(By Jamie Alton)
I made this small and basic site free of charge for the lovely owner and operator of the Yua Tan Guest House. I was so impressed by their warm and kind hospitality that I offered to pass on a recommendation to other foreign visitors in the hope that it may be as enjoyable as it was for both me and my wife during our recent Chinese new year trip to Sun Moon Lake.
The guest house itself is simple yet tastefully decorated in both modern yet traditional styles and offers on and off suite shower and toilet facilities. TVs, refrigerators and very comfortable beds are found in each type of room and cleanliness is of very high standard.
The breakfast included in the booking price may vary but we were offered sausage meat with fried eggs, bread, jams, butter, coffee and fruit. I have made a suggestion that if more foreigners stay, then they should perhaps consider a fried breakfast. They are interested in all suggestions so feel free to try.
The house is a very short walk from the lakeside and is not part of the busy main street, which otherwise can be a noisy place to try and get rest. It is also the newest of two guest houses run by the owner, the other being a more traditional and older style. Rooms can also be booked through the information provided to stay at the more traditional house, although I had no opportunity to take interior pictures of the rooms as guests had not yet checked out. Pictures below:
Bookings must be made in Chinese at the moment as the managers of the hotel cannot speak very good English, so you may need to ask someone to make the initial booking call.
Local facilities include many restaurants, roadside venders, traditional craft stores, convenience stores and boat trips around the lake. There are a number of short walks along the lakeside too providing many an opportunity for snap shots, bird spotting, fishing and enjoyment of the rich natural environment.