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Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan’s best-known natural lake, sitting 760 m above sea level and ringed by emerald peaks that rise in majestic tiers; the mirrored water and mountain hues form a scene as lovely as a painting. The lake teems with many kinds of fish, all deliciously fresh, and the shoreline offers countless beautiful vistas that shift with every season and every hour of the day. It is the island’s largest inland body of water. Long famous, Sun Moon Lake’s real turning point came after the September-21 earthquake of 1999: the establishment of the National Scenic Area Administration, whose first task was post-disaster reconstruction, restoring the lake’s former glory. The second phase consisted of preparations before mainland tourists were allowed to visit in 2009—upgrading piers, renovating visitor centers, and more. These solid foundations, together with the opening of National Highway No. 6 and the Sun Moon Lake cable car, steadily raised visitor numbers from 1.4 million per year at the start to a peak of 8 million in 2011. The third phase saw the scenic area double in size from 9,000 to 18,000 hectares, bringing in parts of Puli, Jiji, and Xinyi townships, with a new focus on “low-carbon travel and smart tourism” to ensure the lake’s sustainable future.