The annual firefly viewing season has arrived, and Nantou County is acclaimed as the largest firefly viewing base in Taiwan. In recent years, active conservation of the ecological environment has led to the successful restoration of fireflies, an important ecological indicator, across major bases. The 2024 Nantou Firefly Season kicked off on March 22 with a press conference, announcing a series of themed events soon to take place in Nantou’s four major firefly viewing areas. The fireflies in Nantou County are primarily distributed in four areas: Sun Moon Lake, Zhushan Lugu, Beigangxi, and Aowanda, spanning seven townships in Nantou. The county government has integrated various stakeholders and planned exclusive events in each area, inviting the public to experience firefly viewing, tea tasting, and local cuisine in Nantou for a magical eco-healing journey.
The county government will continue to promote low-carbon sustainable tourism development. Fireflies serve as an excellent ecological indicator, and the county will also introduce other nighttime activities, such as stargazing and hot spring seasons, to increase tourist stays and boost tourism consumption in Nantou. This year, each of the four major firefly viewing areas has planned a series of diverse firefly viewing activities, offering a variety of tours from early April to the end of May. The Sun Moon Lake area covers Taomi, Dongguang, Dalin, Shuishe, Toushe, Tannan, and Danda, offering firefly ecological tours and local experiences. Visitors can choose their preferred tours to enjoy the most beautiful firefly holiday. Following this, the Shuilinxi Forest Ecology Park in the Zhulu viewing area, where fireflies appear from February to November, hosts free firefly viewing guided tours, allowing visitors to marvel at the wonders of fireflies and experience the romance of a glowing forest. Lugu Township Office, Fenghuang Valley Bird Park, Fenghuang Nature Education Park, Taiji Meidi Association, and Forest Bond have all planned exclusive firefly viewing events. Additionally, several hotels and B&Bs in Xitou offer accommodation discounts, enriching the Nantou Firefly Season and making it an unmissable summer night event. The Cai Zai Creek Nature Ecology Park in Guangxing Village, Lugu Township, recently completed by the county government with subsidies from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, offers a firefly viewing trail accessible from the county road 151 water plant side trail. With successful restoration in recent years, the area has become a popular firefly viewing spot, with a rich ecosystem including native fish and shrimp species, and is lined with camellias, osmanthus, willows, and double cherry blossoms, providing an alternative to avoid traffic jams.
The Aowanda Firefly Viewing Area combines professional guides and park resources to offer a “Stay a Night in the Forest, Visit the Night Spirits” event, including a two-day, one-night package with pendant DIY, firefly tours, and insect knowledge experiences, available for online registration on the Taiwan Forest Recreation website. The Huisun Forest Area in the Beigangxi viewing area will host the “Huisun Night Firefly Viewing” events on Fridays and Saturdays from April 19 to May 11. Interested visitors can check the Huisun Forest website for details.
In addition to the rich activities in the four major firefly viewing areas, the Nantou County Government will host the “Magical Night Sky Adventure” theme event at the Qilin Lake Fish-shaped Plaza in Lugu on April 13, featuring performances by the Lugu Community College Choir, Guangxing Elementary School String Orchestra, local singers, and fantasy ventriloquism, as well as DIY activities, free firefly viewing tours, and stargazing tea sessions. Local specialty vendors will also offer agricultural products, creative goods, and snacks, with activities such as firefly lantern giveaways and market vouchers, inviting people nationwide to enjoy firefly viewing and promote local tourism.
To promote in-depth tourism in Nantou and sustainable transportation along the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle route, the “Enjoy Firefly Viewing with Taiwan Tourist Shuttle for a Chance to Win Great Prizes” event will be held during the firefly season. Visitors who take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle in Nantou and collect stamps at designated stops can enter a lottery to win prizes such as a Panasonic LCD monitor, Samsonite luggage, Nantou Fun Cards, and well-known sports goods.
The Director of Tourism, Chen Zhi-xian, also reminds visitors that professional guides must accompany them to view fireflies in Nantou, adhering to the three principles of “do not disturb, capture, or harm” to minimize ecological damage and enjoy a beautiful midsummer night. For more information on the events, please follow the “Enjoy Traveling in Nantou” official Facebook page and the “2024 Nantou Firefly Season” official website.
