Itineraries · 2 days
Sun Moon Lake by bike: a two-day loop
Taiwan's most beautiful bike loop, at an easy pace.
Cycling
2 days · Sun Moon Lake
Numbers follow the order of the trip. Open a destination for the full guide.
Day by day
The plan
The lake is only 30 kilometres around, but the hills and the stops make it a full day. Splitting the loop over two days leaves time for temples, villages and the water itself.
Stay overnight in Shuishe or Ita Thao. The lake is at its best before the day-trippers arrive and after they leave.
Day 1
Arrive and ride the west shore
Take the bus from Taichung, pick up a bike and spend the afternoon on the quieter western shore before sunset.
Bus to Shuishe
Buses leave Taichung HSR station for Shuishe in about 1.5 hours. Leave your bag at the hotel and collect a bike.
Lunch by the water
Start with a simple noodle lunch in Shuishe, then follow the lakeside path south towards Xiangshan.
Xiangshan section
The path between Shuishe and Xiangshan is the prettiest part of the loop, with lake views framed by trees and tea farms.
Xiangshan Visitor Center
Stop for coffee and the lake exhibition, then walk out onto the low green roof for the view across the water.
West-shore sunset
Ride back slowly as the light softens. The west side is quieter in the evening than Shuishe.
Dinner in Shuishe
Return the bike, eat dinner by the pier and turn in early for the full loop tomorrow.
Day 2
The full loop and Ita Thao
Ride the complete 30 km loop, cross the lake by ferry and leave time for Wenwu Temple before the bus back.
Early start on the east shore
Ride clockwise from Shuishe while the road is still quiet. The eastern climbs are short but steady.
Ita Thao village
Stop at the pier, browse the market and try tea eggs or a Thao snack before continuing.
Lunch on the south shore
Take a break near Xuanguang Temple or carry snacks for the quietest stretch of the loop.
Ferry back to Shuishe
Load the bike onto the ferry from Ita Thao to Shuishe, or finish the loop by bike if you still have energy.
Wenwu Temple
Take a short bus or taxi north to the temple for the grand terrace and the best wide view of the lake.
Bus to Taichung
Return to Shuishe for the evening bus, or stay a second night to catch sunrise.
More itineraries
More itineraries
1 day
Classic
Taipei
Taipei in one day
Temples, dumplings, a skyline hike and the city after dark.
2 days
Classic
Taipei
Two days: Taipei & Jiufen
A city day, then lanterns in the mountains.
3 days
Classic
Taipei & Taichung
Three days: Taipei, Taichung & Sun Moon Lake
From the capital to the lake, by high-speed rail.