My grandparents are visiting Taiwan, and I’m looking for some places to take them that are suitable for elderly people. Grandpa’s 83 and Grandma’s a few years younger, but they are still quite healthy and “with it”. They’ve already seen enough temples and such, and I want to show them some of the natural beauty of Taiwan. My concern is that we go somewhere that doesn’t require too much walking to really enjoy it. My grandparents still go out for daily walks, but more than an hour or so would probably be too much.
Would Alishan be a good place? The train ride up sounds very scenic, but I’m not sure what to expect at the top. I guess there’s a bunch of hotels, but do you need to hike somewhere for the sunrise? Is there stuff to do other than see the sunrise?
If they like adventure, by all means yes. Things are a bit rustic, but it’s not exactly adventure tourism. One of the most fun things I did was take some elderly relative from TaiChung to Hualian on the cross-island before I got married.
I’m pretty sure the Alishan train is out of action at the moment…missing track and all that. Could be the end of the year before it’s open again. Will try to confirm details, and post here.
If they are fine with winding roads, one of the cross-island highways is hard to beat. How about Taroko?
Taipingshan could be a good option. Great scenery on the drive up and far fewer people and development than Alishan. There’s also a small rail line up there you can take.
Or as VV says, Taroko. Lots of short easy walks to some of the best scenery in Taiwan.
Neidong Forest Recreation area is just south of Wulai and a short walk takes you to some beautiful waterfalls.
Too bad the gondola to Muzha is out of service.
Yangmingshan. Just drive through it and take a few strolls around the meadows.