Tour de Taiwan: From Yilan to Sun Moon Lake

The ride that followed from Wuling to Lushan was one of the highlights of the tour and an adrenalin-filled rush as we dropped 2,186m over 38km with a golden setting sun following us at every corner — perfect downhill bliss!

We spent the night at Lushan Hot Springs, one of central Taiwan's most popular hot spring sites, not only for the scenic hot springs, which are said to have a healing effect on rheumatism, nerve pain and other joint aches, but also for the local Atayal aboriginal culture.

The surrounding scenery in Lushan is truly enchanting, with an exuberant growth of trees and bamboo dotting the landscape. When spring comes, cherry blossoms blanket the entire mountain surface, making this the perfect romantic getaway.

Day four greeted us with clear, sunny blue skies and an easy half-day ride that took us to the charming Sun Moon Lake. From Lushan we headed back to Wushe (霧社), a local aboriginal village steeped in history at the foot of the Wanda Reservoir, and the location of the infamous Wushe Incident — one of the biggest rebellions against the then Japanese colonial forces that led to the near extinction of the Atayal (泰雅) Aborigine Tribe.

From Wushe, an excellent downhill ride took us past betel-nut plantations, rice fields, temples, and other cultural points of interest until we reached our destination at Sun Moon Lake. Hemmed in by verdant mountains in the heart of Taiwan, Sun Moon Lake is the island’s largest freshwater body and one of Taiwan’s most renowned tourist destinations. Its calm, emerald-green waters reflect the lush tiers of mountains that tower around, creating some of the country’s most mesmerizing landscapes.

The lake’s name is inspired by its distinctive shape: a rounded main section likened to the sun and a narrow western fridge compared to a crescent moon. Encircling it all is a 33km road dotted with fascinating temples and picturesque pavilions. One of these temples, Wenwu Temple, was reconstructed in 1996 in the Northern Dynasties style with a color focus on gold and provides fantastic views of the lake.

In the afternoon, it was time to kick back and have some fun at the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, a cultural showpiece combined with an amusement park with houses and villages in the style of each of the main native Taiwanese tribes reproduced along with live Aboriginal dancing shows.

Tucked among the trees, the Amusement Isle is a haven for seekers of thrills and pure fun, and sports a wide variety of amusement rides. For the most adventurous, try the UFO Gyro Drop, Mayan Adventure roller coaster, the Gold Mine Adventure, or perhaps the Future World. YeeHaa!

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