There are also private-guided tours for hidden gems, along with a comprehensive guide to firefly-watching events across Taiwan.
Text by MOOK Travel Life Network, Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported
Every year from March to June, in addition to the April Snow season of the tung blossom, various cities and counties launch firefly-watching tours and package itineraries, allowing the public to experience a rare firefly night during the transition from spring to summer. Among them, New Taipei City’s 2012 Firefly Banquet Music Festival will be held on April 28 at Zhongyuan Elementary School in Sanxia District; Taichung’s Dajia District offers a farm-stay mini-package tour, guided by local farmers to hidden firefly spots; Tainan’s Meilin has free firefly shuttle buses and a “Firefly Cinema”; and eastern Taiwan’s Liyu Pond also offers free guided firefly tours.
The flickering glow in the bushes makes one feel as if in a dream. (Photo provided by Cheng Mengxian)
Northern regions such as New Taipei City, Miaoli, and Hsinchu respectively host firefly-guided activities. Among them, Miaoli’s Dawo Cultural and Ecological Association, from now until May 12, offers a 21-day “Quest for Fireflies – An Eco-Educational Journey,” accepting nationwide reservations for guided tours, as well as lunch, dinner, and shuttle bus bookings. New Taipei City’s “2012 Firefly Banquet Event” will provide firefly ecological tours on April 28–29 and May 5–6, with locations including the Yuanshan Ecological Trail in Sanxia, Pingxi Shifen Old Street, Xindian Quchi area, and Tucheng Tung Blossom Park. Hsinchu County’s Emei Township Office will also hold “A Tung Blossom Visit to Fireflies and Tea Fun” on May 5, with a firefly tour from 6:00–9:00 p.m. along the Tengping Waterfront Park Tung Blossom Trail, featuring ecological guides.
Central Taiwan’s Chung Hsing University’s Huishan Forest, Taichung Dajia District Farmer’s Association, Yunlin County Gukeng Township Huashan Community Development Association, Alishan National Scenic Area Administration, Nantou County Lugu Township Office, and Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration have also launched a series of firefly events. Huishan Forest’s Firefly Season has just begun and runs until May 20. During the day, visitors can view 50 selected waterfall works from around the world by photographer Chang Fengji, and at 7:00 p.m., experts provide firefly ecological commentary. There is also a 40% discount on non-holiday lodging. The “Firefly Night Whispers” event organized by the Dajia District Farmer’s Association features a farm-stay mini-tour: guests gather at a host farm in the evening to enjoy authentic Hakka cuisine, then are led by local farmers to hidden spots for firefly viewing, offering a deep firefly-watching experience in Dajia.
At an altitude of about 700 meters, Huishan Forest, with its excellent ecological conservation, provides a unique habitat for fireflies. (Photo provided by Cheng Mengxian)
Tainan’s Meilin Firefly Season is a flagship local event. Running from now until May 13, every Saturday and Sunday from 4:00–9:30 p.m., free shuttle buses take visitors into the firefly viewing area, and a “Firefly Cinema” is set up at the entrance of the Wulong Trail in the viewing zone, helping the public learn more about fireflies. In eastern Taiwan, the Forestry Bureau’s Hualien Forest District Office hosts the “2012 Liyu Pond In-Depth Tourism Activity – Firefly and Butterfly Eco-Tour,” running from now until May 13. Every Friday and Saturday at 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. (two sessions per day, 300 people per session max), free outdoor guided firefly tours are offered at Liyu Pond. Registration is online, opening on the Monday of the event week and closing when full. Additionally, the Chinan Community Development Association holds a tree bark firefly DIY activity every Saturday during the event period. Registration is online, 50 people per day, opening on the Monday of the event week and closing when full.
Tainan’s Meilin Firefly event offers free shuttle buses, making the experience more convenient. (Photo provided by Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau)
|
Location |
Event Content |
Time |
Registration Information |
|
New Taipei City |
The 2012 New Taipei City Firefly Banquet includes professional firefly lectures, an opening concert, and ecological firefly tours. |
April 28 – May 6 |
New Taipei City Government Agriculture Bureau |
|
Miaoli County |
The Dawo Cultural and Ecological Association will offer a 21-day “Quest for Fireflies – An Eco-Educational Journey,” accepting nationwide reservations for guided tours, lunch, dinner, and shuttle buses. |
Now – May 12 |
Contact: Huang Huiqin 03-9722-1926 |
|
Hsinchu County |
“A Tung Blossom Visit to Fireflies and Tea Fun”: Firefly tours are held from 6:00–9:00 p.m. on May 5 along the Tengping Waterfront Park Tung Blossom Trail, with ecological guides. |
May 5 |
On-site participation |
|
Taichung City |
Chung Hsing University Huishan Forest Firefly Season: Professional guides available nightly at 7:00 p.m., 40% off non-holiday lodging, and group discounts for parties of 20 or more. |
Now – May 20 |
Huishan Forest registration hotline: 049-294-2001 |
|
Taichung City |
Dongshi District “Firefly Night Whispers”: In-depth experience package including firefly viewing and orchard experiences, limited to 40 people per day at NT$599 per person. Small farmer-led packages limited to 80 people daily at NT$200 per person, where local farmers take you to exclusive spots for firefly viewing and Hakka cuisine tasting. |
April 28 – May 6 |
In-depth Experience Package: Spring Travel Agency 04-2302-9829 Farmer Mini Package: Ruanpikeng Leisure Industry Development Association 0975-031-330 |
|
Nantou County |
Sun Moon Lake “Firefly Eco Tour” Free Guided Tours: Divided among the Shuishe Visitor Center, Ita Thao area, and Tan Nan area. Shuishe Visitor Center and Ita Thao have 40 spots per session daily; Tan Nan area only accepts holiday registrations, limited to 20 people per day until full. |
From now until May 6 |
Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration |
|
Nantou County |
Lugu Township “2012 Lugu Firefly Festival”: Visitors can inquire about firefly viewing routes at the Lugu Visitor Center on weekdays. For groups of 10 or more or for non-event hours (self-paid), please contact the “Nantou County Lugu Tourism Guide and Interpretation Association”. |
From now until April 29 |
Nantou County Lugu Tourism Guide and Interpretation Association: 049-275-0863, Ms. Chu.
|
|
Yunlin County |
Firefly Interpretation Activity: Every Friday and Saturday, offering 1 and 4 guided sessions respectively, each with 20 people. Family-based free reservations accepted. |
From now until May 28 |
Huashan Community Development Association |
|
Chiayi County |
“2012 Alishan New Impression – Dance with Fireflies & Trail Exploration Series”: Featuring guides at Yuantan Nature Ecological Park, Guanghua Firefly Trail, Fengshan Firefly Area, and Wild Ginger Flower Creek Trail. Includes Saturday reservation-guided tours and fixed-point guided tours every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. All activities are free. Registration via website or fax. |
From now until June 30 |
2012 Alishan New Impression – Dance with Fireflies & Trail Exploration Series webpage
|
|
Tainan City |
“2012 Tainan Meilin Firefly Season”: Free shuttle buses available every Saturday and Sunday from 16:00–21:30. Also launching a campaign inviting the public to upload photos of glowing fireflies to Facebook; the top 10 friends with the most likes will receive a mysterious little gift from the 2012 Meilin Firefly Season. |
From now until May 13 |
Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau |
|
Hualien county |
“2012 Carp Lake In-Depth Tourism Activity – Firefly & Butterfly Eco Tour”: Two sessions every Friday and Saturday at 19:00 and 20:00 respectively, with a limit of 300 participants per session. Offers free guided outdoor firefly viewing tours at Carp Lake, registration is online only and opens on the Monday of the event week, first-come-first-served until full. |
From now until May 13 |
2012 Carp Lake In-Depth Tourism Activity registration page |
● Related reading: Bike through the Tung Blossoms – Head to New Taipei Hakka Homeland on 5/12
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