Alishan Township Visitor Center Introduction
The Ita Thao Visitor Center is located in front of the Ita Thao Pier and is a must-visit place for those boarding boats. The building's architecture resembles a large yacht and was inaugurated in 2011, undergoing renovations again in 2023. The first floor houses the yacht ticketing office, a specialty products store, an emergency medical station, public restrooms, and a breastfeeding room, along with a small car parking lot outside. The second floor contains the management office and the visitor center. The visitor center offers various thoughtful services, including travel consultation, brochures, mobile charger rentals, and a Muslim prayer room, making it an excellent spot to enjoy the lake view. The landscape art piece titled "Nest Building Project II" features the Blue-back Sparrow, a subspecies endemic to Taiwan that resides in higher altitude mountainous areas. Named for its yellow-green back feathers, the Blue-back Sparrow can also be seen at Sun Moon Lake. Every spring, these birds search for crevices in rock walls and tree holes to build their nests, weaving a bowl-shaped structure using materials such as moss, pine resin, animal hair, bark, and leaves. Taiwanese artist Fan Cheng-tsung's nest building project learns from nature's animal architects. His creation at Sun Moon Lake focuses on the nest-building methods of the Blue-back Sparrow, interpreting their nesting process and techniques through human wooden rope construction. At the Ita Thao Pier, he has built a small resting nest for travelers disembarking, elegantly framed by the lake's surface and the majestic mountains. Sun Moon Lake is worth a visit. Real-time information for the Ita Thao Visitor Center parking lot.
