This central Taiwanese city sits at the base of Bagua Mountain. Local artisans craft bamboo items and black tea farms dot the outskirts. The Sun Moon Lake is a 45-minute drive away.
Nantou City serves as the main administrative center of Nantou County in central Taiwan, framed by the Bagua Mountains and the Maoluo River. As Taiwan’s only county without coastline, the area includes tea fields, forested slopes, and Sun Moon Lake, where you’ll find the Wenwu Temple, a 30-kilometer cycling loop, and boat tours to Lalu Island. The city provides easy access to trails on Hehuan Mountain, known for occasional January snowfall, and Cingjing Farm, a high-elevation area with sheep grazing fields. Agriculture drives the local economy, with tea harvests in April and October, bamboo groves near Jhangnan Road, and vegetable farms along Provincial Highway 14. Visitors can explore the Taiwan Historica archives documenting 20th-century governance or browse the Wednesday night market near Carrefour for fried squid and pineapple cakes.
Natural Areas to Visit Near Nantou City
Nantou County’s Central Mountain Range contains trails across peaks like Hehuan Mountain, where temperatures drop below freezing in winter. Sun Moon Lake, 30 kilometers south of the city, has a paved cycling path circling its perimeter, boat docks near Xuanguang Temple, and a cable car linking it to the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village. The Ita Thao community on the lake’s western shore operates food stalls selling smoked wild boar and millet wine. From late September to November, weekend fireworks light up the lake during an annual festival featuring live bands. East of the city, Cingjing Farm’s open fields sit at 1,750 meters elevation, with cool summers ideal for growing apples and pears.
Museums and Cultural Sites in Nantou City
The Taiwan Historica building on Guangming 1st Road holds documents related to Taiwan’s governance since 1945, including maps and political records. Two blocks east, the Nantou County Pottery Museum exhibits tea sets and decorative vases made from local clay. On Ziqiang 3rd Road, the Taiwan Mochi Museum demonstrates how glutinous rice is pounded into chewy desserts, with free samples of peanut and sesame varieties. Longquan Temple, constructed in 1781, retains original stone carvings of dragons flanking its entrance. Every Wednesday from 5 PM to 10 PM, vendors at the Carrefour night market sell oyster omelets, stinky tofu, and papaya milk.
Where to Eat in Nantou City and Surroundings
Wooden barrel-steamed sticky rice topped with pork belly is a common breakfast dish at shops near the bus station. For lunch, try Yi Noodle soups with thick wheat noodles and minced pork at storefronts along Minsheng Street. The Elephant Steak House on Guobing Road prepares budget-friendly plates of grilled chicken and fries. Near Sun Moon Lake’s Ita Thao pier, street stalls serve bamboo tubes filled with rice cooked in bamboo stalks. The Nantou Winery on Dongshan Road offers tastings of plum wine aged in glass jars, available for purchase in gift sets.
Getting Around Nantou County
Most travelers arrive via Taichung, where buses leave for Sun Moon Lake every 30 minutes from the Gancheng Station. Renting a car allows easier access to mountain areas like Hehuan Shan, though narrow roads require cautious driving. In Nantou City, walk between downtown sites like the Pottery Museum and Taiwan Historica in under 20 minutes. Taxis wait near the bus station for trips to the Bamboo Museum, a 10-minute ride north. Overnight options include basic hotels near the city center and lakeside accommodations like The Lalu, which has private hot spring baths.
Seasonal Activities and Events
During September’s Sun Moon Lake Mass Swim, registered swimmers can cross a 3-kilometer section of the lake under supervision. From late October to December, maple trees turn bright red along trails in Aowanda Forest Recreation Area. January temperatures on Hehuan Mountain often dip below 5°C, with roadside shops renting thick coats and gloves. April brings tea-picking tours in Lugu, where workers hand-harvest oolong leaves across terraced fields. In summer, Cingjing Farm hosts sheep shearing demonstrations and sells fresh milk ice cream at its visitor center.
