Taiwan’s Alishan was included in the New York Times’ “2025 Travel Destinations: 52 Places to Go This Year,” a collection of 52 idyllic places to visit around the world.
As the only Taiwan destination that made the list, Alishan ranked 19th.
This inclusion on the Times’ list is an important international recognition of Alishan’s rich natural beauty and cultural heritage, Chiayi County Commissioner Weng Chang-liang (翁章梁) said.
Photo: Thomas Bird, Taipei Times
In recent years, the Alishan National Scenic Area Headquarters, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office and Chiayi County Government have worked together to improve Alishan, enhance its environment and create an international tourist destination, the county government said in a press release today.
With 112 years of history, the 71.4km-long Alishan Forest Railway was finally reopened in July last year after 15 years of repair work.
The railway’s reopening has attracted domestic and international media attention, bringing Alishan once again onto the global stage and introducing Chiayi to the world, Weng said.
Alishan was included in the Tourism Administration’s list of Taiwan’s top 100 highlights as well as the New York Times’ 2025 list of 52 top tourist destinations, receiving both domestic and international recognition, Weng said.
Alishan not only has enchanting natural scenery, but is also famous for its high-quality tea and coffee, Weng said.
Local tea and coffee farmers have won awards at international competitions in recent years, showing their products’ quality and competitiveness, he said.
Chiayi is also home to an indigenous group with a unique culture, the Tsou people, whose distinctive villages are worth visiting, he added.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
The Taipei Summer Festival is to begin tomorrow at Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕), featuring four themed firework shows and five live music performances throughout the month, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said today. The festival in the city’s Datong District (大同) is to run until Aug. 30, holding firework displays on Wednesdays and the final Saturday of the event. The first show is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by Aug. 13, 20 and 30. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disney Pixar's movie Toy Story, the festival has partnered with Walt Disney Co (Taiwan) to host a special themed area on
BE CAREFUL: The virus rarely causes severe illness or death, but newborns, older people and those with medical conditions are at risk of more severe illness As more than 7,000 cases of chikungunya fever have been reported in China’s Guangdong Province this year, including 2,892 new cases last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it is monitoring the situation and considering raising the travel notice level, which might be announced today. The CDC issued a level 1 travel notice, or “watch,” for Guangdong Province on July 22, citing an outbreak in Foshan, a manufacturing hub in the south of the province, that was reported early last month. Between July 27 and Saturday, the province reported 2,892 new cases of chikungunya, reaching a total of 7,716
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
RSS