When it comes to Alishan, the first thing that springs to mind isn't bubble tea, but rather the ancient trees, the sunrise and the little railway. This forest railway, which is listed as a World Heritage Site, has an altitude difference of over 1,400 metres, climbing from Chiayi all the way to Zhushan Station at 2,200 metres. Along the way, it passes through diverse forest types ranging from tropical and subtropical to temperate. This century-old mountain railway doesn't just carry visitors up the mountain to watch the sunrise, it also connects the unique bubble tea culture of the Alishan area – bubble tea made with high mountain tea, drunk on the misty station platform, has a particularly special flavour.
Why is Alishan's bubble tea particularly delicious? The key lies in the "water" and the "tea". High mountain tea is usually grown at altitudes above 1,000 metres, where the temperature difference between day and night is large and the tea leaves grow slowly, resulting in less bitter substances and higher sweetness. And the water used in Alishan tends to be soft (low mineral content), producing a tea infusion with excellent clarity. Combined with chewy tapioca pearls, the texture is smoother than lowland bubble tea. Some shops even use local mountain spring water to brew the tea – this is hard to replicate at other night markets across Taiwan, making it a unique feature of Alishan bubble tea. Of course, the high altitude also makes for better cooling of drinks – drinking an iced bubble tea at 2,000 metres altitude, that refreshing sensation is simply incomparable to the lowlands.
The Alishan little railway remains an important means of transport within the area. The section from Chiayi Railway Station has been converted into a "Forest Railway" tourist train service, stopping at Lumachan, Zhuqi, Dulis Mountain, Fenqihu and Shizilu along the way, each station offering different scenery and stories. It's recommended to plan a one or two-day trip, taking the little railway up slowly whilst sampling the special bubble tea at each station – that's the proper way to experience Alishan bubble tea.
Recommended Places
The following five specialty bubble tea shops are distributed along the Alishan Forest Railway, each with its own unique style:
1. Zhuqi Station Commercial Area "Ah-Po Grocer's Traditional Bubble Tea"
Zhuqi Station is the Forest Railway station closest to Chiayi City, at an altitude of around 200 metres. The shops here are less commercialised than the high mountain scenic areas. Ah-Po Grocer is a local establishment over 40 years old, with the shop owner insisting on mixing the bubble tea using the traditional hand-shaken method – the milk tea isn't made by machine, but hand-shaken in a shaker tin, which apparently creates more foam and makes it taste more aromatic. The tapioca pearls are homemade, not sourced from factories, with a subtle longan sweetness. At just 35 yuan, it's the cheapest traditional bubble tea in the Alishan area. Standing on the platform drinking it whilst watching the little railway slowly pull into the station really captures the atmosphere of railway travel.
2. Fenqihu "Tianzhao Tea Drink's Alishan Green Tea Bubble Tea"
Fenqihu is the midpoint station on the Alishan Forest Railway, famous for its railway bento boxes and as the stop where most tourists change trains. Tianzhao Tea Drink is located at the entrance to Fenqihu's old street. Their signature dish is "Alishan Green Tea Bubble Tea", made with high mountain Oolong tea produced in Alishan – the tea flavour is rich but not bitter, with larger and softer tapioca pearls that have a lovely sucking texture. What makes this place special is the addition of homemade "grass jelly", made from wild grass jelly seeds found on Alishan – it's more natural than what you can buy in shops, with a subtle herbal aroma. The owner says high mountain tea becomes bitter if brewed for too long, so they limit the brewing time to under 30 seconds – a detail that chain stores can't match. Prices range from around 55-65 yuan.
3. Shizilu Station "Pangolin Coffee's Forest Style Bubble Tea"
Shizilu Station is a highlight on the Alishan Forest Railway – this is where the ancient tree clusters are most dense, at an altitude of around 1,800 metres, with temperatures consistently over 10 degrees cooler than the lowlands. Pangolin Coffee is a shop that opened only in recent years. The owner is a young person who returned to Alishan from Taipei, hoping to bring specialty coffee methods to the high mountains. Their "Railway Latte" uses Jin Xuan tea grown by smallholders on Alishan, combined with hand-whisked milk foam, topped with a delicate milk froth with adjustable sweetness. Their "Forest Bubble Tea" concept incorporates wild chrysanthemums from the high altitude into the tea – the subtle floral aroma paired with the tapioca pearls is perfect for sipping whilst walking through the forest at 1,800 metres. At 80-100 yuan a cup, the price is on the higher side, but the quality justifies the cost. The shop has extensive historical and cultural materials about the Alishan little railway, and the owner is happy to share railway stories – it's a must-visit for railway enthusiasts.
4. Zhushan Station "Zhushan's Cloud Mist Bubble Tea"
Zhushan Station is the terminus of the Alishan Railway, at an altitude of 2,451 metres – Taiwan's highest railway station and a famous spot for watching the sunrise. When waiting for the train here before sunrise, you often see clouds drifting across the platform, as if standing on top of the clouds. The vending area inside Zhushan Station used to only sell bottled water and snacks; it's only in recent years that they've started selling bubble tea. Their signature "Cloud Mist Bubble Tea" uses Alishan's cold Jin Xuan Oolong – the tea flavour is particularly sweet and refreshing, with obvious aftertaste, paired with brown sugar tapioca pearls that don't leave a sour taste in the mouth afterwards. Because the altitude is so high and the boiling point is only 93 degrees, the way they cook the tapioca pearls is different here – they must use a pressure cooker to cook the pearls through properly, completely different from lowland methods. At 45 yuan a cup, having a hot bubble tea at such an altitude instantly warms you up – it's the perfect companion for watching the sunrise in the early morning.
5. Within the Alishan Forest Recreation Area "God Tree Guesthouse's Handmade Bubble Tea"
God Tree Guesthouse within the Alishan Forest Recreation Area is a long-established establishment. In the past, it only served tea to hotel guests, but in recent years after opening to external customers, they launched "God Tree Special Bubble Tea". They use a higher grade of Dongding Oolong than what's available on the market, and only use the first infusion of tea – the second infusion is discarded because the owner says the second brew contains too much tannin, which can make the bubble tea bitter. Their tapioca pearls are stir-fried with brown sugar, giving them a caramel aroma, paired with a rich milk tea base – perfect for taking along when walking the trails around Ximu Plateau and Shouzhen Temple. At 60 yuan a cup, it's mid-to-high pricing, but drinking this quality of bubble tea in the forest makes it well worth it.
Practical Information
*Transport*: Take the Alishan Forest Little Railway from Chiayi Railway Station; you can stop at any station along the route. The Forest Little Railway runs several services daily in both directions – it's recommended to check the timetable in advance on the "Alishan Forest Railway" website. For self-driving, you can park at the Fenqihu car park and then take a shuttle train to continue up the mountain.
*Price Range*: Bubble tea in the Alishan area costs around NT$35-100, which is slightly higher than chain stores in the lowlands. However, given the advantage of using high mountain tea leaves and water quality, you get what you pay for.
*Opening Hours*: Each station's shops have different opening hours – it's recommended to go after 10am when more shops are open.
*Best Experience Time*: Drinking bubble tea at Zhushan Station whilst waiting for the sunrise between 6am and 9am has the best atmosphere; the lighting after 3pm is ideal for photographs, and the drinks won't melt too quickly.
Travel Tips
The biggest difference between Alishan bubble tea and lowland bubble tea is "tea leaf quality" and "water quality". High mountain tea naturally has better sweet aftertoughness – many tourists from other places say it's "less sweet than city bubble tea but tastes better", which is actually because the tea leaves themselves have sufficient depth of flavour, so there's no need to use large amounts of fructose to mask the tea's bitterness. If you don't have a sweet tooth, ordering "half sugar" or "less sugar" will let you appreciate the value of high mountain tea more.
Additionally, the temperature difference on Alishan is very large – even in summer, bring a light jacket when heading up the mountain. Once you order bubble tea, it's best to drink it within 30 minutes, as the melting ice will dilute the tea concentration. Food doesn't store well at high altitudes, so the tapioca pearls are cooked fresh daily. Occasionally you may find the tapioca pearls have sold out – it's recommended to go early or call ahead to check with the shop.
