HELLOS,
I would like to travel to Sun Moon Lake.
What I have in mind is to either join package trip from Taipei to there or another option is to get a relatively reasonable hotel and then join local tours there.
Does anyone has any idea what are the reasonable priced hotels there?
Please help. I have checked the broucher and the website and don’t really seem to get anything.
Why on earth would you want to join a local tour? Unless you mean boat tours of the lake and so on.
What do you mean by reasonable hotel rate?
Personally, without a vehicle of some sort I would not go to Sun Moon Lake. I also wouldn’t go alone. Not really the sort of place you have fun by yourself.
is sun moon lake a good place to go camping??? how long does it take to get there by car??
There is a decent campsite right by the lake. Showers, barbecue pits, open grass field with a few trees. Quite cheap. But no swimming.
Takes 3-4 hours to drive from Taipei.
3-4 hours on a good day! 
Last time we went we got stuck in Taipei in bound traffic… a 6 hour trip.
Buses run to SML from Taipie. We rented bicylces one day and a scooter the next. A decent hotel can be had for around $2,500
There’s a lovely new bird-watching wooden platform near one end of the lake near the water inflow gusher thing that has a split level. I once slept under that. Didn’t get bitten by snakes but did get eaten alive by mosquitoes.
Cycling around the lake is lovely. Very little traffic, one circular road and some interesting pagoda/temple stuff.
do any of you have any info on the campsite?
Soulds like a good place for an extended weekend stay.
[quote=“Mr He”]do any of you have any info on the campsite?
Soulds like a good place for an extended weekend stay.[/quote]
It’s just past the Youth Activity Centre. Very simple place but good location. 285 6622. Check your new Lonely Planet for all the info. 
AWOL, where and when did you rent scooters in SML? Also, bike rental is a bit spotty. Last time I was there in May 2004 you could only rent from the Youth Activity Centre. But that’s a fair way from the village so again, not convenient if you have no transportation already.
bicylce rental - free from the hotel
scooter rental - on the non youth activity centre side of the lake. there was a place near the bus stop
mucha man
remember in an earlier discussion you mentioned something about a bike trail next to the river at Fulong.We only know of the park’s one next to the beach so is it possible to get some more information about how to get to the other one.
thanks for all the helpful info.
[quote=“skywalker”]Muzha man
remember in an earlier discussion you mentioned something about a bike trail next to the river at Fulong.We only know of the park’s one next to the beach so is it possible to get some more information about how to get to the other one.
thanks for all the helpful info.[/quote]
Uh, Fulong is not anywhere near Sun Moon Lake.
Check out this thread for directions to the trip to Taoyuan Valley (not in Taoyuan County but on the North Coast). BTW, it’s not a bike path but a little used mountain road. Be warned though that the route is becoming more popular.
I was there a few weeks ago and there are English signs all the way to the start of the Taoyuan Valley trail (part of the Caoling Historic Trail). Do park your bikes and walk up to the valley (15 minutes) which incidentally is not a valley but grassy clifftops overlookign the Pacific. It’s an incredibly scenic spot made even more interesting by the wild grazing water buffalo.
This is the closest thing I can find to a dedicated SML thread, so I’ll post a little info here.
Stayed for two nights at the “Teachers’ Hostel” in Shuishe which is really a budget hotel. (Details in the Lonely Planet.) Our rooms were large and had great lake views. Most of the rooms do. The furnishings etc were a little old but perfectly good. There is a newer block as well where things may be a bit more modern, and they’re in the process of setting up what looks to be a nice glasshouse/cafe thing as well. Breakfast was mantou (steamed buns), fried eggs, fried cabbage, preserved cucumber, pork dust and xifan (plain congee). Perfectly edible.
There is a nice little cafe just down from the Teachers’ Hostel called February. Decent pasta, nice coffee and they have drinks as well including Bodingtons (probably in a can though I didn’t try it).
The last time I went to Shuishe it had been quite peaceful but this time boat-trip touts were making a lot of noise with megaphones, and this carried on through the evening. Also, if you want to take a boat trip I would suggest being a little cautious and make sure the crew of your boat are sober.
I like Yidashao, the village over the other side of the lake. It’s more relaxed and peaceful. Sometimes they have live music in the evenings. The last time I was there they had some very good African drumming and dancing. Friends of mine stayed at a nice hotel: the “Sun Moon Bay” there (Tel: 049 2850 501.) We had a decent dinner in that hotel with them.
The Lonely Planet recommends Lingo’s hotel over the other side of the lake in Yidashao. Very nice place made of fragrant wood. We had a coffee, sitting outside on the floating pontoon on the lake. Nice setting but bad coffee, and 180NT a cup. The worst coffee we had on the whole trip, and despite very few customers we still had to wait 20 minutes to get it. Perhaps they were just having a bad day.
There are various points around the lake at which you can park and walk on little lakeside boardwalks. Very pleasant.