Firefly Watching / Revealed！ The Stunning "Firefly Paradise" Hidden in Hualien’s Mountain Villages

Reporter You [name obscured] / Comprehensive Report

As summer arrives, the "famous firefly-viewing spots" across Taiwan are also seeing the last wave of visitors. However, aside from the well-known firefly-watching spots, there are actually many lesser-known "firefly sanctuaries." Cai [name obscured], founder of the team "Obailai," which specializes in uncovering local stories in Taiwan, said that in mountainous, water-rich, clean, and unpolluted areas around the island, wherever there are low shrubs and fallen leaves, you might catch a glimpse of the beautiful fireflies, locally called "huo jin gu."


▲ The misty Mayuan Tribe is Cai [name obscured]’s personal favorite firefly-watching spot. (Photo / Provided by Cai [name obscured])

"There are actually many natural places in Taiwan where you can see fireflies, not just the popular spots everyone flocks to," Cai [name obscured] said. He cited the "Mayuan Tribe" in Ruisui, Hualien — a lesser-known tribe that, due to the indigenous people's lifestyle of coexisting with nature, still retains a large amount of pristine ecology. When spring transitions into summer, you can easily see swarms of fireflies dancing within the tribe. Cai [name obscured] noted that this is one of the classic "firefly sanctuaries" in Taiwan.

Getting into the Mayuan Tribe is not easy for "outsiders." Located on Highway 9, the Mayuan Tribe is about seven or eight kilometers from Ruisui. Turning left onto a road you’ll find the mountain path gradually narrowing. Following the narrow road inward, when you see low houses on both sides, you’ve reached the start of the village. After crossing a bridge over the mountain stream, a winding path extends inward — and that’s where you’ll see the sign for the "Mayuan Tribe."


           ▲ The tribal road, wide enough for only one car, makes access very difficult for most people. (Photo / Provided by Cai [name obscured])

The main road of the entire tribe is only about one and a half cars wide. Cai [name obscured] said, "It’s very hard for ordinary people to get into Mayuan Tribe because driving in is not easy — you need to be familiar with mountain roads and have excellent skills for passing other vehicles." The Mayuan Tribe still retains its original architecture, and traditional slate houses, referred to by locals as "traditional houses," can still be seen within the village.

"The lifestyle of the tribe’s residents affects the number of fireflies. Because the Bunun people live in harmony with nature, you can still see fireflies here to this day," Cai [name obscured] explained. In the Mayuan Tribe, residents still maintain hunting traditions, and because they choose to hunt only what they need rather than for mass sale, the tribal environment still retains traces of its original way of life.


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▲ The shrubbery near the church in the Mayuan Tribe is also a good spot to look for huo jin gu. (Photo / Provided by Cai [name obscured])


▲ On the mountainside of the tribe, you can also find a civil affairs office left over from the Japanese colonial period. (Photo / Provided by Cai [name obscured])


▲ At the small waterfall on the mountain in the tribe, the stream water is crystal clear, as if no one has ever visited. (Photo / Provided by Cai [name obscured])
Getting into the Mayuan Tribe isn’t easy, but spotting fireflies once you’re there is much simpler. Cai [name obscured] casually listed several places within the tribe where you can see fireflies: "Such as Mayuan Elementary School, Mayuan Church, and the area near the mountain waterfall — anywhere with shrubbery and clean water sources, you can easily see them."
 
The lesser-known Mayuan Tribe is a deep mountain sanctuary for many and a carefully protected haven for locals. Cai [name obscured] especially reminds travelers looking for "firefly sanctuaries" that no matter where you go firefly-watching, always remember to take your trash with you and never use overly bright flashlights, so as not to disturb the natural habitat of the fireflies. Only then can we continue to witness the beautiful sight of huo jin gu dancing across the mountains every year at this time.