Sun Moon Lake Ita Thao Pier Commercial District

Ita Thao, originally known as Dehua Community, is the most populous settlement of the indigenous Thao tribe. Every year in the eighth lunar month, the Thao celebrate their Ancestor Worship Festival, holding grand ceremonies in Ita Thao that attract many tourists to participate. Ita Thao Pier is one of the three major piers at Sun Moon Lake, and it's a popular spot where visitors taking boat tours inevitably disembark to explore. The Ita Thao Pier plaza often features cultural performances and song and dance shows by indigenous groups, and occasionally hosts unique event markets. Next to Ita Thao Pier is Sun Moon Lake's liveliest Ita Thao Commercial District, a must-visit for tourists. Its main streets form a grid-like pattern (three vertical, one horizontal), lined with numerous gift shops, homestays, and restaurants. Street vendors offer a variety of specialty dishes, such as wild boar sausage, millet mochi, millet wine, bamboo-tube rice, and other mouth-watering indigenous delicacies. Of course, visitors shouldn't miss Sun Moon Lake Black Tea, famous throughout Taiwan. Be sure to enjoy a cup of the rich and sweet Hongyu (Ruby) Black Tea, and then pick up a few boxes of black tea egg rolls as souvenirs!