Our destination for today is Sun Moon Lake!
From our hotel, we took the free Taichung HSR (THSR)shuttle bus 160 from Fengjia University (the bus stop opposite McDonald's at Fengjia Night Market) to THSR. The journey was about 40 mins. Just tap your Easy Card and it will be free (currently)!
Once you reached THSR, at the bus station area you can proceed to Nan Tou bus counter to buy a round trip ticket to Sun Moon Lake. You can check out the bus timing here.
Single trip ticket costs NTD 190 and round trip ticket costs NTD 340. When we were at the Nan Tou counter to buy the ticket, the auntie was quite rude. When it was our turn to purchase the ticket, we told her we want to go to Sun Moon Lake. She shouted to her colleague "2 more paxes" and hurried us to pay. We did not even know what was going on as she did not even bother to explain (e.g. the bus is here, how long the ride is etc) and we were still looking for more information on the bus service to Sun Moon Lake at the counter. So she shouted at us to be faster and the coach is waiting. So much service...
There are a lot of options to explore Sun Moon Lake. You can choose to take the boat ride, bike rental, bus service or ropeway (cable car). We chose to take the boat ride to explore. You can check out the other services from here.
It is not hard to find out where to buy the boat ticket. Once you alight from the coach, there will be staff approaching you to sell the boat tickets. The Sun Moon Lake website actually recommended to purchase only from the ticketing booth.
The standard ticket price for a round trip is NTD 300. The boat will stop at 3 piers which include ShuiShe pier, Syuanguang pier and Ita Thao pier.
To get to ShuiShe pier, you'll have to turn back (from where you alighted) and walk toward Starbucks Coffee and turn right toward the shop houses. You will see the sea and pier once you are along the shop houses.
Boat trip to Syuanguang pier: During the ride, the crew will explain to you about the history of Sun Moon Lake and the landmark along way. Sun Moon Lake is divided by the Lalu Isand and one side of the lake looks like the shape of the sun and another side look like the shape of crescent moon. And this is how Sun Moon Lake got its name.
Along the way you can see Lalu Island. It used to be much bigger but after the 921 earthquake, you no longer can visit the island.
First stop is Syuanguang pier where the famous Ah Po Herbal Egg is.
At Syuanguang pier, you can also can visit the Syuanguang Temple 玄光寺 here. The temple is built to honour the Buddhist monk Xuan Zang who traveled all the way to India and brought back the Buddhist scriptures.
Next stop, Ita Thao pier where you can have your lunch or tea break here.
Bamboo rice:
Mango shaved ice. Yummy.
Some random tea house for the hot weather.
The bird eye view of Sun Moon Lake. Can you see the sun and crescent moon? Not me. Hahaha.
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