Sign up now for the scenic Sun Moon Lake lakeside marathon — where cherry blossoms dance along the route

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network, reported by Chen Guanxin

 

The 2013 "Sun Moon Lake Cherry Blossom Lakeside Marathon" will kick off on February 24. During the event, cherry blossoms at Sun Moon Lake will be in full bloom, offering one of the most beautiful and romantic marathon routes in Taiwan. The race will include a 29K lakeside loop group, a 12K challenge group, and a 3K family group, with entry limits of 2,000, 3,000, and 1,000 participants respectively. Registration fees are NT$800, NT$600, and NT$400. Registration is open from now until January 31. Each participant will receive one Sun Moon Lake cruise ticket and one 33% discount coupon for Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, allowing them to enjoy the beautiful spring scenery of Sun Moon Lake and also take a boat ride to admire the cherry blossoms from a different perspective.

The lakeside marathon will start from the Shiangshan Visitor Center and follow the scenic lakeside road, offering a tour through mountains and water. The 3K group will finish at Shuishe Pier, the 12K group at Ita Thao Pier — with a shuttle boat available back to Shuishe Pier — while the lakeside loop group will complete a full circuit around Sun Moon Lake. The route is surrounded by landscapes and blooming cherry trees. After finishing, participants of the 3K and 12K groups will walk along a cycling path ranked among CNN GO’s top ten bike paths in the world, returning to the main Shiangshan event venue.

 

In addition, the 13th annual Sun Moon Lake Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village Cherry Blossom Festival will begin on February 1 and reach peak bloom in mid-February, making it Taiwan’s largest cherry blossom event and one of the earliest in Southeast Asia. The park’s over 5,000 Taiwan cherry trees are stunning during the day, and the night cherry blossom light shows attract large crowds. To coincide with the flower season, from February 1 to April 7, tickets to Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village are discounted to NT$580, with night cherry blossom afternoon tickets at NT$450, and include a ride on the Sun Moon Lake cable car.

Jinan National University, also located near Sun Moon Lake, has planted thousands of Taiwan mountain cherries and Japanese Somei Yoshino cherry trees on its campus lawns, making it a popular cherry blossom spot in recent years. The Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration and Jinan University will host the "Sun Moon Lake & Jinan University Cherry Blossom Tea Gathering" from February 20 to 28. On February 20 and 24 at 2:00 PM, tea gatherings combining culture, tea ceremonies, and traditional Chinese music performances will be held. Tea stations will be set up where tea masters provide live tea ceremony experiences. A total of 200 spots are available for the experience, at NT$200 per person. For more details on the events and registration, visit: www.sunmoonlake.gov.tw/index.aspx.

 

 

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