Mingtan Reservoir

Nantou County


This reservoir feeds a power station billed as the largest pumped-storage generating plant in Asia. The system uses surplus electricity at night from the 2nd and 3rd nuclear power plant to pump water back up to the original source of the reservoir's water (Sun Moon Lake). During the day, the water is released to generate extra power. It's by the side of the road where County Hwy 131 meets Yuchi township.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Nantou County attractions

1. CheCheng Wood Museum

0.28 MILES

Exhibition boards and retired logging and railway gear inside a wood A-frame illustrate the history of the logging industry here. It's a popular picnic…

2. Xiangshan Visitor Information Centre

2.57 MILES

This visitor centre offers splendid views of Sun Moon Lake from atop a sleek modern structure that fits neatly in with the surroundings. Wood and concrete…

3. Shueishe Village

3.26 MILES

The area by Shueishe Pier is a great place to kick back or go for a leisurely stroll. Lakeside walking paths extend from Shueishe village (often referred…

4. Xuanzang Temple

3.38 MILES

Serene and charming, Xuanzang Temple keeps a tiny piece of the skull of Monk Xuanzang or Tripitaka (AD 600–664), who is fictionalised in the novel Journey…

5. Meihe Garden

3.39 MILES

A former military police station at the entrance of the Hanbi Trail has been turned into an attractive viewing spot after the 921 earthquake. 'Mei' and …

6. Ci'en Pagoda

3.55 MILES

The stately Pagoda of Kindness and Grace (1969) was built by Chiang Kai-shek in honour of his mother. The ascent from the parking lot to the tower, 960m…

7. Endemic Species Research Institute

4.15 MILES

The institute's open-to-public section has a natural history museum for plant and animal species endemic to Taiwan. Displays are educational and come with…

8. Sun Moon Lake Ropeway

4.45 MILES

The seven-minute, 1.9km ride offers an unparalleled bird's-eye view of the lake as you rise into the nearby hills. The gondola terminates at the Formosan…