The Ci En Pagoda stands on a forested hilltop on the southern shore of Sun Moon Lake, built by Chiang Kai-shek in 1971 as a memorial to his mother. The nine-storey pagoda can be reached by a walking trail from the lakeside or by a short cable car ride from the Xiangshan Visitor Center. The view from the base of the pagoda takes in the full oval of the lake, the northern shore temples, and — on clear days — the mountains beyond.
The cable car is the easiest approach and is worth it for the views during the ride over the lake. The surrounding hillside has pleasant forest paths if you want to extend the walk before or after.