Xiangshan Visitor Center

Lalu Island (Thao language: Lalu; Chinese: 拉魯島; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lalu Tó; pinyin: Lālǔ Dǎo) is a small island in Sun Moon Lake, Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan. The island used to be much bigger, separating the lake into a part shaped like crescent moon and another part shaped like a round sun. When the island was still bigger, people lived on it; in fact, the locals called it "Pearl Mountain"(Chinese: 珠仔山 or 珠嶼; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chu-á-sū / Chu-sū) ever since the Qing dynasty. Under Japanese rule, the island was renamed "Jade Island" (Japanese: 玉島), and in the 1930s, the Japanese built a dam that raised the water level in the lake and almost entirely flooded the island. After Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist Government moved to Taiwan in 1949, the island was renamed Kwanghwa Island (Chinese: 光華島; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Kong-hôa-tó; lit. 'glorious China island'). In 1999 the island shrank as portions sank during the 1999 Jiji earthquake, which also destroyed a wedding pavilion constructed by the local government in 1978. "Lalu" is an Austronesian word roughly corresponding to "after", "later" (Chinese: 後) with similar meanings from Taiwan to Indonesia. In legend, Thao hunters discovered Sun Moon Lake while chasing a white deer through the surrounding mountains. The deer eventually led them to the lake, which they found to be not only beautiful, but abundant with fish. Today, the white deer of legends is immortalized as a marble statue on Lalu Island. In recent years, due to increasing social and political awareness, more deference and recognition are being given to Taiwanese aborigines. As a result, after the 921 earthquake, the island was renamed in the Thao language as "Lalu".

The Xuanguang Pier (traditional Chinese: 玄光碼頭; simplified Chinese: 玄光码头; pinyin: Xuánguāng Mǎtóu) is a pier at Sun Moon Lake in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan.

Hanbi Trail (Chinese: 涵碧步道; pinyin: Hánbì Bùdào) is a trail in Sun Moon Lake, Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan.

The Shuishe Pier (traditional Chinese: 水社碼頭; simplified Chinese: 水社码头; pinyin: Shuǐshè Mǎtóu) is a pier at Sun Moon Lake in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan.

The Ci En Pagoda (Chinese: 慈恩塔; pinyin: Cí'ēn Tǎ) is a pagoda in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan.

Xuanzang Temple or Syuentzang Temple (Chinese: 玄奘寺; pinyin: Xuánzàng Sì; Wade–Giles: Hsüan2-tsang4) is a Buddhist temple located in the Sun Moon Lake tourist area, Yuchih Township of Nantou County, Taiwan.

Sun Moon Lake (Chinese: 日月潭; pinyin: Rìyuè tán; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ji̍t-goa̍t-thâm; Thao: Zintun) is a lake in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan. It is the largest body of water in Taiwan. The area around the lake is home to the Thao people, one of Taiwan's indigenous ethnic groups. Sun Moon Lake surrounds a tiny island called Lalu. The east side of the lake resembles a sun while the west side resembles a moon, hence the name. Sun Moon Lake is located 748 m (2,454 ft) above sea level. It is 27 m (89 ft) deep and has a surface area of approximately 7.93 km2 (3.06 mi2). The area surrounding the lake has many trails for hiking. While swimming in Sun Moon Lake is usually not permitted, there is an annual 3-km race called the Swimming Carnival of Sun Moon Lake held around the Mid-Autumn Festival each year. The Sun Moon Lake Swimming Carnival was launched in 1983 and is listed among the Top 50 Open Water Swims in Asia and the Top 100 Open Water Swims of the World. Everyone over 10 years old and with the ability to swim long distances can join, regardless of nationality. In recent years, the participants have numbered in the tens of thousands. Other festivities held at the same time include fireworks, laser shows, and concerts. The lake and its surrounding countryside have been designated one of thirteen national scenic areas in Taiwan. Wen Wu Temple was built after rising water levels from building a dam forced several smaller temples to be removed. Tzu-En Pagoda (慈恩塔; Cí'ēn Tǎ) was ordered constructed by late President Chiang Kai-shek in 1971 in memory of his mother. Other temples of note include Jianjing Temple, Syuentzang Temple (玄奘寺; Xuánzàng Sì) and Syuanguang Temple (玄光寺; Xuánguāng Sì).

The Zhaowu Pier (traditional Chinese: 朝霧碼頭; simplified Chinese: 朝雾码头; pinyin: Cháowù Mǎtóu) is a pier at Sun Moon Lake in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan.

The Ita Thao Pier (traditional Chinese: 伊達邵碼頭; simplified Chinese: 伊达邵码头; pinyin: Yīdáshào Mǎtóu) is a pier at Sun Moon Lake in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan.

The Sun Moon Lake Wen Wu Temple (Chinese: 日月潭文武廟; pinyin: Rìyuètán Wénwǔ Miào) is a Wen Wu temple located on the perimeter of Sun Moon Lake in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan.

The Minghu Dam (Chinese: 明湖水壩; pinyin: Mínghú Shuǐbà, renamed the Takuan Dam, is a concrete gravity dam on the Shuili River located 7 km (4.3 mi) north of Shuili Township in Nantou County, Taiwan. The reservoir formed by the dam serves as the lower reservoir for the Minhu Pumped Storage Hydro Power Station. Sun Moon Lake serves as the upper reservoir. The dam and the power plant was constructed in 1980 and opened on 1 August 1985. Upon completion, it became Taiwan's first pumped-storage hydroelectricity power plant.

The Mingtan Dam (Chinese: 明潭壩; pinyin: Míngtán Bà) is a dam that spans the Shuili River about 4 km (2.5 mi) downstream from the outlet of Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan with a height of about 61.5 m (202 ft). It forms Mingtan Reservoir which is the lower reservoir for the Mingtan Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant.