Recently, I spent a few days in Taipei and I had heard rave reviews about Sun Moon Lake and how it was a must-see destination if you come to Taiwan. As I based myself in Taipei, I saw that there were a lot of day trips available. But, to be honest, the prices were astronomical. I definitely didn’t do this perfectly, but my experience might give you an idea of what to expect. If you’re thinking of visiting Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan, keep reading!
Starting Off:
To start off, I arrived at Taipei Main Station at 9am. Train tickets to leave at 10am were sold out to Taichung so I had to wait until 11am. A one-way ticket cost 375 NTD one way and I arrived at 1:15pm. Then, I got the bus from Gancheng Station, about 10 mins from Taichung Railway Station. I was told to go there but the bus stopped by Taichung Railway Station as well.
Travel Tip!
Make sure you have coins for the bus! It cost 190 NTD and I only had a note. The staff were so kind and felt the service wasn’t good enough and told me I only needed to pay 100NTD! I left at 1:45pm and arrived at 3:25pm.
Arrival at Sun Moon Lake
Upon arrival, you’ll see one road with a lot of gift and souvenir shops and hotel accommodation along the street. When I visited, the weather was grim and wet so it wasn’t too busy but I can imagine it would be thronged with tourists if there was even a hint of blue sky and sunshine. If you’re looking for a nice view, go to the outside area at Starbucks. Another option is Tenren Tea which next to it but not sure if there is a view from there. To be honest, I feel like there is.
Sun Moon Lake by Boat
Despite my mid-afternoon arrival, it was too late to get a bike as shops close at 6pm. This made more sense when I saw how quickly it got dark. I got a boat for 300NTD to visit three points and was told to be back for 6pm.
I first arrived at 4:20pm at Xuanugguan Pier. There was a small walk uphill to see a temple. You really just need about 30 minutes here to get from the pier up to the temple and to take a look around. I left at around 5pm.
For the next point, I moved over to Ita Thao Pier. There was commentary provided but it was all in Chinese. There is a nice pagoda and temple along the route. That said, I do think it might be nicer to get a bike if I were to do it again.
At Ita Thao, I got there at about 5:15pm so I really only had 45 minutes. There is a short trail along towards the rope way which closes at 3pm. Make sure to wear bug spray around your ankles because you will get bitten! Overall, the area is nice but I would recommend staying overnight to really enjoy it or else booking everything well in advance and getting up very early. It was nice to see the rowing crew and water skiers on the lake as well.
Lastly, I made it on the 6pm boat back and arrived at Shuishe by 6:20pm. Once I made it back to my starting point of Shuishe at Sun Moon Lake, I got a pizza at Moon Restaurant and they charged my phone for me. One thing in Taiwan to be conscious of is how they don’t have powerbanks which are very accessible in mainland China. If you’re going on an excursion like this, make sure that you have a fully charged phone.
Finally, I left Shuishe at 7:25pm on the last bus and I arrived at Taichung HSR Station at 9pm. I had to pay 700NTD for my train which left around 9:30pm and arrived at Taipei Station at 10:30pm.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I think that if you’re planning to visit Taiwan, Sun Moon Lake is worth a visit. However, I would recommend this trip over two days if you really want to appreciate it. Also, try to go on a day where the weather is better. I think that the clouds certainly added to the mood of the area, but I think being able to take a bike ride on a warm sunny day would probably be better, particularly in the summer months.
Thanks for reading and I hope this is useful!
If you liked this post, perhaps you might be interested in reading the following:
YANGMINGSHAN AND BEITOU HOT SPRINGS | WHAT TO EXPECT.
HOW TO GET TO ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN, XIANGSHAN HIKING TRAIL | TAIPEI, TAIWAN.
3 BREAKFAST SPOTS TO TRY IN TAIPEI.
TAIWAN: SPEAKEASIES WITH NON-ALCOHOLIC OPTIONS.
