Written/Compiled and Reported by MOOK Travel Life Network, Chen Guanxin
From March to June each year, in addition to the April snow-like period of the tung blossom season, various cities and counties have launched firefly-watching tours and package itineraries, allowing the public to experience a rare night of fireflies during the transition from spring to summer. Among them, New Taipei City’s 2012 Firefly Feast Music Concert will be held on April 28 at Zhongyuan Elementary School in Sanxia District; Taichung’s Dongshi District offers a small-scale farm package tour, led by local farmers to private hidden firefly-viewing spots; Tainan’s Meilin has free firefly shuttle buses and a “Firefly Cinema”; and Eastern Taiwan’s Liyu Tan also offers free guided firefly-watching tours.
The flickering glow among the bushes makes one feel as if in a dream. (Photo provided by Zheng Mengxian)
The northern regions of New Taipei City, Miaoli, and Hsinchu respectively host firefly-watching activities. Among them, Miaoli’s Dawo Cultural and Ecological Association is offering the Flame Fly Eco-Intellectual Journey from now until May 12, spanning 21 days, accepting reservations nationwide for guided tours and arranging lunch, dinner, and shuttle bus bookings. New Taipei City’s “2012 Firefly Feast Event” will provide firefly ecological tours on April 28–29 and May 5–6, covering areas such as 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 Bloom Visit to Fireflies and Tea Fun” on May 5, with a firefly tour from 18:00–21:00 that evening along the Tengping Waterfront Park Tung Blossom Trail, featuring ecological guides.
Central Taiwan’s Chung Hsing University’s Huison Forest, Taichung’s Dongshi District Farmers’ Association, Yunlin County’s Gukeng Township Huashan Community Development Association, Alishan National Scenic Area Administration, Nantou County’s Lugu Township Office, and Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration have also launched a series of firefly-themed events. Among them, Huison Forest’s Firefly Season has just begun and runs until May 20. During the day, visitors can view 50 waterfall works from around the world selected by photographer Chang Fengji; at 19:00 in the evening, specialists provide ecological commentary on fireflies, and non-holiday lodging is offered at a 40% discount. The “Firefly Night Whispers” event organized by Taichung’s Dongshi District Farmers’ Association plans a small-scale farm package, where visitors gather at the host farm in the evening to enjoy authentic Hakka cuisine, then are led by local farmers to private hidden spots for firefly viewing, offering an in-depth firefly-watching experience in Dongshi.
At an altitude of about 700 meters, Huison Forest, thanks to its excellent ecological conservation, provides a unique habitat for fireflies. (Photo provided by Zheng Mengxian)
Tainan’s Meilin Firefly Season is a flagship local event. Running from now until May 13, every Saturday and Sunday from 16:00–21:30, free shuttle buses take visitors into the firefly-viewing area. At the entrance of the Wulong Trail in the viewing zone, a “Firefly Cinema” is set up to give the public a deeper understanding of fireflies. Eastern Taiwan’s Forestry Bureau Hualien Forest District Office holds the “2012 Liyu Tan In-depth Tourism Activity – Firefly and Butterfly Ecological Journey.” From now until May 13, every Friday and Saturday at 19:00 and 20:00 for two sessions each night (limited to 300 participants per session), free outdoor guided tours of Liyu Tan’s fireflies are offered. 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, with registration online (50 people per day), opening for booking on the Monday of the event week and closing when full.
Tainan’s Meilin firefly-watching event provides free shuttle buses, making the experience more convenient. (Photo provided by Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau)
|
Location |
Event Details |
Date |
Registration Info |
|
New Taipei City |
The 2012 New Taipei City Firefly Feast 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 launch the Flame Fly Eco-Intellectual Journey, spanning 21 days, accepting nationwide reservations for guided tours and arranging lunch, dinner, and shuttle buses. |
Now–May 12 |
Contact: Huang Huiqin 03-9722-1926 |
|
Hsinchu County |
“One Tung, One Firefly, Tea Fun”: A firefly tour from 18:00–21:00 on the evening of May 5 along the Tengping Waterfront Park Tung Blossom Trail, with ecological guides. |
May 5 |
On-site participation |
|
Taichung City |
Chung Hsing University Huison Forest Firefly Season: Professional guides available nightly at 19:00, 40% off non-holiday lodging, and group ticket discounts for 20+ people. |
Now–May 20 |
Huison Forest registration hotline: 049-294-2001 |
|
Taichung City |
Dongshi District “Firefly Night Whispers”: In-depth experience package tours including firefly watching and orchard experiences, limited to 40 people per day at NT$599 per person. Small-scale farmer-led package tours are limited to 80 people per day at NT$200 per person, where local farmers guide visitors to hidden spots for firefly viewing and Hakka cuisine tasting. |
April 28 – May 6 |
In-depth Experience Package Tour: Spring Travel Agency 04-2302-9829 Small-scale Farmer Package Tour: Ruanpikeng Leisure Industry Development Association 0975-031-330 |
|
Nantou County |
Sun Moon Lake “Firefly Ecology Tour” Free Guided Tours: Divided among the Shuishe Visitor Center, Ita Thao area, and Tanan area. The Shuishe Visitor Center and Ita Thao have 40 spots per session per day, while the Tanan area only accepts holiday bookings with a daily limit of 20 people, first-come-first-served. |
From now until May 6 |
Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration |
|
Nantou County |
Lugu Township “2012 Lugu Firefly Season”: Visitors can inquire about firefly-watching routes at the Lugu Visitor Center on weekdays. For groups of 10 or more or for visits outside event hours (at your own expense), 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 Activities: One session every Friday and four sessions every Saturday, each accommodating 20 people. Family-based free reservations are accepted. |
From now until May 28 |
Huashan Community Development Association |
|
Chiayi County |
“2012 Alishan New Impression – Dancing with Fireflies & Trail Exploration Series”: Guided tours are arranged at locations such as Yuantan Nature Ecological Park, Guanghua Firefly Trail, Fengshan Firefly Area, and Wild Ginger Flower Creek Trail. The program includes Saturday reservation-based guided tours and fixed-point guided tours every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. All activities are free. Registration is available online and via fax. |
From now until June 30 |
2012 Alishan New Impression – Dancing with Fireflies & Trail Exploration Series webpage
|
|
Tainan City |
“2012 Tainan Meilin Firefly Season”: Free shuttle buses are provided every Saturday and Sunday from 16:00 to 21:30. A photo contest invites the public to upload photos of glowing fireflies to Facebook. The top 10 posts 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 Liyu Pond In-Depth Sightseeing Event – Firefly and Butterfly Eco-Tour”: Two sessions every Friday and Saturday at 19:00 and 20:00 respectively, with a limit of 300 participants per session. The event offers free guided outdoor firefly viewing tours around Liyu Pond. Registration is done online and opens on the Monday of the event week, until all spots are filled. |
From now until May 13 |
2012 Liyu Pond In-Depth Sightseeing Event Registration Page |
● Read more: Ride a bike, admire the tung blossoms, head to New Taipei Hakka Homeland on 5/12
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