The 33km cycling path that circles Sun Moon Lake is the best way to experience it. The route is well-maintained and mostly flat, passing through lakeside communities, viewpoints, tea plantations, and the main temples and piers. A full circuit takes about three hours at a leisurely pace, though most riders take longer to account for stops. Bike rental is available at multiple points around the lake, including at Shuishe and Ita Thao.
The Hanbi Trail on the western shore is a particularly scenic section — a dedicated path through forest and along the waterline with views across to the pagoda-topped hill on the far shore. The path is busiest on weekends; if you want a quieter ride, go early in the morning on a weekday, when you may have long stretches to yourself. The mist that sits over the lake in early morning is the defining atmosphere of Sun Moon Lake, and cycling through it is the closest you will get to the reason this place has been celebrated for a century.