Sun Moon Lake - Nantou County, Taiwan
I was told there would be a bike path all around Sun Moon Lake (日月潭), as biking is the most popular way to explore it. I got a discount voucher from my accommodation to rent a bike but chose to walk instead. The path was wide enough as I headed to my first stop—Wenwu Temple.
From the pedestrian path, a staircase with 365 steps led up to the temple—one for each day of the year. Each step had the name of a notable person born on that day, which made the climb more interesting. The temple itself was grand, decorated with prayer bells (wind chimes) that visitors use to ask for blessings.
After the temple, I continued along the path to the Nine Frogs Stack on the Shuiwatou hiking trail. This nine frog stack shows the water level of the lake. When I was there, the water almost reached the last frog, meaning it was at 99%. The lake water here was a beautiful emerald green.
Next, I followed the path to Ita Thao Village. It was more touristy, with food and drink stalls lining the streets and. boat rentals by the lakeside. After wandering a bit, I chose a stone-grilled wild boar rice combo for lunch—wild boar is a popular local dish.
From the village to Xuanguang Temple, there was no pedestrian path, so I had to walk along the narrow roadside, which felt a bit risky. There was a slight downhill walk to the temple, which many people reach by ferry from the other side of the lake.
After visiting Xuanguang Temple, I planned to go to Cien Pagoda, but the trail and the pagoda was closed for maintenance. A security guard confirmed it wasn’t accessible, which was disappointing since I’d heard the view from the top was amazing.
From there, I took a bus back to the Shueishe Visitor Center. Even though it was hot and humid, I’m glad I chose to walk—it gave me more flexibility to explore.
Highlights of Sun Moon Lake:
Wenwu Temple 文武廟
Nine Frogs Stack 九蛙疊像
Sun Moon Lake Cable Car 日月潭纜車
Ita Thao Village 伊達邵
Xuan Zang Temple 玄奘寺 and Xuanguang Temple 玄光寺
Cien Pagoda 慈恩塔
Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village 九族文化村
Route Overview
Distance: 23.05 km (Shueishe Visitors Center → Cien Pagoda)
Total elevation gain: 528 m
Duration: 4 hr 59 min (with breaks 5 hr 27 min)
Difficulty: Hard
Cost Breakdown
Food: NT$243
