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How I saw Sun, Moon, and much more around Taiwan's largest lake.

Sun Moon Lake is among the most famous scenic places of Taiwan, and there are good reasons for it. It offers beautiful landscapes, plenty of recreational activities, opportunities to learn about local culture, and, being near the geographic center of the main island with multiple roads leading to it, it is easy to reach. So when I learned that the Taroko NP had restricted access following a recent earthquake and subsequent typhoon damage, heading to Sun Moon Lake was an easy decision. I started in Shuishe Village with a late lunch and a stroll around, during which the scenic qualities began making a case for themselves.

Besides the beauty, I was struck by the warmth. Even though it was December and the lake sits at around 750 meters above sea level, it still felt surprisingly hot! I guess I definitely got to experience the Sun part of Sun Moon Lake.

At the same time, it seemed I might be in the minority when it came to heat perception. I saw the conditions to be perfect for water sports, but while the village had multiple places with stored rental SUP boards or kayaks, I didn't see anyone using them during my stay.

Shuishe is also the location of the poshest lakeside hotels. One of which is the left tower in the following photo; when I was around, its rooms ranged from ~400 to 1,500+ EUR a night.

I didn't stay there. My room was in two digits per night, and still, it felt well-comfortable. And because I didn't have spa or similar extra amenities on site, it encouraged me to visit things outside the hotel, such as the four temples located around the lake.

Taoist Longfeng Temple was the first, and I found its thousands of colorful details to be captivating. However, the temple's atmosphere was somewhat marred by its car-friendly nature. Many people drove and parked inside the temple's complex, which made it feel more like a unit in a suburban retail park, rather than a serene place to reflect and relax. The second temple I saw, Wenwu, was more to my liking.

While it also had a parking lot just by its gates, the temple complex is much more extensive, so one could quickly escape the roadside feel.

Wenwu then offered more corners to explore and more opportunities to chill.

Finally, I stopped by the Buddhist temples Xuanguang and Xuanzang.

Both had enjoyable gardens and a few outlooks back onto the lake. Yet, when it comes to views, my next stop was all about those. I visited Ci'en Pagoda, which sits as a crown on Shabalan Mountain above the lake and is visible from most places around.

Shabalan Mountain is 954 meters tall, and as the pagoda stands 46 meters high, its top reaches a kilometer above sea level. It reminded me of the Signal de Botrange in Belgium, which had been raised from an elevation of 694 to 700 meters. Ci'en Pagoda does it more elegantly, in my opinion, and my experience there was delightful throughout. First, to reach the structure, one must walk through a neat forest path, which builds anticipation for the grand vistas to come and separates the pagoda from any hum.

Well, and then one climbs up through a cool double helix staircase, and the views deliver!

At one point, the only people I shared the entire pagoda with were a couple from Canada. That's right, two others! We had a friendly conversation that touched on everything from the current complicated geopolitical situation to the natural wealth that lay before us. Besides the lake, we could also admire the Zhuoshui River and the mountains to the south:

What further added to my positive impression was that, in addition to being spotlessly clean, it was accessible free of charge. Not only the pagoda and the previous temples, but also the entire scenic area of the lake. I am grateful for this approach; it makes the natural beauty more inclusive for visitors of different economic backgrounds, and I am more likely to spend the money I save on entrance fees in local shops. Around Sun Moon Lake, that opportunity repeatedly came in the form of its charming Ita Thao shopping district, where I was happy to savor plenty of local delicacies.

Later, I also got to see the Moon part of Sun Moon Lake.

Continuing around the lake, I joined a pleasant greenway revealing more views to marvel at.

To aid in finding those, there were multiple viewing platforms around:

The platforms also provided space for a few more friendly interactions. Here, I spoke with a local lady who said that she had come here more than a hundred times, but the weather we had on that day was some of the best she had ever experienced here. Another reason for happiness, I thought, as she took a photo of me.

On a different platform, I met a family from Australia who had cycled around the lake. This time, it was I who captured a few pictures of them. I also noticed that a chain had fallen off one of the children's bikes, so I helped, we exchanged smiles, and continued our tours.

When I returned to Shuishe, I stopped by a café to get lunch. Just as I dismounted my bike, another cyclist pulled over to park next to me. It was a young man from Germany who had the same idea to eat here, so we got a table together. Over a tasty meal, we discussed bikepacking and various travel experiences across continents.

My next destination was Maolan Mountain, which rises around 250 meters above the lake. It features a weather station on the top, so there's a paved road, and I thought of cycling there to get more views of the lake. However, not even halfway up is an institute for tea research, where the road was closed. No issues, though, as I could continue on foot.

The trail allowed me to enjoy seeing many tea plantations and fab views over them.

The remaining flora was colorful, and now and then, the lake came into view as well.

Those lake views then turned out to be the best of the area that I got to see. The coming evening brought a cloudy veil to some of the big peaks, but that only added to the sight!

And the other directions were beautiful, too.

In the end, the hike was also a good training exercise for what was to come the following days, when I was off to another natural highlight of Taiwan. That's another story, though. Now I went to get a hot pot dinner, and I still had one night left around the lake to cherish.

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