Taichung
To residents and visitors alike, today's Taichung is a modern, dynamic Asian city, marked by broad boulevards, high-rise apartment and office towers. However, just below the surface lies a long and varied history that could not provide more of a contrast.
Taichung has had many external influences in it's past. The Europeans arrived in the form of Dutch and Spanish settlements, followed by the Manchus. In 1895 following their defeat, China ceded Taiwan to the Japanese. To experience the city's roots it is easy to discover the various historical landmarks in the downtown area.
Sun Moon Lake
Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan's largest freshwater lake. Located 748m above sea level, and 27m deep. The lake is surrounded by mountains, with ornate temples and shrines. The lake was originally two lakes – one a crescent moon shaped, the other round like the sun. The Japanese flooded the area by building a hydroelectric dam downstream, and the joined lakes were then creatively named as Sun Moon Lake. The water is a beautiful emerald green colour. Swimming in the lake is forbidden – except for during the annual September swimming contest, where tens of thousands of people line up to swim from one end of the lake to the other a distance of about 3km.
