“Mysterious Blue Tears Sparkle Like Starlight”—First Sighting in Kinmen!

Reported by Chen Ziying / Taipei

The transition between spring and summer each year is the peak season for the so-called Blue Tears (Noctiluca scintillans). Not to be outshone by Matsu (Stunning “Blue Tears” Return to Matsu—A World Wonder That Feels Like a Scene from ‘Life of Pi’), recent sightings in the southern waters of Kinmen have amazed locals and drawn travelers and residents to the shore at night to witness their beauty.


▲ Recently, many in Kinmen have spotted the Blue Tears phenomenon. The photo shows the spectacle captured at Chenggong Beach. (Photo /Stay in Kinmen and Forget to Fly Visit KinmenFan page)

Kinmen County Government Tourism Bureau, Department of Administration, Public Relations Section Chief Fu Yangtu stated that this is the first time a significant and visible amount of Blue Tears has appeared in Kinmen. Currently, residents have reported sightings on the south coast, particularly around Houhu and Chenggong Beach. However, as the appearance of Blue Tears depends on various factors such as weather, sea breeze, and tides on any given day, luck plays a big role in whether visitors get to see them.

“We saw them the day before yesterday, but we stayed up until 1:30 a.m. yesterday and didn’t see any,” according to local residents. Recently spotted Blue Tears have not been abundant, often resembling tiny stars emitting faint fluorescence along the shoreline. At times, though, waves have brought bursts of blue light that were clearly visible to the naked eye but vanished in an instant. Locals also mentioned that elders in Kinmen recalled hearing tales of the Blue Tears phenomenon in the past, but due to Kinmen’s historical status as a military stronghold and safety concerns about heading to the shore at night, there are no historical records of Blue Tears appearing in the area. However, they believe this is not the first time Blue Tears have shown up in Kinmen.