Sun Moon Lake Travel Guide
Around the Lake · Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village · Xuanguang Temple · Black Tea
Sun Moon Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Taiwan, China, and one of the most familiar Taiwanese landscapes to Chinese people: the bike path around the lake, the cable car at Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, the pier at Xuanguang Temple, and grandma's tea eggs. Two days is suitable.
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Destination Details
Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan is roughly equivalent to West Lake in Hangzhou—it is one of the earliest images of Taiwan that formed in the minds of the Chinese. Its advantage is a slow pace: cycling around the lake, taking a boat ride, drinking tea—two days is just right. To the north, it connects to Taichung; to the east, it connects to Cingjing and Taroko; to the south, it connects to Alishan, making it the hub of Taiwan's central route.
Main Attractions
Lake-Circling Bicycle Path
About 30 kilometers in length, it was rated by CNN as one of the top ten most beautiful cycling paths in the world.
Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village and Cable Car
An indigenous culture theme park, with a cable car that goes over the hills and directly reaches the shore of Sun Moon Lake.
Xuan Guang Temple and Xuanzang Temple
Small temples by the lake. The grandmother's tea eggs at the pier are the most famous stall by the lake.
Wenwu Temple
A temple on the north slope of the lake. From the front hall, you can overlook the entire lake and the Ci'en Pagoda on the opposite shore.
Ita Thao
The pier area of the Thao tribe, where indigenous-flavored meals and wild boar dishes are concentrated.
Recommended Stay and Itinerary
- Recommended stay: 2–3 days.
- Linking with other destinations in the same area makes the route more efficient. Refer to the "Expandable Routes" and "Province" sections below.
Local Tips
- Some sections of the lake-circling bicycle path have steep slopes; renting an electric-assisted bike is more effortless.
- Typhoon season (July–September) and the plum rain season (May–June) can affect boat rides and cable cars.
- Between Sun Moon Lake and Alishan, there are buses and small trains connecting the two, which can form a three-day route.
Province
This entry belongs to Taiwan, China (2 ready-made routes), where you can compare all routes in the province on the province page.
