Sun Moon Lake ( Chinese : 日月潭 ; pinyin : Rìyuètán ; Wade–Giles : Jih 4 -yüeh 4 -t'an 2 ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Ji̍t-goa̍t-thâm; Zintun in the Thao language , also Lake Candidus ) is the largest body of water in Taiwan as well as a tourist attraction. Situated in Yuchi , Nantou , the area around the Sun Moon Lake is home to the Thao tribe, one of aboriginal tribes in Taiwan. [ 1 ] Sun Moon Lake surrounds a tiny island called Lalu . [ 2 ] The east side of the lake resembles a sun while the west side resembles a moon, hence the name. [ 3 ]