A Must-See Collection of Romantic Firefly-Watching Events

Starting every April, it’s the season of the annual rendezvous with fireflies. At night, tiny sparks of light dance and flit among the trees, dazzling and thrilling to watch. Currently, firefly-watching events are kicking off all over Taiwan. Netizens eager to witness mountains aglow with dancing lights, hurry up and plan your schedule and trip!

 

Want to head up the mountain to admire the “fire gold auntie”? See next page

The “2014 Thousand Butterflies Valley Firefly Season” in NeiShuangXi, Shilin, Taipei City, is open for nighttime firefly viewing from now until May 25. Registration for visits is now open, with individual, group, family, and casual visitors accepted on Saturdays and Sundays. Weekdays are divided into B1 slots (available for groups of 5 or more with prior reservation) and B2 slots (requiring reservations for 20 or more people), both requiring advance payment upon booking. For registration details, please visit the official website of the Thousand Butterflies Valley Insect Ecology Farm.

 

The Taipei City Government Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Urban Development has planned a free firefly-watching eco tour guide event, which will debut at Yangming Creek in Zhuzihhu, Beitou, on May 3. The first day’s registration saw a “flash sale,” with all 40 spots quickly filling up. Bureau Director Huang Liyuan stated that an additional session will be added on May 4, with registration open from April 28 to April 30, and all sign-ups to be done online. For registration information, check the Bureau of Urban Development’s official website.

This year’s “2014 TongXue Firefly Dance Season” at ErGeShan Nature Center runs from now until May 10, featuring three types of tours: a 2.5-hour Wednesday-exclusive session, a half-day Sunday-exclusive session, and a full-day Saturday-exclusive session. In addition to the highlight “ErGe Firefly Avenue,” the program also includes activities such as getting to know ErGe and a big reveal about fireflies. The 2.5-hour Wednesday session is suitable for seniors and families with young children. For more details, visit the ErGeShan Nature Center’s official website.

 

The Taichung City Government Agriculture Bureau is offering a one-day tour every Saturday and Sunday from now until May 4, priced at NT$990 per person and NT$100 for children under 2. The tour includes visiting the lifeblood of XinShe agriculture—the BaiLeng Canal—agricultural DIY experiences, sampling local cuisine, and exploring hidden firefly-viewing spots.

 

The itinerary includes two routes: Route 1 departs from Taichung High-Speed Railway Station and Taichung Railway Station, while Route 2 leaves from Fengyuan Railway Station. Both routes gather at 12:30 PM before departure. The itinerary visits the characteristic industries of the Choutengkeng Leisure Agriculture Area, and after dinner in the evening, participants head out for firefly watching. After the activity, return to the gathering point for the trip back. For registration info, contact the XinShe District Farmers’ Association Tourism Department.

 

Every April to May is when Baxianshan welcomes blooming tung blossoms fluttering in the wind. Tung trees begin to shed their “white snow,” covering the trails with a white carpet and heralding the firefly breeding and mating season at Baxianshan. As night falls, “stars” slowly rise from the grass, and the flickering lights and graceful dances are soothing to the soul. Baxianshan Nature Education Center will hold four sessions of the “Tong-Ying Season” event on April 26–27 and May 3–4. Visitors can experience Baxianshan as it glows with tung blossoms and twinkling fireflies.

 

This “Tong-Ying Season” event includes guided forest bathing trail tours, firefly ecology lectures, and outdoor firefly watching in Baxianshan. Each session is limited to 50 participants, with a fee of NT$250 per person, covering admission, activity materials, and course fees. For detailed registration info, check the Baxianshan Nature Education Center’s official website.

The Alishan National Scenic Area Administration has launched this year’s “Dancing with Fireflies” and “Trail Trails” events, holding the “Firefly Stroll Spring and Summer Firefly Watching” on April 26, 29 and May 13. There will also be four sessions of the “Firefly Stroll Trail Trails” event on April 27, 29, May 13, and June 7, taking place at firefly hotspots including Guanghua Dumbuzai Recreation Area, Yuantan Nature Ecology Park, Fengshan, Rueili, as well as famous trails like “Youth Ridge Trail,” “Wild Ginger Flower Creek Trail,” “Fengshan Observation Deck,” and “Yaums Trail.”

 

The Alishan National Scenic Area Administration stated that this year, in collaboration with the Alishan Forest Railway and local homestay operators, two 2-day, 1-night package tours have been arranged for April 29 and May 13, allowing participants to experience a series of firefly-strolling activities including the Alishan Forest Railway, firefly watching, and trails. Each session of the package tour accommodates 160 passengers on the Alishan Forest Railway train, with online registration open. The cost is NT$1,999 per person, covering the round-trip train fare from Chiayi to Jiaoliping, homestay accommodation, as well as lunch and dinner on the first day and breakfast and lunch on the second day. Free shuttle service from Jiaoliping Railway Station to Rueili accommodation areas is provided by homestay operators. Train seats and homestay rooms are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For details, visit the Alishan National Scenic Area official website.