Sun Moon Lake: getting there, top things to do and key tips

Go by high-speed rail to Taichung, then Nantou Bus 6670 to the lake. Stay a night if you can, because the last boat leaves at 17:00. Buy the NT$950 Sun Moon Lake pass at the bus counter: it covers the bus there and back, a boat day ticket, the ropeway and the lake bus.

How long have you got?

• A day from Taichung: catch an early 6670, do the boat loop and the ropeway, and take the bus back. The last bus leaves the lake at 19:25.1Highway Bureau timetable (opens in a new tab)taiwanbus.tw
• A day from Taipei: go via Taichung, not on the direct bus. Kuo-Kuang 1833 takes about four hours, and its last bus back leaves at 16:45.2Highway Bureau timetable (opens in a new tab)taiwanbus.tw
• A night: the boats and temples one day, the cycle path and Ci’en Pagoda the next morning.

When are you going?

• January to March: the cherry blossom festival; in 2026 it ran from 15 January to 8 March.3Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw
• April and May: firefly season; in 2026, 3 April to 31 May.4Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw
• September: the Swimming Carnival, a 3 km swim across the lake from Chaowu Pier to Ita Thao. More than 21,700 people swam in 2026.5Focus Taiwan (opens in a new tab)focustaiwan.tw
• September to November: the Music and Fireworks Festival, on set show nights; in 2026, 12 September to 14 November.6Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw
• November: Come!BikeDay, a cycling festival round the lake; 21 November in 2026.7Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw

Top things to do

• The lake boats: a loop between Shuishe, Xuanguang and Ita Thao piers, every 15 to 20 minutes from 09:00 to 17:00.Tip Buy tickets at the Shuishe boat station or the Ita Thao visitor centre; the scenic area warns against cheap tickets from touts.8Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw
• Sun Moon Lake Ropeway: seven minutes over the hills, NT$420 return. Weekdays 10:30 to 16:00, holidays 10:00 to 16:30; ticket sales stop 30 minutes before closing.9Ropeway hours (opens in a new tab)ropeway.com.twTip It usually closes on the first Wednesday of the month; in November 2026, on the 4th and 5th.10Ropeway (opens in a new tab)ropeway.com.tw
• Wenwu Temple: a 1938 temple above the lake, open all day.Tip After 20:00, go in by the side entrance.11Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw
• Ci’en Pagoda: a 46 m pagoda with the best view of the lake, open 09:00 to 16:30.Tip It’s a 700 m walk up from the road.12Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw
• Xuanguang Temple: up the steps from Xuanguang pier, 08:00 to 17:00.13Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw
• Ita Thao: the Thao village and its waterfront, with a visitor centre open 09:00 to 17:00.14Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw
• Shuishe to Xiangshan cycle path: about 3 km, including a 400 m stretch over the water.Tip Hire bikes at Shuishe, but the Giant shop there closes on Thursdays.15cycle path (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.twGiant (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw

Hidden gems

• The Qinglongshan trail: 850 m from Xuanguang Temple up to Xuanzang Temple, away from the pier crowds.16Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw
• Xiangshan Visitor Center: two sweeping concrete canopies on the shore, open 09:00 to 17:00.17Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw
• The 366 steps to Wenwu Temple: each step is a day of the year, with a rest platform on the first of each month.18Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw

Getting there and around

• Bus 6670: board at Taichung high-speed rail station, 1st floor, exit 5. About 1 to 1.5 hours, NT$193 one way or NT$360 return; tap an EasyCard on and off.19Nantou Bus (opens in a new tab)funbus.welcometw.com
• Passes: NT$950 covers the return bus, a boat day ticket, the ropeway return and the 6669 lake bus; NT$620 is the same without the bus. Buy them at the Nantou Bus counter at the high-speed rail station.20Taiwan Tourist Shuttle (opens in a new tab)taiwantrip.com.tw
• Round the lake: bus 6669, with a NT$80 day pass. The last bus leaves Shuishe at 17:05.21Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw
• On to Alishan: bus 6739 leaves the lake at 08:00 and 09:30 on weekdays, or 08:00 and 08:30 at weekends and on holidays, and takes about three hours via Tataka. NT$332 in cash or NT$292 by card.22timetable (opens in a new tab)taiwantrip.com.tw Seats are limited: book from two months to two days ahead.236739 route (opens in a new tab)taiwantrip.com.tw

If it doesn’t go to plan

• Boats stopped for fog or a typhoon? Take bus 6669: it stops at the same places.24Sun Moon Lake NSA (opens in a new tab)sunmoonlake.gov.tw
• Ropeway stopped by a storm? Afternoon thunderstorms can halt it, and tickets aren’t refunded once you’ve boarded, so ride in the morning.25Ropeway (opens in a new tab)ropeway.com.tw
• Missed the last boat? The last 6669 bus leaves Ita Thao at 18:10.