Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area: Travel Guide (4.5★)

A lake best read from the water

Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan’s largest body of fresh water. It sits among the forested hills of Nantou, in the middle of the island. The eastern side is rounder and the western side narrows, and that shape gives the lake its name.

In the middle is Lalu Island, a small patch of land sacred to the Thao people. Visitors can’t land there. You look at it from the boats that cross the lake all day.

The scenic area is not a hidden find. It is one of Taiwan’s most visited domestic destinations, and it fills up to match. Plan around the crowds instead of hoping to escape them.

Piers, pedals and the ropeway

Most visitors make a loop out of three types of transport:

• Boats link Shuishe Pier, Xuanguang Pier and Ita Thao Pier. You can hop on and off, and it’s the quickest way to reach the far shore.
• The bike path follows the lake’s edge out of Shuishe. The Xiangshan stretch has boardwalks built over the water, and rental shops sit near the piers.
• The Sun Moon Lake Ropeway starts near Ita Thao and climbs over the ridge to the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village.

Up on the slopes are the temples: Wenwu Temple above the northern shore, and Xuanguang and Xuanzang temples near the southern pier. Ci’en Pagoda stands on a hilltop in the south. Chiang Kai-shek had it built in memory of his mother, and you reach it on foot through the forest.

Give the lake at least a full day. It’s better to stay overnight so you’re there before the day-trippers come and after they go.

Timing the boats and the weekend rush

Weekends and Taiwanese public holidays bring tour coaches and full ferries. Mid-week is the easier choice. Early morning is the best time here: mist often lies on the water before the first boats leave, and the piers are still quiet.

• Weekday business: do it Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Leave time before the office closes. The office is shut on Saturday and Sunday, so don’t plan an office visit for the weekend.
• Paying: use cash or an EasyCard for small purchases around the piers. Ticket prices are posted at each pier and at the ropeway station.
• At Ita Thao: the lanes near the pier sell Thao-style snacks and food. The row of stalls gives you something to eat while you wait for a boat.
• Tea: the Yuchi hills grow black tea, including Ruby Red (Taiwan Tea No. 18). Order it by name and you’re drinking the local crop.

Keep your voice down at the temples. Also leave room on the narrow boardwalks for passing bikes, because cyclists use them too.

Getting in from Taichung

There is no railway to the lake. Most travellers take a direct bus from Taichung High Speed Rail Station, and the ride takes about an hour and a half into the hills. The bus stops at Shuishe, where the piers and most hotels are.

If you’re driving, go up Provincial Highway 21 through Yuchi. On weekends, expect the lakeside car parks near the piers to fill early.