×
all 47 comments
sorted by:
best
topnewcontroversialoldq&a

[–]Deep_Guest_6964 59 points60 points  (0 children)

Forget about Alishan please, there won't be a lot of customer service, the rocks will be super slippery and muddy. Please stay safe, this is a strong typhoon, not a small one.

[–]Medium_Bee_4521 109 points110 points  (14 children)

Do not get on the bus. Repeat: do not get on the bus. Forget about landslides there's zero point going into the mountains in a typhoon. What do you expect to accomplish?

[–]Sideway2新北 - New Taipei City 45 points46 points  (0 children)

This 100%. Just cancel your plans for the weekend and stay in Taichung.

[–]CanInTW 30 points31 points  (2 children)

This is a really unhelpful response to a reasonable question.

OP: Typhoons bring a lot of rain to the mountains - typically more than on the coastal plains. The saturation means that landslides can continue to happen a few days after a typhoon passes which can result in disruption to your travel plans.

I would keep a close eye on the actual rainfall during the typhoon - especially since the centre of this one is tracking north of Taiwan. If there is substantial rain, it may be worthwhile to cancel your plans for Alishan. For SML, there aren’t many areas of the roads leading up to the lake that are at particularly high risk of landslides (up from Shuili maybe - but not from the Puli side).

SML to Alishan is another story and you may want to reconsider your plans.

[–]Medium_Bee_4521 22 points23 points  (1 child)

It's a very helpful response. There's a foot of rain forecast for the central mountain areas. Only an idiot would go up there. The typhoon is the size of France.

[–]CanInTW -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

But rain doesn’t fall equally throughout. Monday is two days after the typhoon passes through. If rainfall hasn’t been substantial, then it will be safe to travel.

There’s a likelihood that there will be substantial rainfall and the OP won’t be able to travel, but to make that assumption today is foolish - especially if tickets and hotels can’t be cancelled.

I rode my bicycle from Jiaoxi to Alishan last week - in the days after we had very intense rain (similar to most typhoons) in the north. Most of the route was actually dry and there were zero new landslides.

Yes - it’s important to check conditions before heading into the mountains and it’s likely that this typhoon will bring heavy rainfall.

However, it is not a certainty and to tell people that their holiday is definitely off at this stage is too early. It’s best to keep a close eye in conditions - and it should be clear by Sunday whether or not it is safe to proceed. The Alishan Railway and the OP’s hotel in Alishan should be able to help with this assessment.

[–]Annual-Walk6583[S] 3 points4 points  (9 children)

Hey we’re staying at a hot spring on the lake and getting the alishan railway on the monday when storm is expected to pass. as stated never experienced a typhoon so can you provide some context as to why that would be a bad idea?

[–]McTerra2 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Chances are your sun moon lake time will be spent indoors looking out at the rain. And perhaps being delayed getting to Alishan. And chances of landslides or trees falling down etc, or transport being cancelled

You can take the gamble and it may all be fine, albeit you won’t see much. Or you may be struck /delayed.

[–]Gwendeith 19 points20 points  (1 child)

There's a typhoon so there will be crazy rain and wind outside when you arrive at alishan. The stores and services will most likely be closed. The best case is that you guys just stay in the hotel room for the whole day. The second worst case is the power, water infrastructure, and roads are all being damaged by the typhoon, meaning that you're stranded there. The worst case is being killed by landslides or flash floods.

I would recommend staying in Taichung and look for indoor activities if the wind and rain is not crazy. Going up there to alishan is just a waste of time and you safety.

[–]Bashira42 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yep, stay safe and if you can adjust the dates you go up there. I once visited for a week and had a good safe place in Taipei for the typhoon that hit (not close to the size of this one), was very glad could be safely doing things that morning in the city, then move back to the hotel before it got bad that evening. We had to cancel our plans to central nature areas of Taiwan as they were still cleaning up and it would have been impossible to get through even a couple days later

[–]New-Independent-1481 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Its a very intense tropical storm. If you're from Queensland or Sydney, you've probably experienced a cyclone before. The difference is that by the time it hits Australia, the water and air are cool enough that it's losing energy.

In Taiwan, the temperatures are much higher so the storms stay intense for much longer, and in fact often gain strength as they pass by Taiwan and hit China.

We're talking about extreme levels of rainfall and wind. Coasts, rivers, and mountains are no bueno. The cities are built to withstand these storms, but it's really dangerous in the mountains as this can trigger massive landslides with zero warning. You don't want to be in a mountain pass at all during a typhoon, because if the pass gets blocked, then you're stranded and potentially screwed. In a valley, those tiny dry streams with massive river banks will suddenly surge with torrential waters.

[–]Nandemonaiyaaa 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It’s going to be miserable and probability of getting stuck in a mountain town is not 0 exactly

If you can skirt around the main dates of the typhoon and not be on the road tho… might not be as bad

[–]letterboxfrog 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Mate, I've been in a mere Cat 1 cyclone in Darwin (TC Carlos 2011). I lived close to the highest point in town (Western end of the runway), and I had 20cm of water flowing through my yard, and waterlogged trees being knocked down everywhere because of the minor wind in waterlogged soil. We had a metre of rain that week. The wind was nuts. This is another level. Bunker down, experience your first typhoon/cyclone, and tick it off the bucket list. Don't risk your life - your family want to see you home.

[–]federicoaa新竹 - Hsinchu 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There's a hotel in Sheipa mountain. One time a typhoon caused landslides that blocked the road and all the guests had to be rescued by helicopter after being stranded for 7 days (that was when they run out of provisions).

Imagine something similar happens to you. This one typhoon is the strongest one in the last 20 years, it is expected to cause large damage. Be safe, be indoors.

[–]Lifegoesonhny 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's likely the railway will be closed - it's very exposed on the mountainside (I'm a tourist, went to Alishan just for the railway in May). Trains and the like will not be operational in Asia when there is a risk of typhoon - I planned to catch the train through the border from China into Vietnam a week ago with the last predicted one and they closed it for 5 days.

It's very unlikely you'll be able to do your itinerary sorry 😔 please do have a look to see what else might be doable; Taiwan is an amazing place - great people, great food, you'll be able to find something weather appropriate!

[–]de245733屏東縣 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Theres a non zero chance of you actually dying, no joke, dont do it. the best outcome is the bus cancels before you get to go, worse is where you are get flooded by a landslide and you die there, Dont go.

[–]CookieAlien25臺北 - Taipei City 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Every if you're brave, Alishan is closed tomorrow. You cannot get in whatsoever.

[–]R3troPilot 11 points12 points  (0 children)

in addition to what everyone else has said, mountain power lines are also prone to going down due to wind or landslides. if the power goes out in your hotel you're in for a terrible time, and because of typhoon would not be fixed quickly.

[–]Just-Smart-Enough台中 - Taichung 12 points13 points  (0 children)

<image>

This is the rain forecast for Saturday. Some places will see 300mm of rain in 8 hours.

Go to a 7-11 and drink beer, preferably in blue / white flipflops.

[–]Roc_KING01 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The best advice is: Don't go there at all. Bavi is a strong typhoon that is gonna storm basically the entire island in the next few days, heavy raining and strong winds are expected to strike from sunday. It's best to stay from going into mountainous area in the following weeks.

[–]bezbol 6 points7 points  (0 children)

If you go to Alisan there is a good chance we see you on the news in two days.

[–]Blind-Spectre 9 points10 points  (3 children)

During typhoons I just go chill at my local 7-11, they are well stocked with snacks and instant noodles.

[–]WottaNutter 2 points3 points  (2 children)

How long are you spending in 7-11?

[–]All4Fun 12 points13 points  (0 children)

7am to 11pm

[–]Blind-Spectre 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s always open…

[–]Revitup17 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I suggest you change your plans. I visited SML during the plum rains and it was not really enjoyable in the pouring rain as most of what we wanted to do was outdoors. We were also supposed to go to Alishan directly from SML via bus, which we cancelled, because of landslide concerns. We ended up staying in Taichung & Chiayi instead and went to Alishan on a day trip when we assessed it would be ok. Weather forecast said it was cloudy but when we got there it was still raining, and eventually became pouring rain for the majority of the day. It was not really enjoyable and we could see evidence of landslides & erosion on the trails, as well as repairs being made on the roads. I could see how dangerous it can quickly become and there was no view. Plus, the train to Alishan cancelled multiple days in a row. That was just heavy rain & I can imagine it would be much MUCH worse in a typhoon.

Taichung & Chiayi were a completely different story from SML & Alishan. While they did get some rain, it was cloudy & dry for the most part. Obviously for a typhoon they’ll get heavy rain too but probably won’t be as bad as the mountains.

[–]intodiversions 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I have moved here 26 years and was supposed to go to the same part of Taiwan as you this weekend. I rescheduled...just not worth the risk at worst and hassle at best...but you may get a perfectly sunny day....

[–]Annual-Walk6583[S] 5 points6 points  (3 children)

Hey guys thanks for all the comments glad i made this post otherwise i would’ve gone! disappointed to miss these experiences though. :(

[–]ButteredPizza69420 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Hey, dont be sad though! Typhoons are its own experience in Taiwan. Find a good spot to hang out for a few days, stock up on snacks and just stay inside. I had a similar situation in once where we had to cancel a few days of activities, but we still made some great memories during and after the typhoon! We were lucky to make it out of the mountains. Stay in a populated area!

[–]louis10643 2 points3 points  (0 children)

At the very least this one move fast. Everything should be back to normal on Sunday.

[–]vagabond_dilldo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Best case scenario it passes through with no real damage to the SML roads and infrastructure and you can just go a few days after. Worst case scenario, it's better to be trapped on the right side of a landslide. Imagine if you were stuck at SML for a week because of road closures.

[–]taiwanluthiers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Do not go to the mountains, this area becomes a deathtrap.

You are much better off in the city.

[–]yyj72 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Definite waste of money and time. Possible risk to safety. Reschedule your trip. The weather two weeks after a typhoon is usually lovely.

[–]Yugan-Dali 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s always smart to stay away from the mountains and coast for about a week after a heavy rain, typhoon, or earthquake, much less during one! I’ve been through a couple hundred typhoons and I can tell you, you never know what they’ll do. Stay safe: stay home.

[–]justanotherrandommf 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's not just about the landslides. I live in the mountains in Taoyuan county and many times we ended up with no electricity and no water during typhoons. We are used to it and living in a safe area so we don't mind. But last year, we had a big typhoon, no electricity and water for two days, couldn't use our phones/internet and the roads were all messed up, many houses, shops electricity pillars were damaged in the area. I would recommend you to stay in the city if you can. Tomorrow evening, if the forecast shows that the typhoon is going to hit Taiwan badly on friday/weekend, go get some food and water for the weekend, charge your phone and external battery just in case the electricity goes out. Don't go out during the typhoon, keep an eye on what is going on in your area and you'll be fine 🙂‍↕️

[–]EndangeredLazyPanda 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So this one probably isnt going to make landfall but it’s still gonna be bad. I’d say you should stay home and stock up on some necessities, two days worth of drinks and food, make sure your devices are charged and batteries topped off. Download some movies or something, just in case power or internet is interrupted. You’re in the middle of Taiwan so it’s not gonna be quite as bad as here in taipei but theres a nonzero chance of service interruption. Most everything should be closed and you shouldn’t go outside anyway, winds will be crazy and there might be flooding. Since this is your first typhoon you might want to hang out with some friends for the duration, I personally don’t mind being alone in my place but it can be pretty intense. I’m not exactly sure how much of it you’ll feel but do you know the thing about taping the windows in case the glass shatters?

[–]Msygin 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah but a great idea going into a cat 3 hurricane. It can destroy towns so do you think going to the highest point is a smart idea during that? Also, I doubt they will have services going up there in a hurricane.

[–]Low-Deal5421 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Friend, you manage to plan a trip filled with red flags. 

Even I suspect typhoon will just passby quickly, your trip still sounds scarring

[–]dl899 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just stay home or indoors and refrain from being a social liability

[–]ArgumentZestyclose62 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The bus to Alishan goes into very wavy small roads, I wouldn't take it

[–]Ruth_Metron 0 points1 point  (0 children)

星期六會有風雨
星期五在台中應該是無風無雨
這個颱風雷聲大雨點小
大家太緊張了

[–]Morpheus202405 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It looks like we are getting rain in the mountainous regions even after it passes, so I wouldn't go near a mountain in a week or so.

[–]Any_Measurement_1132 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Stay out of the mountains, as there could definitely be landslides and road closures. You’re better off playing it safe and holing yourself up in a comfortable hotel with enough to eat (snacks, instant noodles, etc) from Friday evening through Saturday.

If it’s yet to get strong, many businesses (supermarkets & food shops) will stay open as long as they can, but if it ends up being as strong as they think, you want to be ready for 12-24hrs indoors.

[–]cooperthedogT [score hidden]  (0 children)

You have to admit asking about getting a bus to mountainous areas when a typhoon is on its way requires direct answers. Its common sense

[–]BonerAlacarte -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I've lived in hurricane and been in monsoons when on the US Navy. Heavy seas. I stood in the hard winds of a typhoon here in taiwan. In any case where I wasn't at sea, I partied! East coast of US we actually had hurricane parties. Usually a couple to several days.
Load up with your fave beverages abd enjoy. Cheers!

[–]dihydrogen_monoxide -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

You're gonna die

[–]Ratiofarming -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Cancel that plan, don’t be stupid. It’ll be closed anyway.