Sun Moon Lake Cycling Path - Circumference Route Introduction
The Sun Moon Lake Loop is approximately 30 kilometers long, featuring beautiful lake and mountain scenery. It has been voted as one of the top ten most beautiful bike trails in the world by CNNGO, a travel lifestyle website under CNN. Starting from the Xuanzang Mountain Visitor Center and looping around the lake in a clockwise direction, the route passes through the slightly crowded and congested Shuishe area, where the road is flat. Heading towards the direction of Wunwu Temple from Jiolongkou, the terrain becomes steeper. Particularly, the section from the Yuanzhui Hotel to Wunwu Temple can be quite strenuous. There is a small platform in front of Wunwu Temple (next to the Jing Sheng Pavilion) where you can take a short break and enjoy the lake view, providing a momentary escape from fatigue. After a brief rest, you can set off again with some downhill and uphill stretches, feeling the breeze on your face. As you pass the Sun Moon Lake Cable Car Station, looking up, you'll see the cable cars traversing back and forth. In winter, the cherry blossoms bloom beautifully here. At noon, you can choose to find a meal in the Ita Thao shopping district to taste the authentic cuisine of the Thao tribe, and also stock up on supplies before heading back out! When you arrive at the Ci'en Pagoda and Xuanzang Temple, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the stunning Sun Moon Lake from this elevated location. After the sharp bend near the Xuangguang Temple parking lot, you will descend down to Toushe; please pay attention to safety while riding on this segment. Finally, returning from Toushe to the Xuanzang Mountain Visitor Center is quite steep and classified as high intensity. As some parts of the bike path are not yet connected, it is advisable to ride along the lake road and be cautious of traffic safety.
