SUN MOON LAKE

What to do in Sun Moon Lake

Sun Moon Lake is really geared towards tourists. So whether you’re a solo traveler or traveling in a group, getting around Sun Moon Lake is super easy. The easiest way to get around the lake is by renting a scooter in the main tourist area, Shuishe Village. You’ll find several scooter shops near the Shuishe Visitors Center (the Sun Moon Lake bus stop), where you can easily rent a scooter for less than NTD 500 a day. Note that you’ll need a valid driver’s license or IDP to rent a scooter in Taiwan.

Round-the-lake bus

The fastest and most fun way to travel between Shuishe Village, Xuanguang Pier, and Ita Thao Village (on the other side of the lake) is by boat. The Sun Moon Lake shuttle boats run every 15-20 minutes between 9:00 am and 5:40 pm daily in summer and till 5 pm during winter.

Boats leaving from Shuishe Pier, first stop at Xuanguang Pier before heading to the final stop at Ita Thao. Note that boats leaving from Ita Thao go to Shuishe Pier first, before going to Xuanguang Pier. However, it’s always best to check schedules and confirm details with the local staff on the spot. Also, make sure to be at the pier 5-10 minutes before departure. You can buy a ticket from any boat operator (there are several) at either Shuishe Wharf or Ita Thao Pier. It doesn’t matter which company you use, as the prices are fixed and non-negotiable. Just make sure you buy a ticket from an actual ticket booth and not from one of the peddlers on the street. Their tickets are fake, and you won’t be able to use them to get on a boat.

A one-way trip to any of the piers mentioned above costs NTD 100, although special discounted tickets are sometimes available at NTD 50. And for a few dollars more, you can also buy a combo ticket which includes a one-way boat ride and full-day bike rental (NTD 150). With that said, you’ll be missing out if you didn’t grab this discounted hop-on-hop-off boat pass which includes unlimited rides for a day! Another option is buying a discounted boat and bike combo ticket (NTD 200) at the Taichung HSR Station. The ticket includes unlimited boat rides for one day and a 3-hour bike rental.

Bicycles Rental

Bicycles are cheap and plentiful in Sun Moon Lake and a great way to explore the area. Besides saving a few bucks, cycling is one of the most popular Sun Moon Lake activities to do. So much so that CNN even dubbed it as one of the world’s most breathtaking cycling routes. There’s a Giant bicycle shop on the basement level of the Shuishe Visitors Centre, where you can rent a bike. But there are dozens of other bike rental shops with more choice nearby, too.

A 30km-long scenic road runs around the lake where you can enjoy unparalleled views of the surrounding area and mountains. But if you simply want to take it easy, there are many shorter cycling paths to explore. Both the Xiangshan Section and Ita Thao Section bikeways are great low-key options.

The Best Things to do in Sun Moon Lake

Take the sun moon lake ropeway

For the best view over Sun Moon Lake, hop in one of the colorful cable cars at the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway. The 1.9km ride takes less than 10 minutes and is undoubtedly one of the easiest ways to get a bird’s-eye view over the whole area!

The cable car ride ends at the Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village – a huge theme park with plenty to keep you busy. The village is famous for cherry blossom viewing during late winter in Taiwan to early spring. And it’s a fun place to go on all kinds of rides, learn more about aboriginal culture, or stroll through beautiful gardens. If you don’t want to visit the theme park, you can simply hop back in the cable car. Taking the ropeway is one of the most popular things to do in Sun Moon Lake, so the lines get long quickly. Come in the early morning before the huge tour groups arrive. And don’t forget to grab your tickets online in advance to skip the queues!

Although you can take the Round-the-Lake Bus to get here, you can also walk there from Ita Thao. The Itashao Lakeview Trail is a low-key 10-minute walk that takes you all along the lake. The scenery is really beautiful, and it’s a nice way to get a close-up view of the lake, the small floating fishing islands, and the forest.

Wander around Wenwu Temple

Wenwu Temple, located on the northern bank of the lake, is the most visited temple in the area. This huge temple, built in 1938, is devoted to the God of Literature, the God of War, and Confuscious. It’s very popular among students and tour groups, so be prepared to join the scrum no matter which time of day you visit.

The temple sits on top of a hill and offers beautiful views over the lake and mountains. Inside the temple, browse the various halls and admire the ornate architecture. There’s also a huge stairway behind the temple where you’ll find beautiful gardens, interesting statues, and even better views!Even if you’re not into religion, dropping by Wenwu Temple is a huge must because the views are truly spectacular!Oh, and don’t forget to make a wish – wish trinkets can be bought inside the temple for a small fee. Entrance to Wenwu Temple is free, but donations are always welcome.

Ci’ En Pagoda

Built by Chiang Kai-Shek in memory of his mother, Ci’En Pagoda is a beautiful 47m-high structure. It sits roughly 1000 meters high atop Shabalan Mountain and is particularly popular among photographers. To get to the pagoda, you need to follow a 700m long trail with many stairs through a lush forest. While that might not seem very far, the hike is quite intense, and you’re almost guaranteed to break a sweat. However, once you make it to the top, all that effort will be worth it!

Ci’En Pagoda sits right in the middle of a huge square, and towering trees surround it. You can’t see the lake from the courtyard, so if you still have some energy in you, definitely climb to the top of the pagoda! From there, you’ll get unparalleled views over the lake and surrounding mountains. While Ci’En Pagoda is a popular Sun Moon Lake attraction year-round, it’s even more special during firefly season when thousands of fireflies light up the forest. The black-winged firefly can be spotted from April till May, while the mountain firefly can be seen during October and November.

Xuanguang Temple

Xuanguang Temple is a stunning temple that sits right on the shore of Sun Moon Lake and overlooks Lalu Island. This tiny temple was built in 1955 to honor the Buddhist monk Xuan Zang who traveled all the way from India to China to bring back important Buddhist scriptures. Although his relic is no longer housed in this temple (it can now be found in the Xuan Zang Temple), the temple is still one of the most important attractions in Sun Moon Lake.

The easiest way to get here is to take a boat to Xuanguang Pier. From there, follow the 80m trail to get to the temple. Alternatively, you can also take the Qinglong Mountain Trail from Xuanzang Temple (the closest bus stop) to get there. The trail only takes about 25 minutes to complete, and the scenery is really stunning. But you should know the path is not the easiest and has lots of steep uphill and downhill sections.

Follow the Shuiwatou Hiking Trail

Sun Moon Lake has no shortage of excellent hiking trails. And one of you definitely don’t want to miss is the Shuiwatou Hiking Trail. The trail is only about 500m long but what really makes it so special is the stunning lakeside scenery along the walkway – from thick forests full of monkeys, birds, and frogs to swaying wild grass growing in the lake. Make sure you go all the way to the end of the trail, where you can spot the Nine Frogs Stack in the water – nine frog statues stacked on top of each other, indicating the lake’s water levels.

Just a heads up, I spotted several monkeys along the trail. Although they may seem cute, please remember that they are still wild animals.