Sun Moon Lake Day Tour

The Wedding Avenue is at Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County, a spot well known to visitors from Taiwan and abroad. The lake is named for its shape: the northern half looks like the sun and is called Sun Lake, and the southern half looks like a crescent moon and is called Moon Lake.

The Wedding Avenue is near Xiangshan Visitor Center. Plantings are arranged in a heart shape that works with the lake scenery and the bald cypress trees, so many couples come here for wedding photos. The view is calm and changes through the day. At sunrise a thin mist often hangs over the water, with layered mountains behind.

Other sights around Sun Moon Lake include The Lalu, Hanbi Trail, Xiangshan Visitor Center, Songbolun, Shuiwatou Trail, the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, Lugao Coffee, Taiwan Adventist College, Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area and Huisun Forest Area.

Couples taking wedding photos and travelers here for the view will both find the Wedding Avenue worth a stop.

Xuanguang Temple stands on the shore of Sun Moon Lake and is dedicated to the monk Xuanzang. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese took Xuanzang's skull relic. After the war, part of the relic was given to the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China, brought to Taiwan in 1955 and eventually enshrined at Xuanguang Temple.

The temple is built in a simple, elegant Tang dynasty style. Because it sits right by the lake, visitors get a picture-like view of Sun Moon Lake from here.

The temple is just over 10 m from the water and has its own pier, so visitors can arrive by boat. Inside is a gilded statue of Xuanzang and a plaque reading “Master of the Nation.” The relic has since moved to Xuanzang Temple, but Xuanguang Temple is still a must-visit stop at Sun Moon Lake.

This area was once a Thao settlement called Dehua Village. Every year in the 8th lunar month, the Thao ancestral spirit festival is held here, and the large ceremony draws many visitors. Ita Thao Pier is one of Sun Moon Lake's three main piers and a starting point for taking in the lake and mountain views. On the pier plaza, you can watch Indigenous cultural performances and see Thao song and dance.

The Ita Thao shopping area is the busiest place at Sun Moon Lake for shopping and food. The streets are neatly laid out and lined with shops, guesthouses and restaurants serving all kinds of local dishes. Try Indigenous foods such as wild boar sausage, millet mochi, millet wine and bamboo tube rice. Also try Sun Moon Lake black tea, famous across Taiwan, including the smooth, sweet Ruby black tea, and black tea egg rolls.

Wenwu Temple stands on the scenic north shore of Sun Moon Lake. Two older temples had to move because of the Japanese hydroelectric project, and in 1934 they were merged and rebuilt at Songbolun. In 1969 the temple was rebuilt in the Chinese Northern Dynasties style, becoming a large and imposing temple.

The temple has three halls. The front hall, Shuiyun Hall, honors the founding ancestors and Wenchang Dijun, the god of literature. The middle hall, Wusheng Hall, honors Guan Yu and the general Yue Fei. The rear hall, Dacheng Hall, honors Confucius. Dacheng Hall is unusual in that its central gate is open, and it holds the only bronze seated statue of Confucius in Taiwan.

With mountains behind and the lake in front, the temple is an excellent viewpoint. Visitors can climb to the lookout terrace at the rear hall for a wide view over Sun Moon Lake.

The temple brings together Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist deities, where religious culture meets Taiwan's natural scenery and local history. It is worth a visit for its faith and for its views over the lake.