If you're tired of the same old tourist destinations, consider exploring Chiayi, Taiwan. Often overlooked, Chiayi offers stunning natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and delicious cuisine. It's the 6th largest city in Taiwan and is known for the beautiful Alishan mountain and the famous Alishan tea leaves.

Chiayi is a hidden gem of Taiwan, and not many people visit or think of it when they first visit Taiwan because they don’t know about the stunning views, Alishan, the tea leaves, or the beautiful afternoon teahouses. To help people discover more about this hidden gem of a location, I've created a bucket list for Chiayi County, including Chiayi City. 

In this bucket list, you’ll find different adventures to go on, local and aesthetic food spots to dine at, the best places to stay, and some hiking suggestions.

This will give you a good idea of what Chiayi has to offer and help with your trip planning!

table of contents

𖡼 For Adventures

𖡼 For Experiences

𖡼 For Foodies

𖡼 More to Explore

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• ALISHAN FOREST RAILWAY (阿里山火車站)
  Ride the vintage railway built in 1913 by the Japanese during their colonization of Taiwan. It was used to transport cypress and Taiwania wood from the Alishan forest. Today, you can ride the railway up to Alishan.

• HINOKI VILLAGE (檜意森活村)
  Built during the Japanese rule, the Hinoki Village is now a collection of small shops with tiny shrines, markets, boutiques, and places to enjoy coffee and delicious desserts. You can spend at least 1-2 hours there shopping for souvenirs.

• WENHUA NIGHT MARKET (文化路觀光夜市)
  If you're looking for something to do in Chiayi at night, you can visit the Wenhua Night Market for street food and to shop for cute items for yourself or others.

• CHIAYI PARK (嘉義公園)
  Relax and take a leisurely walk around Chiayi Park. It's suitable for families with a playground, as well as for couples or solo adventurers.

• CHIAYI OLD PRISON MUSEUM (國定古蹟-嘉義舊監獄)
  Built in 1922, this historical prison has been converted into a museum that's free to visit. Guided tours require an additional fee.

• SONG OF THE FOREST (森林之歌)
  Located in Chiayi City, this outdoor green space features a large dome made of vintage wooden railroad tiles. The area looks even more incredible at night.

• QINGYUN FALLS (青雲瀑布)
  Located in Chiayi County, you can easily reach this waterfall by driving there. Depending on the time of year, the waterfall's size varies with the amount of rain.

• BEIMEN CRYSTAL CHURCH (水晶教堂)
  A crystal "church" that's a popular spot for pictures and weddings. It's a place for a quick photo opportunity, but an admission fee is required to visit.

• XIAOLIYUANSHAN LOOKOUT (小笠原山觀景台)
  Located in the Alishan Township in Chiayi County, this spot offers a stunning view of the sunrise and sunset over the mountains and has become an iconic attraction.

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