ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a trip
    de|en
    All Places & RegionsAbout FernwehFAQPrivacy PolicyImprint
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a trip
    • Overview
    • Places in the region
    • Food culture
    • Culture
    • Getting around
    • Round trips
    • Nearby
    Central Taiwan

    Taiwan

    Central Taiwan

    RegionMountainsNatureCulture

    Central Taiwan stretches from the metropolis of Taichung into the Central Mountain Range, home to Sun Moon Lake and the Alishan mountain area. Those seeking lakes, forests, and tea plantations will find them here.

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Taiwan
    7. Central Taiwan
    Central Taiwan stretches from the metropolis of Taichung into the Central Mountain Range, home to Sun Moon Lake and the Alishan mountain area. Those seeking lakes, forests, and tea plantations will find them here.Taichung, with its high-speed rail station and metro, serves as the region's transport hub, with buses departing from here to Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County. Further south, the historic Alishan Forest Railway runs from Chiayi to over 2,000 meters. To its east rises Yushan, Taiwan's highest mountain at 3,952 meters.
    Central Taiwan connects city and mountains. Taichung is the starting point, with a high-speed rail station and metro; from there, buses take about 90 minutes to Sun Moon Lake. Alishan can be reached via Chiayi by bus or the historic Forest Railway. Plan at least one overnight stay for both the lake and the mountains; it's significantly cooler at altitude than on the coast.
    Alishan
    CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Place 1 of 3

    Alishan

    Alishan is a forested mountain region in Taiwan's western Central Mountain Range, reached by a historic narrow-gauge railway from Chiayi.

    The Alishan area in Chiayi County ranges from mid-elevation tea villages to the forest area around Alishan Station at over 2,000 meters. The starting point is Chiayi City with its High-Speed Rail station and the Forest Railway station.

    Discover
    Sun-Moon-Lake

    Place 2 of 3

    Sun-Moon-Lake

    Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County, Central Taiwan, is the island's largest body of water, situated at 748 meters amidst forested mountains.

    Sun Moon Lake lies in Nantou County; Taichung is usually the starting point. Piers are spread around the lake: Shuishe in the north, where buses arrive, Xuanguang and Ita Thao in the south.

    Discover
    Taichung
    Nico Kaiser / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

    Place 3 of 3

    Taichung

    Taichung in central Taiwan is a major city with distinctive modern architecture, one of the country's largest night markets, and good bus connections to Sun Moon Lake. For many travelers, it's a convenient stopover on the way to the mountains.

    Taichung is one of Taiwan's largest cities and the center of the island's midsection. The city is sprawling: the old core is located around Taichung Station with Miyahara and the Second Market, while the modern center is in Xitun District with the City Hall and National Theater.

    Discover

    Eating and Drinking

    Central Taiwan is tea country, and Taichung is where bubble tea became popular.

    Bubble Tea

    The Chun Shui Tang in Taichung is considered one of the original homes of tapioca pearl tea.

    Assam black tea

    Assam tea has been cultivated at Sun Moon Lake since Japanese times, now known as Sun Moon Lake Black Tea.

    Alishan Highland Tea

    The Oolong from the tea gardens around Shizhuo is among Taiwan's most famous teas.

    Thao, Tsou and modern architecture

    On Sun Moon Lake live the Thao, one of Taiwan's smallest recognized indigenous peoples; the island of Lalu in the middle of the lake is sacred to them. The mountains around Alishan are home to the Tsou, whose villages Dabang and Tefuye host the Mayasvi Festival.Taichung represents modernity: The National Theater by Japanese architect Toyo Ito is one of the country's most distinctive buildings.

    Traveling in the Middle

    Taichung: All HSR trains stop here; the green MRT line goes to the city center.Sun Moon Lake: Bus 6670 from Taichung HSR Station (Exit 5).Alishan: Bus 7329 from Chiayi HSR Station, Bus 7322 or Forest Railway from Chiayi Station.

    Round trips through this region

    Taiwan around the island in 16 days

    The tour starts in Taipei with temples, museums, and night markets, then proceeds to the gold mining town of Jiufen. High-speed train to Taichung, bus to Sun Moon Lake, then into the Alishan mountains with its historic forest railway. The south offers Tainan's Old Town, the port city of Kaohsiung, and Kenting National Park's beaches. Back north via Taitung's East Rift Valley and Pacific coast to Hualien, gateway to Taroko Gorge, with some paths closed since the 2024 earthquake.

    16 Days
    10 stops

    Nearby

    Sun-Moon-Lake

    Sun-Moon-Lake

    Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County, Central Taiwan, is the island's largest body of water, situated at 748 meters amidst forested mountains. Boats ferrying between piers, a cycling path around the lake, and temples with lake views make it a tranquil counterpoint to the cities.The lake owes its name to the shape of its two parts, resembling a sun and a crescent moon. Along its shores lives the Thao people, one of the smallest of the 16 recognized indigenous peoples, whose center is Ita Thao village. The Wenwu Temple on the north shore honors Confucius, as well as the gods of war Guan Yu and Yue Fei. A cable car connects the lake with the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village.
    Ita Thao

    Ita Thao

    Ita Thao, on Sun Moon Lake's southern shore, is the village of the Thao, one of Taiwan's smallest indigenous peoples. Many shops on the main street are owned by Thao families, and local eateries offer dishes like mountain pork, sticky rice, and millet wine. Boats run from Shuishe twice an hour, crossing in about ten minutes.
    Taichung

    Taichung

    Taichung in central Taiwan is a major city with distinctive modern architecture, one of the country's largest night markets, and good bus connections to Sun Moon Lake. For many travelers, it's a convenient stopover on the way to the mountains.The National Taichung Theater, opened in 2016 and designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito, stands out with its curved concrete walls. In Rainbow Village, a former soldier covered a military dependents' village with colorful paintings, saving it from demolition. The Fengjia Night Market is one of Taiwan's largest, and on the coast, at sunset, the sky reflects in the Gaomei Wetlands at the mouth of the Dajia River.
    Alishan

    Alishan

    Alishan is a forested mountain region in Taiwan's western Central Mountain Range, reached by a historic narrow-gauge railway from Chiayi. Ancient cypress forests, mountain villages, and stunning peak sunrises make it one of Taiwan's classic mountain destinations.The Alishan Forest Railway was built during the Japanese colonial era for logging, ascending from Chiayi at 30 meters to Alishan Station at 2,216 meters. En route, it traverses tropical, subtropical, and temperate forest zones. After severe typhoon damage in 2009 and 2015, it is fully operational again since July 2024. From Alishan, an early morning train takes you to Zhushan, where many observe the sunrise over the mountains.
    Fenqihu

    Fenqihu

    Fenqihu is a mountain village on the Alishan Forest Railway on the way up from Chiayi. Trains make a longer stop here, and the place is known for its Bento lunchboxes. Buses 7329A and 7322A from Chiayi also pass through Fenqihu.