Sun Moon Lake is the biggest lake in Taiwan, and together with Alishan National Forest one of the most visited tourist spots in Taiwan. The locals love to come here for a long weekend getaway.
How to explore Sun Moon Lake
When visiting Sun Moon Lake, renting a bike is the most popular option. The area around the town Shuishe has beautiful bike paths along the lake which is separated from the main road. Many shops in Shuishe offer regular or electric bicycles to get around.
As the bike paths are limited to only the Northern part of the lake, you need another mode of transportation to visit the sights across the lake. Ferry boats from Shuishe village have routes to Xuanguang temple, and Ita Thao.
I opted to rent a scooter, making it possible to visit the entire lake and the surrounding area in one day. The disadvantage of a scooter is that you’re only allowed on the main road, not the beautiful separate bike paths. I circumvented this by stopping along the road here and there and walking part of the paths to scenic viewpoints.
The plus side of the scooter is that I could easily visit all the sights around the lake without having to worry about timing with the shuttle bus or ferry boats.
Sights to visit around Sun Moon Lake
Sunset and sunrise views
Get up early for the most picture perfect views of the lake. When the sky is light blue and the water tranquil.
Wenwu Temple (日月潭文武廟)
The closest site to Shuishe village is Wenwu temple. Dedicated to Confucius, is this impressive structure consisting of three halls. On the outside two enormous red lions guard the place. My visit around sunset was timed perfectly to have almost no visitors around.
Ita Thao
A tourist village on the Southeast side of the lake. The main draw is the busy street and lively market with indigenous food and drinks. In the afternoon the village gets real lively and crowded.
 |  |
Ci En Pagoda (慈恩塔)
Standing proudly on top of the hill is the 46 meter high Ci En Pagoda. Prepare to climb a lot of stairs to reach the pagoda, and a whole bunch more for the absolute best views of Sun Moon Lake on top.
The pagoda is easiest to reach by scooter, as you can park at the parking lot and start climbing the stairs from there. When coming by boat from the pier at Xuanguang Temple, it’s an additional trek uphill.
Shuiyuan Rainbow Suspension Bridge
Not at Sun Moon Lake, but a 45 minute drive along a rural road in the mountains brings you to this really cool long suspension bridge. Just getting here is why I like to travel a more adventurous do it yourself style. Getting away from the crowds on the scooter and embracing the country. At Shuiyuan I was the only Western visitor. The entrance fee to walk on the bridge is only NT$100 (€3).
 |  |
Where to stay
There are two main villages at Sun Moon Lake: Shuishe and Ita Thao. I recommend staying at Shuishe on the North side of the lake, mostly because it’s the main transport hub and easiest to reach by public bus. The bike path is also around Shuishe. If you prefer a bit more liveliness, then Ita Thao is another option, but this village can also be visited as a side trip when going around the lake.
The hotel I stayed at was 星月小築 in the heart of Shuishe, just around the corner of the bus station. With beautiful immaculate rooms and just above the 7-Eleven it was perfect to explore everything from here.
