Xiangtian Lake

The Nanzhuang Township of Miaoli is a popular tourist destination, where the old street attracts hordes of visitors to appreciate the local Hakka delicacies and nostalgic pieces of architecture. While winding through those red brick lanes, you will feel like going on a journey back in time that tells the history of the Japanese Colonial Era.

If you would like to combine nature and history in one single trip to Miaoli, don’t miss out on Xiangtian Lake at an altitude of 738 meters. As you drive from Nanzhuang to Xiangtian Lake, an ancient suspension bridge can be spotted on the way. The basin where the lake is located abounds with lush forests of cedar and makino bamboo. As it is often shrouded in a mist of magic, walking around this place might give you an illusion of entering a mysterious land.

Xiangtian Lake is where the Ritual to the Saisiyat People takes place, which tends to fall on the tenth month of the lunar calendar. This biennial ceremony is said to have been carried out for as many as 400 years and continues today, where the Saisiyat indigenous group dances around the clock, fueled by meat and alcohol, to remember a dark-skinned pygmy-like people who once shared its territory. If you are interested in a bit of local history, the Saisiyat Folklore Museum situated by the lake will give you a better understanding of this indigenous group.