The 10 Best Sun Moon Lake Tours

1.Nantou and Sun Moon Lake View Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 173 reviews · 12 hours · from $63Our pick

Travel from Taipei to Nantou with a Chinese or English-speaking guide, stopping at Shuishe Pier, Xiangshan Visitor Center, Xuanguang Temple, and Ita Thao Pier Plaza. Expect a long but scenic day, plenty of walking, and time for a boat ride on the group tour. Guides such as Joseph, Peter, Jeannie, and York are praised for clear timing and local stories.

“Amazing day trip to a stunning must-see in Taiwan! Jeannie our tour guide was so lovely and informative about the history of the area. Loved it!”

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2.Private 3-Day Tour to Sun Moon Lake and Alishan

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 34 reviews · from $1,009

Travel privately from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake and Alishan with a guide and driver, two hotel nights, breakfasts, admission fees, and one Alishan forest train ride. Expect temples, mountain roads, tea country, giant cypress trees, and a visit to Chiayi’s Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum. Guide assignments vary, with past departures led by David, James, Michael, Jessie, and others.

“Even though we encountered some rainy conditions but our tour guide, James, made it a very pleasant experience! He went out of his way by making a dinner reservation for us at a local authentic restaurant for us to celebrate our friend’s birthday and even arranged to have a birthday cake from 85• for the occasion! Thank you, James!”

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3.Private 4-Day Central & Southern Taiwan Tour (Sun Moon Lake, Kaohsiung, Kenting)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 30 reviews · from $1,169

Travel south from Taipei by air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide, visiting Sun Moon Lake, Lukang, Kenting National Park, and Kaohsiung. You will stay three nights, eat breakfast each morning, and explore temples, coastal parks, old streets, and city sights. Guide assignments vary, with James, Joseph Yi, Billy Lin, Tony, and Walter among the praised names.

“David and Billy Wong are great guides, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. These guys both found small local vendors where we could really experience the Taiwan charm and goodness. Include the Bullet Train from Kaohsiung to Taipei as an item in the package. The bullet train was amazing.”

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4.Private 2-Day Sun Moon Lake, Puli and Lukang Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 28 reviews · from $565

Travel privately from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake, Puli, and Lukang with a guide and driver. Visit Wenwu Temple, Ci’en Pagoda, Xuanzang Temple, Ita Thao, and Lukang’s Longshan and Tianhou temples. Your package includes transport, breakfast, one hotel night, entrance fees, and hotel pickup and drop-off.

“Thoroughly enjoyed this 2 day tour. I expected a big bus but it was just the 2 of us. The guide was knowledgeable and very friendly and his English was good.”

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5.Nantou Day Tour: Sun Moon Lake & Ita Thao Pier from Taipei

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 26 reviews · from $88

Travel from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake in a small group of up to 10 people, with an English-speaking guide, transport, insurance, and a boat ticket included. Visit Shuishe Wharf, Xiangshan Visitor Center, Xuanzang Temple, and Ita Thao Pier. Guides such as Joseph, Vincent, Lyndon, and JD have helped make the day informative and easy to manage.

“It was fantastic. Our tour Joseph was awesome. He explained nicely and was very communicative. Place was very good and thrilling bike experience”

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6.Private Day tour to Sun Moon Lake from Taipei

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews Top rated

Spend about 12 hours traveling from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake in a private vehicle for up to three people. Your driver-guide, which may be Ryan, Justin, Phyllis, Johnny, or another team member, can help arrange a lake cruise, bike ride, temple visit, and possible stops such as Ci En Pagoda or the gondola, depending on time. Expect a long but flexible day.

“Solo traveller, unable to get onto a tour to sun moon lake from Taipei which included the sites I wanted to see (Ci en Pagoda & Wenwu Temple, without an extended shopping break in Ita Thou). It's 3.5 to 4 hrs drive each way from Taipei sRead more”

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7.Exclusive 3-Day Sun Moon Lake & Alishan Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $1,110

Travel from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake and Alishan in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with an English and Chinese-speaking guide. You’ll ride across Sun Moon Lake, visit temples and forest trails, take the Alishan Forest Railway, watch sunrise, and stop in Chiayi and Taichung. Guides such as An and Tony are praised for clear explanations and flexible planning.

“As a first-time visitor to Taiwan, I couldn't have chosen a better way to experience the country's natural beauty than this tour. This tour was a breathtaking journey through some of Taiwan's most stunning landscapes, and the memories I madRead more”

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8.1 Day Sun Moon Lake Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 12 hours · from $285

Travel from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake in a private air-conditioned vehicle with a Chinese or English-speaking driver guide. The day includes a round-trip boat ride, Wenwu Temple, Ci'en Pagoda, lake viewpoints, and hotel pickup. Guides such as Berry and Sung-Ping have been praised for their stories and friendly service.

“This one day trip was really amazing, even with changing weather all day long. And many thanks to Berry, he was the greatest host on this tour with his stories and historic facts about Taiwan, the lake area and my questions along the way.”

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9.From Taipei or Taichung: Sun Moon Lake Day Trip & Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 5 reviews · 9 - 12 hours

Travel by private vehicle from Taipei or Taichung to Sun Moon Lake for a boat ride, Thao stories, and a gentle Hanbi Trail walk. Continue to Chung Tai Chan Monastery near Puli, where you can see grand Buddhist halls and learn about Chan practice. English, Chinese, and Japanese guiding is available. The driver and guide are the same person.

“The company accommodated our itinerary changes without any issues. The driver was courteous, knew where he needed to go to get us to the places, and is a safe driver. We were able to spend as much time as we wanted at each of the locations.”

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10.From Taipei City: 3-Day Sun Moon Lake & Alishan Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 4 reviews · 3 days · from $1,130

Travel by private air-conditioned vehicle from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake and Alishan with an English or Chinese-speaking guide. Cruise the lake, visit Wenwu Temple, ride the Alishan Forest Railway, watch sunrise, and stop at Hinoki Village. Guides such as Barry and Tony are known for thoughtful timing and personal service.

“We had so much fun touring Sun Moon Lake and Alishan Forest. Our guide, Barry, built up excitement for our destinations with bits of history and cultural insight, and fully engaged us in conversation about Taiwan. He was courteous, energetic, and knowledgeable, and made sure we were in place at the right times for meals, train rides, and even the sunset over Alishan. He went above and beyond with a side trip to visit the university that my mother attended, allowing us to get a rare glimpse into her student life at the Historical Archives section. Our accommodations were clean and comfortable, and we are - once again - very…”

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