Watching Sunrise

[Ian_Lee]

It is interesting that Chinese love to watch sunrise while westerners love to watch sunset. There are quite a few travel journals in Classical Chinese about those poets hiking up to the peak of Tai Shan to watch sunrise. And even the Emperors loved to do so.

On the other hand, here in Hawaii the City government likes to organize events like "Sunset on the Beach".

So in Greater China, where is the best spot to watch sunrise?

In Mainland, I think the peak of Wudan Mountain is the best spot to watch sunrise. When you watch the early sunlight radiating out of the cloud, it forms kind of a mist with the image of Golden Pavilion of the Taoist Monastery blending in between, you may have the impulse like Zhang Ziyi did in "CTHD" to dive down if you are a devoted Taoist believer!

The problem with Wudan is that lack of amenities. You may have to sleep in those farmer's homes which are without hot water for bath (the weather is really chilling even in August).

In Taiwan, the best spot to watch sunrise is of course the peak of Ali Shan. The best part is the uphill journey via those mini-trains zigzagging between the ridges (dunno if the service has been restored after the accident). And those sequoia trees on the peak of Ali Shan is also worth a visit.

In HK, the best spot to watch sunrise should be the peak of Pheonix Mountain in Lantau Island (where Disney and the airport located). You have to stay overnight in the Po Lin Buddhist Monastery (where the giant Buddhist Statue is) which spartan domitory space is available for rent, get up at 3 a.m. and hike about 2-3 hours up the peak (depending on your pace) to be on time to watch the sunrise.

Outside Greater China, the best spot to watch sunrise should be the Bromo Volcano in Java, Indonesia. You have to wake up at about 1 a.m. in you hotel in Surubaya, driving up the volcano to get to about half way, and change to donkey in an inn. Then you have to ride on donkey's back for about three hours on narrow mountain path, and then watch the sunrise at the volcano's rim.

Other than that, Fuji Mountain in Japan and Mauna Kea Volcano in Hawaii are also famous spots to watch sunrise.

[bhchao]

Best sunset view in southern CA is at the La Jolla coves, IMO.

Other great sunset spots in CA are near Cabrillo Road in Santa Barbara; and Carmel and Monterey in northern CA.

[Ian_Lee]

bhchao:

Waikiki Beach is also a good spot to watch sunset. Sometimes I like to bring my kids on Saturday afternoon to the verandah of a restaurant by the Waikiki Beach, enjoying the Early Bird Special, and watching those Japanese and American girls clad in Bikini sunbathing and swimming.

Ususally I stay until after sunset. And I can still do it even in January and February.

But the impact of watching sunset can hardly be comparable to watching sunrise.

For sunrise watching, usually you have to go through lots of hassles/sceneries which are physically demanding and aesthetically alluring before you can get to the spot where you can watch the sunrise. That is the part which you will remember for your whole life.

[gougou]

Is it that westerners don't like to watch sunrises, or are they just too lazy to get up?

I for my part love to see them, but have only gotten around to do it twice (and once was in the middle of the Netherlands, with not a mountain in sight - a bit underwhelming!)

[Outofin]

I watched sunrise in the mountain of Tai. Not sure if it's the best site for sunrise watching but I think it's at least one of the best.

I remember pretty clearly that year after Gaokao my friends and I went to Tai. We got up very early probably at four ocolok. It was still night time. It didn't have to be so early for watching. But we needed to catch a good spot before other tourists. We were lucky to see the Sea of Cloud (云海) as well. The sunrise itself happened very quickly. The color of the clouds and the sky kept changing instantaneously. It looked like the nature tried to blow your mind by all its wonders in one minute. Then it's followed by a nice morning.

It was truly splendid.

Sunset only catches my eyes in winter. In winter the sun will be perfectly red and with a clear edge when setting. Contrary to sunrise, sunset gives you a sense of tranquility. I remember the sunset when I travelled to the Grand Canyon. That was a fond memory.

[roddy]

Is it that westerners don't like to watch sunrises, or are they just too lazy to get up?

Yep, while the Chinese can't run the risk of missing dinner and so don't bother with sunset

Best sunrise I ever saw was probably over the Dead Sea from Masada. Namtso in Tibet was also great, but more because nobody else woke up in time and it was like I was the only guy on the planet. Sunset at the Summer Palace is cool, with the hills and pagoda (and you'll see plenty of Chinese people watching it too, contrary to Ian's somewhat tenuous theory . . .)

[bhchao]

A great place to watch the sunset on the U.S. East Coast is from atop the Empire State Building observatory. On a very clear day the sunset over New York harbor is breathtakingly beautiful while the city lights are turning on. The best time to view the sunset from the ESB is during summer and early autumn.

I might propose in that kind of setting when the right time comes.

[Lu]

I think Westerners are just too lazy.

The most beautiful sunset I ever saw (ok, not much competition here, I'm a Westerner after all, but still I can't imagine anything more beautiful) was in Jiufen, Taiwan. Some friends threw a party there, and we arrived in the evening, when it was allready dark, so I couldn't see the town or the view. We partied all night, and around six the sun rose over the town. The view on the sea was amazing, and it was still just dark enough to hide the less beautiful things of the town, so it looked just perfect. No landscape ever looked better than Jiufen in sunrise.

[skylee]

The best sunset I've seen was at Oia on the greek island Santorini ...

[HashiriKata]

I once climbed up the summit of the famous Mt Fuji to watch sunrise. We started from the bottom at 9pm the previous night and after a lot of fun, sweat and rest, we reached the top at around 6am the next morning but then, the summit was completely covered in thick mist & fog !

[bhchao]

Actually one of the best times to view a sunset is right after a major volcanic eruption.

I remember that the sunset over southern CA was unusually spectacular in the days following the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines during the 1990's.

[gougou]

I think that is due to particles in the air - which you'll have every day in Beijing! Gee, aren't we blessed...

[iris19840201]

I never watch the sunrise or the sunset on the beaches and the mountatins. I live in Shanghai and I have little chance to go travelling.Having reading many friends describe the experiences for sunrise and sunset,I really long to watch them.I read some articles about sunrise and sunset,I expect that one day I will see those splendid scenery with my own eyes.