By / MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team
The best season for firefly viewing in New Taipei City runs from late April to early June each year. Thanks to the fruitful conservation and restoration efforts of fireflies in the city, we’ve specially compiled the “New Taipei City Firefly Viewing Guide.” Provided by the New Taipei City Agriculture Bureau, this guide features 48 hidden gem spots across the city. Viewers are encouraged to spread out their visiting times and locations to reduce disturbance to the fireflies, and to enjoy the romantic beauty of a sky filled with dancing fireflies.
New Taipei City has numerous hidden gem spots for firefly viewing, helping to disperse the crowds and stagger visiting times during the season. (Image source / New Taipei City Tourism Official Website)
Fireflies are indicator insects for ecological environment monitoring. Taiwan is home to over 60 species of fireflies, and more than one-third of them can be seen in New Taipei City. Moreover, fireflies have been spotted in 14 administrative districts of the city. This year alone, there are 10 more firefly viewing spots compared to last year. In some areas, visitors can even enjoy the beautiful sight of “firefly rivers,” which is a rare phenomenon in international metropolitan areas and could be considered another kind of Taiwanese “light.”
April to June is the most ideal time for firefly viewing in New Taipei City. (Image source / New Taipei City Agriculture Bureau)
In addition, there are several important points to note for all firefly viewers to maintain together. When viewing fireflies, keep quiet, do not enter the grass, do not leave litter, and definitely do not attempt to catch them or shine bright lights at them. The optimal viewing time is between 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.—going too late may mean missing the fireflies altogether. Firefly habitats are usually in mountainous areas with low visibility and no light pollution. Viewers should pay attention to their own safety, preferably visiting in groups to avoid accidents. It’s recommended to read the “10 Questions About Firefly Viewing” in the “New Taipei City Firefly Viewing Guide” before you go. Strictly adhere to the viewing guidelines: do not damage their habitat or disturb their lives. Only with the sustainable survival of fireflies can we continue to enjoy the yearly joy of dancing with them.
A spectacular display of fireflies resembles a beautiful Milky Way on Earth. (Image source / New Taipei City Farmers’ Association)
【Info】
New Taipei City Firefly Viewing Spots
→ Tonghua Park and Surrounding Firefly Walking Trails (at the end of Chengtian Road, Tucheng District)
→ Shipiliao Creek Clear Stream Walking Trail (opposite Nantianmu Plaza, Tucheng District)
● Sanxia District
→ Yuan Mountain Firefly Path
→ Yumu Elementary School
→ Jian’an Elementary School
→ Qiwu Barbecue Area, by the mountainside, Lion Head Five-Fork Intersection
(Note: Firefly viewing activities require group registration, including guided tours, dinner, and insurance. Please call the Ankeng Li Office at 26726003)
→ Ridong Garden
(Note: Firefly viewing activities require group registration, including guided tours, dinner, and insurance. Please call the Ankeng Li Office at 26726003)
→ Provincial Highway 114 and Township Road 109
→ Daban Gen Forest Hot Spring Resort
→ Carbon Neutral Amusement Park
Note: The firefly viewing activity consists of 8 sessions from April 23–26 and April 30–May 3. Each session has 40 winners drawn by lottery (each winner may bring up to 4 people, making a total of 5 people including the applicant). Vehicles may share one car to enter the park for firefly viewing; those who do not drive may bring up to 4 people, making a total of 5 people including the applicant.
For activity details, please contact Mr. Wu at extension 12, 26716880.
● Xindian District
→ Galaxy Cave
→ Quchi Wetland
→Hemei Mountain Trail (at the Yongye Intersection, Xindian District)
→Zhitan Elementary School (No. 92, Zhitan Road, Xindian District, New Taipei City)
→Guangxing Wetland
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●Wulai
→Approximately 3–5 km along the Xiluoan Section of Wulai Village
●Shiding
→Erge Mountain (Nature Center)
→Yunhai Elementary School
→Huafan University Back Mountain
●Pinglin
→Chiuchoogen Waterfront Park
→Huanhe Campsite in Shulid
→Areas around the Waterfront Suspension Bridge in Pinglin Village
→Yuguang Elementary School (Yuguang Campus of Pinglin Elementary School)
●Shuangxi
→Houfanzi Pit Creek Ecological Education Park
→Peony to Thirteen Levels (Marten Mountain Trail)
→Thirteen Levels Waterfront Park
→Ganlin Elementary School
→Shuangxi Pinglin Leisure Farm
→Shuangxi Camellia Garden
●Pingxi
→[Pingxi Old Street → via Pingxi Township Office → Chengshan Bridge → Pingxin Industrial Road]
→[Shifen Old Street → Pingxin Agricultural Road]
→[Jingtong Old Street → Taiyang Club (Crown Prince Guesthouse) → Minsheng Bridge → Riverside Trail beneath the Bridge]
→Taiwan Coal Mine Museum
→Pinghu Forest Recreation Area
●Ruifang
→Liulang Road Sightseeing Trail
→Rui Gan Elementary School
→San Diego Ridge Golden Bridge
●Xizhi
→Xinshan Dream Lake Trail
→3 km mark on Xiding Road
→Cuihu Lake
●Wanli
→Along Ruiquan Road in Xidi Village
→Along Daxing Elementary School in Shuangxing Village
●Jinshan
→Along the Zhonghe River (beside the Huangxi Head Farm Road leading to Yangmingshan, accessed via a turnoff at 4K on the Yangjin Highway toward Qifengshi Hot Spring Villa)
●Shimen
→Alibang Ecological Farm (No. 84, Alibang, Shimen District; Tel: 2638-2754)
●Sanzhi
→Xiban Village, Sanzhi District
→Qingshan Road, Yuanshan Village, Sanzhi District
→Sanzhi District Baxian Village Healing Corridor