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Aerial shot of wharf, pier and beautiful lake waters
Ita Thao Pier, Sun Moon Lake, Yuchi, Nantou
Home/Destinations/Asia/Taiwan/Sun Moon Lake

Sun Moon Lake

Overview

Take a trip to Sun Moon Lake on your Taiwan vacation.

Located in the centre of Taiwan, Sun Moon Lake is a beautiful tourist attraction on Taiwan vacations featuring surrounding mountains, emerald green waters, and numerous cultural and historic sites.

Sun Moon Lake is the largest natural lake in Taiwan and is situated 748m (2,454 ft) above sea level, runs 27m (89 ft) deep, and has a surface area of approximately 7.93 sq km (3.06 sq mi). The east side of the lake resembles a round sun, and the west side resembles a crescent moon, hence its name.

Sun Moon Lake is home to the Thao tribe, one of the aboriginal tribes in Taiwan. Lalu Island, found in the middle of the lake, is a holy ground for the Thao tribe. Legend has it that as hunters chased a white deer through surrounding mountains, they came upon Sun Moon Lake, which was abundantly full of fish. The white deer had since been immortalized by a statue built on Lalu Island.

In 1978 a pavilion was built on Lalu Island and became a popular place for weddings. In 1999, the 921 Earthquake, the second deadliest in Taiwan, destroyed the pavilion and sank most of Lalu Island.

With focus given to its culture and heritage, Sun Moon Lake offers visitors on Taiwan vacation packages an opportunity to explore Ita Thao, the village of the Thao tribe, as well as Wen Wu Temple, Tse-En Pagoda, Holy Monk Shrine, and Puli, the pride of Taiwan’s eco-tourism industry.

Along with its cultural sites, Sun Moon Lake offers boat tours, bike and pedestrian paths, ideal spots for bird watching, and a mid-Autumn festival where more than ten thousand swimmers plunge into the lake to swim 3kms across. Sun Moon Lake is a favourite destination for domestic and foreign tourists on a Taiwan vacation.

At a Glance
LanguagesMandarin
CurrencyNew Taiwan Dollar (TWD)
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