Sun Moon Lake | 2019 Sustainable Destinations Top 100

Green travel is gaining in importance all over the world. In recent years, the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration (SMLNSAA) has worked to promote sustainable travel. To increase the visibility of Sun Moon Lake among international travelers, the SMLNSAA invited promoters of sustainable tourism in other countries to Taiwan to share their experiences earlier this year. To show its determination as a public agency promoting sustainable development, the SMLNSAA took the lead in applying for Green Destinations (GD) sustainable tourism destination certification. It was a recipient of a Top 100 Award for green tourism destinations worldwide in 2019. Moreover, it sent representatives to a conference on sustainable tourism in Croatia to share its low carbon travel concepts and enable more people to learn about Taiwan.

Sun Moon Lake’s green tourism model may be familiar to some people in Taiwan. For those traveling to Sun Moon Lake for the first time, its green destination status becomes quickly evident. Tourists can make use of an e-travel pass to enjoy several transportation options, such as the ropeway that crosses over the water, electric-powered boats that travel on the water and a bus that circles the lake. Visitors can also admire the lake views along a cycling path on an electric or non-electric bicycle. These are all part of Sun Moon Lake’s low carbon 3D travel network.

Sun Moon Lake is an important hydropower production area. Its low carbon 3D water, land and air travel network not only provides novel travel experiences, but also reveals the contribution of its green energy source – hydropower – to its low carbon tourism environment, greatly reducing the environmental impact of tourism. In recent years, the SMLNSAA has worked to develop a consensus with indigenous communities in this national scenic area to create cultural landscapes and creative and cultural products. These efforts have not only helped to promote local tourism, but also to pass on local cultural heritage. This is one of the focal points of sustainable tourism. Through the implementation of these specific actions, tourism has brought increasingly positive energy to this scenic area. 

Are you ready? Let’s go to Sun Moon Lake to experience its sustainable tourism practices!