Let’s go firefly watching！ Online poll reveals Taiwan’s top 10 best spots to see “fireflies”

Travel Center / Taipei Report

“Little firefly, flying east to west, shining here and there, like little lanterns” — this nursery rhyme also piques the curiosity of the younger generation. Nowadays, children can only read about fireflies in textbooks and rarely get the chance to observe them in the wild at night. In recent years, many places across Taiwan have launched firefly conservation programs to bring back their glow and fill the blank memories of these little creatures from childhood songs.


▲ Nowadays, children can only read about fireflies in textbooks and rarely get the chance to observe them in the wild at night. (Photo / Facebook of Hsin Chu Aowanda Eco-Village)

The Shinlin Cultural and Educational Foundation, in collaboration with the National Museum of Natural Science and the Endemic Species Research Institute under the Council of Agriculture, has jointly launched the “Let’s Enjoy the Firefly Fun” series of events. In addition to voting online for the top ten firefly-watching spots to win great prizes, people are encouraged to gather friends and family during the firefly season in April and May to go firefly watching, helping to instill conservation awareness in younger generations and allowing adults to relive the nostalgic memories of fireflies.

The “Top 10 Best Firefly-Watching Spots in Taiwan” poll, recommended by firefly experts, has selected 30 well-known viewing locations distributed across northern, central, southern, and eastern Taiwan, many of which are lesser-known hidden gems. In addition, the public is reminded to follow the “Five No’s of Firefly Watching”: no touching, no using nets, no flashlights, no light pollution, and no loud noises.

Dr. Ho Chien-jen from the Endemic Species Research Institute said that fireflies are an indicator species of a high-quality environment, symbolizing healthy wetland vegetation, clean water, and no light pollution. Places where fireflies appear are synonymous with good ecosystems. This means these locations boast beautiful mountains and waters, intact vegetation, rich biodiversity, and fresh air — truly like hidden paradises where you can explore ecological treasures by day and stargaze or watch fireflies by night, immersing yourself in nature.

In addition to enjoying a visual feast through the website, the public can also learn about firefly ecology and related precautions. The Taiwan Top 10 Firefly Watching Poll is open until March 31, and the website is: www.shining.org.tw. Prizes include accommodation vouchers at Hotel Indigo, iPhone 5s, mini iPads, 42-inch LCD TVs, and firefly-themed T-shirts.

[Selected 30 Well-Known Firefly-Watching Locations]
Northern Taiwan:National Taiwan Ocean University, Hu Mountain Stream, Moon World Forest Recreation Area, Wulai Ecological Farm, Dongyue Mountain Forest Recreation Area, Neiwan Dongwo Stream, etc.
Central Taiwan:: Shengxing Train Station, Daxueshan Community, Dongshi Forest Farm, Baxianshan Forest Recreation Area, Aowanda Forest Recreation Area, Huisun Forest Farm, Tanan Community, Lianhuachi, Qilin Pond, Phoenix Valley Bird Park, Shanfeng Community.
Southern Taiwan:: Dingbenzi Community, Rui Li Scenic Area, Meiling Scenic Area, Namasia District, Yuquan Community, Hengchun Ecological Farm, Shedong Nature Park, Nanhua Reservoir Guanshan Village.
Eastern Taiwan:: Qingshan Farm, Liyu Pond, Tianshan Farm, Shangri-La Farm, Toucheng (Beiguan) Farm.