About Sun Moon Lake 日月潭
Sun Moon Lake is the largest natural inland lake in Taiwan, with an altitude of 760 meters and an area of approximately 1,022 hectares. It is a beautiful alpine lake located in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan. In January 1981, it was officially upgraded to “Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area”. Sun Moon Lake is one of the most popular scenic tourist attractions in central Taiwan. The government is committed to turning it into a resort with beautiful scenery and Thao culture as its theme. The entire lake area is surrounded by mountains, and the sunrise and sunset scenery is even more charming.
Sun Moon Lake Cherry Blossom Festival
Cherry Blossoms Season: From February to early March, cherry blossoms can be viewed in the park.
Cherry Blossom Biking Tours
Recommended Route 1:National Chi Nan University Cherry Blossom Forest
The National Chi Nan University library → Li Xue Slope → College of Humanities → Administration Building → Formosana Road → University Entrance → Sheep Zone → Sakura Zone → End (About 4 kilometers)
Recommended Route 2: Dongguang Cherry Blossom Forest
Dun Yuan Tang Old Mansion → Centennial Tramway → Tsai Family Butterfly Manor (Flow Cage ride) → Dongguang Jewel Orchid Garden Area → Legend of the Mountain Dongguang Rose Garden → Centennial Sea Fig Tree → Youling Temple (View cherry blossoms in the forest) → Long Ge Bicycle Shop → End (About 4 kilometers)
Recommended Route 3: Sun Moon Lake
Zhongxing parking lot → Sun Moon Lake Bikeway → Shuishe Dam → Xiangshan Visitor Center → Crescent Bay → Turn back (About 4 kilometers)
Best Things to Do in Sun Moon Lake
The Sun Moon Lake Loop Road is 33 kilometers long and the mountain road is winding. In addition to driving or cycling around the lake, the lakeside bike path has also become a popular choice for tourists in recent years. It allows you to get closer to the lake to enjoy the beautiful scenery, and if it is in the cooler season, you can also feel the cool breeze. If you want to travel a wider area, you can take a yacht to tour Sun Moon Lake, because many of Sun Moon Lake’s popular attractions are near the three major piers of Sun Moon Lake. For tourists who don’t have much time, the most convenient and time-saving way is to drive around the lake and stop at a few favorite spots.
Places to Visit in Sun Moon Lake
Sun Moon Lake is so huge that it is impossible to tour the entire lake in one day. When you come to Sun Moon Lake, the most recommended thing is to rent a bicycle and ride around the lake. If you don’t want to expend too much energy, you can also take a walk on the pier or take a boat tour on the lake. It is recommended that you choose a few attractions that you like and visit them slowly.
✅Purchase Your Discounted Tickets in advance (klook)
If you ride a bike, I recommend the following attractions.
■ Xiangshan Bikeway Sun Moon Lake Bikeway 向山自行車道
■ Xiangshang Visitor Center 向山行政暨遊客中心
■ Nine Frog Acrobats 九蛙疊像 (if possible): Locals use the number of frogs that emerge from the water to roughly calculate how much water is left.
If you take a boat, I recommend the following attractions.
■ Xuanguang Temple Pier 玄光碼頭
■ Jinpen A Ma Xiang Gu Cha Ye Dan (Grandma Mushroom Tea Eggs) 金盆阿嬤的香菇茶葉蛋
■ Xuanguang Temple玄光寺
■ Shuishe Pier 水社碼頭
■ Ita Thao Pier 伊達邵碼頭
If you have time, you might consider going to these places.
The Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village 九族文化村
Qingjing Farm 清境農場
■ Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village Ticket
■ Qingjing Skywalk and Swiss Garden Ticket
Xiangshang Visitor Center
The Xiangshang Visitor Center is both for tourism and administration use. The uniquely designed building has wood-patterned exteriors and wings that stretch like human arms embracing the earth. In addition, the two giant canopy structures, 34 meters long and 8 meters tall each, allow people to enjoy beautiful views of the Sun Moon Lake from the top.
Eat and Drink in Sun Moon Lake
Locals who travel to Sun Moon Lake have the habit of buying Ah Po Tea Eggs (short for tea egg stalls).
According to news reports, in 2013, the Sun Moon Lake Grandma Tea Eggs (Jinpen A Ma Xiang Gu Cha Ye Dan) became increasingly popular, with sales reaching around 3,000 eggs per day. The tax collector stood outside, counting how much she could sell in a day. But she chose to underreport her taxes, making her the subject of an audit by Taiwan tax officials. Because Grandma’s Tea Eggs are so famous, the surrounding stalls are also called Grandma’s Tea Eggs, but they are much less well-known.
Opening Hours
Sun Moon Lake Scenic Area: 24H
Xiangshang Visitor Center: 09:00–17:00
Sun Moon Lake Ropeway(Cable Car): 10:30–16:00
Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village: 09:30–17:00
Price
Sun Moon Lake Scenic Area: Free Entrance
Sun Moon Lake Boat Ticket: NT$300
Sun Moon Lake Ropeway(Cable Car): NT$300
Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village: NT$850
✅Purchase Your Discounted Tickets in advance (klook)
■ Sun Moon Lake Ropeway Ticket
■ Sun Moon Lake Boat Ticket
■ Sun Moon Lake Biking Day Pass in Nantou
■ Sun Moon Lake Bole Electric Bikes – Bike Rental Vouchers
■ Sun Moon Lake Electric Boat, Canoe and Pedal Boat Experience in Nantou
■ Sun Moon Lake Traveler Bike – Bike rental around the lake
■ Sun Moon Lake SUP Experience in Nantou
■ Sun Moon Lake Canoe Experience in Nantou
■ Nantou: Paragliding Experience at Puli
The Best Time to Visit
Anytime
Where to Stay?
Overnight: Sun Moon Lake Queen Castle Hotel
How to get to?
About Day Tour
There are many diffenent ways from Taipei Main Station. You can plan which transportation to take based on where you live. Below I have listed the buses in detail.
Because you are not familiar with transportation, your round trip could take up to 4.5 hours. If you live in Taipei, I recommend taking a day tour. This way you can have fun without worrying about which station to get off and transfer to another bus, and then you can sleep peacefully on the car. For convenience, almost all Foreign tourists will choose a day tour to Sun Moon Lake, or rent a car and let the driver go to Sun Moon Lake. Don’t doubt it, one-day tour is your best choice.
Day Tour From Taipei (klook)
■ Sun Moon Lake (From Taipei)
■ Sun Moon Lake (From Taipei)
■ Chiayi Alishan & Nantou Sun Moon Lake 3-day tour (From Taipei)
Car Rental with Driver From Taipei (klook)
■ Private Day Tour to Sun Moon Lake (From Taipei)
Day Tour From Taichung (klook)
■ Sun Moon Lake & Cingjing Farm (From Taichung)
■ Sun Moon Lake & Cingjing Farm (Taichung City Hotel Pickup)
■ Sun Moon Lake (From Taichung)
■ Sun Moon Lake Crescent Bay & Gaomei Wetlands (From Taichung)
■ Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village Day Trip (From Taichung)
By Bus From Taipei
Kuo-Kuang Bus Company (Bus No. 1833)
Driving time: about 4 hours
Taipei Bus Station departure times: 06:50, 07:20, 08:20, 10:20, 15:20
Departure time from Sun Moon Lake: 09:45, 11:45, 14:45, 16:45
By HSR or TRA + Bus
Take HSR or TRA to Taichung → Nantou Bus No. 6670
Bus No. 6670 Route: Taichung Gancheng Station → Taichung Railway Station → HSR Taichung Station → Puli Station → NCNU → Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village → Sun Moon Lake → Xiangshan Vistor Center
Sun Moon Lake Tour Bus
Bus No. 6669 Route: Sun Moon Lake ← → Fleur De Chine Hotel ← → Wenwu Temple ← → Songbolun Hiking Trail ← → Peacock Garden ← → Dajhuhu Hiking Trail ← → Shueiuatou Hiking Trail ← → Sun Moon Lake Ropeway ← → Ita Thao ← → Tutingzai Hiking Trail ← → Syuentzang Temple ← → Cien Pagoda ← → Syuanguang Temple
✅Hiking Tour
■ 2D1N or 2D2N Yushan Hiking Tour in Nantou
■ Nantou｜Three Peaks of Hehuan Mountain & Little Qilai Prairie 2 Days 1 Night Mountaineering Tour
✅ Alishan Multi-Day Tour
■ Chiayi Alishan Day Tour & Multi-Day Tour (From Chiayi)
■ Chiayi Alishan & Nantou Sun Moon Lake 3-day tour (From Taipei)
🔥ChiaTe Pineapple Cake / Delivery or Airport Pickup
■ ChiaTe Bakery Pineapple Pastry-Delivery(Home / Hotel) / Airport Pickup (klook)
Prepare your trip to Taiwan?✈️Buy discounted tickets in advance (Klook)
■ EasyCard and SIM Card Package
■ Taipei 101 Observatory Ticket
■ Taipei Double Decker Sightseeing Bus
■ National Palace Museum Ticket
■ Taipei Fun Pass (Taipei 101, National Palace Museum, Taipei MRT, city buses, and 6 Taiwan Tourist Shuttle)
■ Taipei Transport Fun Pass (Taipei MRT, city buses, 6 Taiwan Tourist Shuttle routes, and Maokong Gondol)
■ Taipei Metro (MRT) Day Pass
■ (Taiwan Pass) HSR + MRT + Taiwan Tourist Shuttle
■ Taiwan High Speed Rail Day Pass
■ Taiwan High Speed Rail Ticket for non-Taiwanese Discounts or Buy 1 Get 1
■ Taiwan High Speed Rail Joint Ticket
■ (Taiwan Pass) Taiwan Railways + MRT + Taiwan Tourist Shuttle