus journey 2.5hr
32) After our return from Alishan visit, our group had a vegetarian dinner + rice (NT$110 = Rm16.50) nearby our hotel & later on savoured a plate of xiaolongbao (NT$55 = Rm8.25) as this food item was the best seller in this restaurant.
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