A Practical Strategy for Visiting Sun Moon Lake

Sun Moon Lake is one of the places that fully merits being a synonym for Taiwan’s scenery. It is located in Nantou County, and is about 1.5 hours’ drive from Taizhong. Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan’s sole natural lake. The lake water is divided in two by Lalu Island, and the eastern part of the lake has the shape of a sun wheel while the western part has the form of a crescent moon, and for this reason it is called Sun Moon Lake. Sun Moon Lake is surrounded on all sides by mountains with lush woods; the lake water is crystal clear and you can through it to the lake bottom, so it also enjoys the beautiful name of “bright pearl in the mountains.” In addition to the fact that Sun Moon Lake has beautiful scenery of mountains and water, the bicycle route around the lake has been selected as one of the ten most beautiful bicycle routes in the world, and riding along the lake and enjoying the breeze is the best way to appreciate the beauty of the combination of a lake and mountains at Sun Moon Lake.

Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village is located on shore of the Sun Moon Lake, and is built on a mountain. It is an amusement park whose theme is Taiwan’s nine major aboriginal groups. This village includes three theme parks, the Aboriginal Village Park, the Amusement Isle and the European Palace Garden, and is a good place to enjoy the folkways of Taiwan’s aboriginal peoples and a parent and child tour. Of the three spots in the village, Aboriginal Village Park has regular aboriginal dance performances, and there are also exhibits of the traditional clothing, buildings, images, culinary delicacies and music of many tribes. Visitors can also experience for themselves such activities as shooting arrows, using a blowgun, mashing potatoes, weaving cloth and molding clay for ceramics. Amusement Isle has a variety of thrilling amusements, and both adults and children can have a wonderful times there. The European Palace Garden, which is composed of many baroque buildings and beautiful flower gardens, is a place where many so-called “idol” shows were shot.

It would really be a shame for you see Sun Moon Lake in a rush. It is best to spend a night there. That way you can not only dodge the tour groups but also enjoy the intoxicating beauty of the sunrise. If you want to greet the dawn at Sun Moon Lake, there is no better place than Chaowu Wharf. When the sun breaks through the cloud curtain, the dense mist on the whole Sun Moon Lake will be tinged golden yellow and is quite pretty. When the sun has fully risen, the water surface waves sparkle and harmonize with the reflection of the small boats, and the lake expresses a quiet poetry.

In addition to the fact that Sun Moon Lake has beautiful scenery of mountains and water, the bicycle route around the lake inside the scenic area has been selected by CNN as “one of the ten most beautiful bicycle routes in the world,” and riding along the lake and enjoying the breeze is the best way to appreciate the beauty of the combination of a lake and mountains at Sun Moon Lake. The starting of the Sun Moon Lake bicycle path is located at Xuanguang Temple, and you can travel about 8 kilometers to the Mingtan Outlet via Round-Lake Tunnel No. 1. This trail snakes long the southern shore of the Moon Lake. Along the way you can see the Toushe Basin to the south and the Qinglong Mountains to the north. There are several sections of the path that are directly built on the water of the Sun Moon Lake, and it is absolutely the optimal choice for bikers to fully enjoy the beauty of Sun Moon Lake. In addition, every spring, this is also the best known place for viewing cherry blossoms at Sun Moon Lake. The colorful cherry tree flowers blossom along the lane, and it becomes one big bright spot on this public road.

Sun Moon Lake has the beautiful reputation of “The green mountains, jade water, and the green pearl of the bright lake.” The “green pearl in the lake” refers to Sun Moon Lake’s landmark: Lalu Island. With Lalu Island as the boundary, the shape of the northern half of the lake is a round sun, and the shape of the southern half of the lake is like a crescent moon, which is where Sun Moon Lake has derives its name. The name “Lalu Island” means “sacred island in our hearts” in the language of the Shao tribe. Legend has it that here was the residence of the highest ancestral spirits of the Shao tribe, and it was also an early settlement of the Shao tribe. To show respect to the members of the Shao tribe, sculptures of divine deer and owls have been erected on Lalu Island in recent years. Unfortunately tourists are not allowed to visit the island to see these; however, they can still visit the lake by boat and experience the lake water, and enjoy the fusion of the lake and mountains afforded by Lalu Island.

Rising up on the shore of Sun Moon Lake, Ci En Pagoda on top of Shabalan Mountain was built by Chiang Kai-shek to commemorate his mother, and is built in the style of a traditional Chinese pagoda. Ci En Pagoda has a total of nine stories. The pagoda is located at 1,000 meters above sea level, and occupies the commanding heights of the entire Sun Moon Lake area. When you climb to the top of the pagoda and gaze off in the distance, you not only see that Lalu Island, Xuanzang Temple and Ci En Pagoda all lie on the same central axis, you can also fill your eyes with the green mountains and splendid water of Sun Moon Lake and the beautiful scenes of dawn and dusk. It is the perfect place from which to view the scenery.

Xuanguang Temple, which is built on the lake, is a must see sight for visitors because there is a stone into which the Chinese characters for “Sun Moon Lake” have been cut standing in front of the temple. This is a place where tourists vie with one another to take a photograph as a memento. Xuanguang Temple was originally constructed as the shrine for temporarily holding the relics of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang. The relics were subsequently moved to Xuanzang Temple, but Xuanzang’s golden statue is still housed inside Xuanguang Temple. Xuanguang Temple is actually very small and very low key, and its location on the mountain is very simple and elegant. Below the temple is the Xuanguang Temple wharf. The lake water waves sparkle, and the contrast with the mountains is breathtakingly beautiful. From the observation deck on the mountain, you can enjoy a panorama of Sun Moon Lake, so you will see many visitors in groups or on their own here.

Hanbi Building is located on the Hanbi Peninsula of Sun Moon Lake. This was formerly Chiang Kai-shek’s private villa, and is now the most luxurious super five star hotel at Sun Moon Lake. Hanbi Building is the number one place from which to enjoy Sun Moon Lake. Other than the fact that each room in the building affords 180 degree views of Sun Moon Lake’s mountain and water scenery, they are all as beautiful as a painting; the building appearance, which combines a Chinese Zen style with a simple international style, fuses with Sun Moon Lake, and the building itself is one of the most beautiful sights there. The Hanbi Building Memorial Hall is based at the side of the originally reconstructed Chiang Kai-shek villa. Precious historical materials are displayed inside the villa, and they testify to century-long preserved style of Hanbi Building. Visitors can visit free of charge.

If you do not eat Ah Po’s tea leaf eggs when you visit Sun Moon Lake, it is the same as not having visited Sun Moon Lake at all! The famous Ah Po’s Tea Leaf Eggs is located on the stairway that you take from Xuanguang Temple Wharf to Xuanguang Temple. Granny has been selling tea leaf eggs here for nearly 60 years, and the fact that she is still in business goes to prove just how delicious they are. Ah Po’s mushroom tea leaf eggs use a famous product from the vicinity of Sun Moon Lake --- Assamese black tea to which are combined with mushrooms and unique spices, and slowly brewed for 6 hours. You can see that the tea leaf eggs have been brewed so that flavor has penetrated fully into them. Once the hot eggshell is peeled away, the egg white is soft and tender and steeped in flavor, and the egg yolk melts in your mouth. The mellow flavor of the black tea and the aroma of the mushrooms are a treat to the taste buds. We heartily recommend that our friends who visit Sun Moon Lake enjoy a meal and drink tea at Ah Po’s!