A Relaxing Trip to High-altitude Zhuqi and Fanlu

Manzhu Bike Path

Zhugeng Leisure Farm for Eco-Education

For many years, the leisure farm has been operated as an organic, chemical-free agricultural and ecological park with the presence of jackfruit trees, fireflies, rhinoceros beetles, Lucanidae and butterflies, beside more than 30 varieties of wild birds that include: Japanese white-eyes, Chinese Bulbuls (Pycononotus sinensis), Muller's Barbets and eagles. It is an intriguing, diversified educational farm that offers unique jackfruit-inspired meals and merchandise.

Manzhu Bike Path

Stretching from Luman Village to Zhuqi Railway Station, the bike path offers a variety of rustic scenery along Alishan Forest Railway and, if you are lucky, an interesting cycling race against mini-trains moving at a moderate speed on the narrow-gauge railroad. The Alishan Forest Railway mini-train is expected to resume service in 2014.

Zhuqi Train Station

Inaugurated in 1906, this historic station is not only where the Alishan Forest Railway branches out into plain and mountain lines, but also where the erstwhile trains replenish the coal and water they need before ascending to mountainous areas. Zhuqi's station building is the best-preserved Hinoki structure of the entire railway line, complete with seven railroads for the parking of trains and steam engines. It is still in operation and offers fun rids on the mini-train.

Ziyun Community

This pristine farming neighborhood keeps it's agriculture-oriented heritage alive in various forms, including the Gan-Lan-Jiao Cultural and Ecological Park in Dazhuwei, where rows of rice barns are found in Guting Lane, the traditional farming structure of the Liu family's courtyard house built in Caitang style, as well as a toy museum that houses 300-plus pieces of antique toys, every detail of which evokes childhood memories and surprises.

Bantianyan Ziyun Temple

The more than 300-year-old Ziyun Temple was built in 1673, the 21st year of Emperor Kangxi's reign in the Qing dynasty; it was named Bantianyan (which literally means "mid-heaven-rock") because when viewed from a distance, it's towering silhouette halfway up the hill appears as if it reaches to the sky. A 23.3-meter tall statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva on an Ascending Dragon is the largest of it's kind in Taiwan and also the temple's most important symbol. In addition to the exquisite carvings that characterize the historic temple, another highlight is the temple being wrapped in purple-hued clouds and mist from the surrounding mountains at dawn and dusk, hence the name Ziyun, meaning "purple cloud".