Money-Saving Tips for Visiting Mount Tai

1. Students and senior citizens enjoy half-price tickets. Please remember to bring your student ID or senior citizen card.
2. Book your hotel room as early as possible. The earlier you book, the lower the price. This is especially critical on Saturdays and public holidays. Crowds surge during these periods, and all mountain-top hotels require advance booking.

   There are two booking methods:

   First, make a verbal reservation by phone, and the room will only be held until a set time.

   Second, pay a partial deposit via bank transfer, and the room will be reserved permanently.

   Without advance booking, good hotel rooms will be unavailable, and walk-in prices will be far higher than pre-booked rates. On regular weekdays, you can easily find a room on short notice.
3. If you look for accommodation temporarily, do not fall for hotel touts. They earn about 30% commission on the mountain, and the commission can reach roughly 50% at the foot of the mountain. You can get a much better price by finding a hotel on your own.

   If a tout follows you persistently, tell them you have already checked in or reserved a room and paid the deposit. In most cases, they will stop pestering you.
4. Keep your ticket with you, and each person should hold their own ticket. There are ticket checkpoints along the hiking trail. This matters a lot if your party splits up: do not let cable car passengers take all the tickets. Hikers may be stopped and forced to buy a new ticket.
5. Souvenir shops line the hiking route, but prices keep rising with elevation. If you see something you like, buy it early for a lower price, and do not hesitate to bargain.
6. Room prices on the mountain change sharply at different times:

   A. From early morning until 3:30 p.m.

   Few guests check in; prices stay steady at a moderate level.

   B. From 3 p.m. to 7 or 8 p.m.

   This is the peak check-in time. Hotel prices rise dramatically and fluctuate wildly.

   C. After 9 p.m.

   The number of guests drops sharply. If there are plenty of vacant rooms (especially in the off-season), bargain aggressively, as prices will be very low.

   D. For night hikers

   Between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., more hikers look for beds, yet prices remain at the lowest off-peak rate. After a whole night of climbing, you can get an affordable room.

   Choose your check-in time according to your own schedule.
7. Bring drinking water. Almost no shops stay open on the mountain path at night. You may also bring some snacks, but keep the load light to avoid exhaustion.
8. Check the weather forecast before climbing. Pack light and wear windproof outerwear. It can get chilly on cloudy and windy days on the summit, though it stays mild when there is no wind. Warm clothes are available for rent on the peak. If you rent clothes as a group, you can negotiate a reasonable price.