Original Ruby #18 black tea · freshwater president fish · Thao tribal cuisine you won't find elsewhere
Sun Moon Lake is more than a photo spot — it's the birthplace of Ruby Tea #18, a black tea cultivar registered in 1999, and home to the Thao tribe, Taiwan's smallest indigenous group who have lived around the lake for centuries. The food here blends mainland Chinese, Japanese, and aboriginal traditions.
A single day is enough to taste the highlights — start with tea-eggs at Xuanguang Temple, ferry to Ita Thao village for boar sausage and mochi at lunch, dinner of president fish by the lake, and the Ita Thao evening market for snacks. All within a 3 km radius.
The most-loved dishes — ranked by what locals actually order, not what tourists are pushed toward
A cultivar registered in 1999 — Assamica × native wild tea. Ruby-red liquor, notes of cinnamon and mint. Hot or iced.
Eggs simmered in Ruby tea + shiitake broth. Marbled brown shell, savoury-sweet. A legend by Xuanguang Temple since 1973.
A native freshwater carp raised in the lake. White, sweet flesh. Named after President Chiang Kai-shek's favourite. Steamed or stir-fried in sesame oil.
Thao tribal staple. Wild boar mince + glutinous rice + spices, charcoal-grilled. Firmer texture than mainstream sausage — best with raw garlic and chilli.
Hand-pounded sticky rice — chewier than Japanese mochi. Rolled in peanut powder and brown sugar. Some shops add red bean or taro filling. Best eaten right after pounding.
Glutinous rice + wild greens + meat, packed into fresh bamboo and roasted until smoky. Peel and eat with soy sauce or chilli paste.
Light chicken broth + local shiitake + mountain greens + sliced pork. A cold-evening favourite in the highland.
Ice cream infused with Ruby #18 — actual tea flavour, not just sweet. Some shops also offer Thai-style iced tea and coconut ice cream.
Streets and markets where the food clusters are walkable
Thao tribal village turned daytime-evening pedestrian street — boar sausage, mochi, bamboo rice, ice cream — almost every aboriginal specialty in one strip.
Main pier and hotel hub — lakeside restaurants, cafés, tea shops and 7-Eleven. The natural starting point for any food crawl.
The iconic lake-name sign + legendary tea-egg stall + best cross-lake view. Ferry from Shuishe or Ita Thao.
A real Yuchi tea farm — roast your own leaves, free Ruby #18 tasting (1 cup), ice cream and souvenirs. Stop on the way to or from the lake.
The shops with queues — pin them on the map before you go
Legendary stall by the temple — selling since 1973 with real Ruby tea broth. Deep brown marble shell, persistent tea aroma.
Hand-pounded mochi in front of customers — watch the pounding right inside the shop. Extra-chewy thanks to local glutinous rice.
A working tea farm open as a visitor centre for 20+ years. DIY tea-roasting (NT$200 incl. drink). Premium souvenirs and Ruby tea ice cream.