TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Alishan is seeing double the normal size of daily crowds as the annual cherry blossom viewing season starts.
The 2024 Alishan Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off on Sunday (March 10) and will run through April 10. The Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms in the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area are already in full bloom, reported CNA.
The number of visitors is expected to increase further next weekend.
According to the Chiayi Forest District Office, there are approximately 2,500 visitors on regular days, and as the flower season approaches, the crowds grow. On Saturday (March 9), the number of visitors reached 5,800.
Wusheh cherry trees in bloom. (CNA photo)
Chang Tai (張岱), director of the Chiayi Forest District Office, told CNA that during the Japanese colonial period, Japanese people brought cherry blossoms from Japan to plant in Alishan. Among them, the Yoshino cherry blossoms are considered the centerpiece of the Alishan Cherry Blossom Festival.
The trees are already blooming. In addition to the Yoshino cherry blossoms, other flowers such as wisteria, magnolias, and orchids are also blooming at different times.
Hsiao Ming-hsueh (蕭明學), a technical specialist at the Chiayi Forest District Office, said that this year, due to warmer weather caused by climate change, the flowering period for the Yoshing cherries is seven to 10 days earlier than usual. At classic viewing spots such as behind the Alishan Police Station and the Zhushan Sunrise Observation Deck, the Yoshino cherry blossoms are already 30-40% in bloom.
Yoshino cherry tree in bloom. (CNA photo)
Apart from the early-blooming mountain cherries, Wusheh cherries (Prunus taiwaniana), Taiwan cherries (Prunus campanulata), and okame cherries (Prunus okame), there are also various flowers such as white champaca (Magnolia × alba), purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora), Taiwan orchids Pleione formosana (Taiwan pleione), Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda), and Yushan azalea (Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum), which will bloom successively until the end of April.
People are encouraged to use transportation services when heading up the mountain and pay attention to traffic control times during holidays. The office said that parking spaces are limited, and they plan to set up temporary parking spaces for small cars on Provincial Highway 18 from the 89 to 95-km mark.
In addition, 10 free shuttle bus stations have been set up to provide services for visitors commuting to and from the Alishan Bus Station from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on holidays.
Yushan azalea in bloom. (CNA photo)
The Highway Bureau will implement traffic control measures on Provincial Highway 18 from the 66 to 88.2 km mark from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. on March 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31, and April 4 to 7. During these times, small cars will be restricted, and motorists need to transfer to the "Cherry Blossom Festival Shuttle Transfer Bus" at the Leye Service Area at the 61-km mark.
People riding large Type A and Type B buses must pre-purchase tickets for the recreation area at Chukou Nature Center at the 29-km mark.
Online ticketing channels, including "Forest Fun," "Alishan easy go," "Lion Travel," and "in Ticketing System," are available. For detailed information on traffic control, ticket purchasing, and other items, please refer to the website.
For real-time flower conditions, see the "Alishan National Forest Recreation Area" Facebook fan page, "alishanforest" Instagram account, or download the "Alipedia" app on Android or Apple.
