In April and May every year, in Taiwan, you can spot lots of fireflies (lightning bugs) in northern Taiwan as well as in mountainous areas in central and southern Taiwan. Checking out these mystical bugs can be a magical experience, especially if you have never seen them before. If you happen to be in Taiwan during the springtime, be sure to check out the fireflies. In this blog, we will tell you the best places to spot fireflies in Taiwan as well as provide a useful map.

🏯 Planning your trip to Taipei? 🏮

Here are some top travel tips for you:

When is Firefly Season in Taiwan?:

April to May.
However, I have also seen many fireflies in Taipei as late as June.
The best time of day to see them is at night, when it is not raining.

Where are the best Firefly Spotting Locations in Taiwan?

Please be sure to check out firefly spotting locations in Taiwan below.

Taipei City

Picture

As one of the most secret and unknown tourist attractions in Taipei City, Nangang Tea Mountain is a large mountain area that offers pleasant hikes, great views, historical buildings, no crowds, and most of all tea. It is one of only two mountain tea growing areas in Taipei City, the other being Maokong. Hopefully this blog will help you understand how much natural beauty and intact history this is in Nangang District…(read more)

Elephant Mountain Trail 象山步道

Picture

The Elephant Mountain trail (aka Xiangshan Trail) is perhaps the most easily accessible trail in Taipei with perhaps also the best views of the city. This popular and easy hike covers areas of Xinyi and Nangang District and offers excellent views of the 101 and the rest of downtown Taipei. It should be on the top of your list of places to visit in Taipei…(read more)

Shilin Official Residence 士林官邸

Picture

Shilin Official Residence (aka Chiang Kai-shek Shilin Residence 士林官邸 英文介紹) is a historic mansion surrounded by a beautiful park and other historical buildings. The building was the residence of Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Meiling and housed many prominent guests. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Taipei…(read more)

You can book tickets to the Taipei Shilin Residence for a discount on Klook here or KKday here

Daan Forest Park 大安森林公園

Picture

Daan Forest Park (aka Da’an Forest Park) is the most busy park in Taipei City. Built over a former military dependents village, it was meant to resemble Central Park in New York, and is considered the “lungs of Taipei.” You can also find lots of green space, ponds, and wildlife here. It is a great place to relax and connect with nature in the middle of the big city…(read more)

Jiuzhuang Elementary School 舊莊國小

Jiuzhuang Elementary School is one of the biggest schools in Taiwan in terms of land area. It includes an entire forested mountain with trails behind it. The school also holds an annual firefly watching activity for its students.

Taipei Zoo 臺北市立動物園

Picture

The Taipei Zoo is not only the largest and most varied zoo in Taiwan, but it is also one of the best zoos in Asia, and at the same time has an extremely affordable price of only 60 NT per adult. If you have time, you should definitely stop by and visit this zoo, if not for anything else but to see Taiwan’s ingenious animals like the Formosan Black Bear and Sika Deer, which are hard to see in the wild…(read more)
You can book discount tickets to Taipei Zoo on Klook here or KKday here.

You can also book a Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola tour on TripAdvisor here.

Yangmingshan National Park 陽明山國家公園

Picture

Yangmingshan National Park is a mountainous area in Taipei and New Taipei, known for its volcanic activity, hiking trails, wildlife, waterfalls, hot springs, and sulfur vents. It is definitely worth a stop on your trip to Taipei…(read more)
You can book tours to Yangmingshan on TripAdvisor hereKlook here, or KKday here or here.

Mamingze Eco Park 馬明潭生態園區

A city park surrounded by forests and mountains in Wenshan District of Taipei City.

Rongxing Park 榮星花園公園

A city park filled with flower gardens in Taipei City.

Muzha Park 木柵公園

A green area known for its many fireflies in Muzha area of Taipei.

New Taipei

Pinglin

Picture

Pinglin Old Street (also known as Pinglin Shopping District 坪林商圈) is a small street in the mountainous Pinglin District in New Taipei. There are some great tea shops here, a tea museum, Qing dynasty stone houses, and beautiful views of the Beishi River and surrounding mountains. Also, there are some great hiking trails and camp sites nearby. If you love tea, Pinglin is the place for you…(read more)

Pingxi 平溪

Picture

Pingxi District of New Taipei has some of the most popular attractions in Northern Taiwan. With a total of 7 stations along the Pingxi Railway Line (plus 2 if you count Ruifang and Houtong), there are endless places to explore, eat, hike, and enjoy Taiwan’s history, culture, and natural beauty all in one place…(read more

Wulai 烏來

Picture

Wulai District of New Taipei includes some of Taiwan’s most amazing waterfalls, hot springs, aboriginal culture, an old street with snacks and restaurants, a gondola, a train, an amusement park, hiking trails, camp sites, wildlife, and endless mountain scenery to explore. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Taipei…(read more)

Full Moon – Manyueyuan – Waterfall 滿月圓瀑布

Picture

Full Moon Waterfall (Manyue Waterfall) lies in Sanxia’s Manyueyuan National Forest Recreation Area in New Taipei. It’s a beautiful waterfall and an easy family hike…(read more)

Sanxia 三峽

Picture

Sanxia Old Street is one of the best-preserved Old Streets in Taiwan, with two rows of buildings that have recently been renovated in their original Japanese-era baroque-style architecture. Here you can also enjoy local delicacies Ox Horn Bread, and other Taiwanese staples, such as sausages, ice cream, stinky tofu, and more…(read more)

Wenshan Farm 文山農場

A large recreational farm in the mountains near Bitan in Xindian.

Xindian Hemei Trail 和美山登山步道

A beautiful nature trail in Xindian District.

Yilan

Wufengqi Waterfall 五峰旗大瀑布

Picture

Wufengqi is a beautiful waterfall, only a five minute scooter ride from Jiaoxi. If you are looking for a peaceful place to connect with nature,  and you are looking for an easily accessible hike for your family, then this is the place for you…(read more)
Check out our full blog on Wufengqi Waterfall here

Toucheng Leisure Farm 頭城農場

Picture

Toucheng Farm is not just a farm but also a leisure area, a hotel, a restaurant, and an activity area. Here we also fed water buffalo, learned sustainable farming, the ancient art of sweet potato baking, lime juice fermentation, and painted T-shirts. Overall, it is a fun time that the whole family can enjoy…(read more)
You can book tickets to Toucheng Leisure Farm on Klook here or on KKday here.

Sanfu Recreational Farm 三富休閒農場

Another recreational leisure farm in southern Yilan.

Taoyuan

Lalashan 拉拉山

Picture

Lalashan is a scenic area in the mountainous Fuxing District of Taoyuan. Here you can enjoy majestic views of Xikou Suspension Bridge and the Dahan River. You can also enjoy a local shopping area and the aboriginal culture of the area nearby. …(read more)

Hsinchu

​Neiwan Old Street 内灣老街

Picture

The first time I heard of Neiwan old street was when I asked my Mioali native coworker what there is to do in Miaoli. She told me there was a fun place called Neiwan. It turns out, Neiwan isn’t even in Miaoli, it’s in Hsinchu, but obviously, it is one of the most popular places in north-central Taiwan. I am not an expert on this location, but I would like to share my experience here with the world…(read more)You can book a bus ticket and railroad pass for Neiwan Old Street on KKday here.

Miaoli

Sanwan 三灣

This hilly area in Miaoli has lots of fireflies to see.

Sanyi 三義

This area, known for its wood sculptures, is also popular for firefly spotting.

Xihu

The hilly Xihu area of Miaoli is also full of fireflies.

Taichung

Lavendar Forest 薰衣草森林

The lavendar forest is a popular firefly spotting area in the mountains of Taichung.

Dongshi

The valley around Dongshi is also known for having many fireflies.

Nantou

Xitou

Picture

Xitou, officially known as Xitou Nature Education Area (溪頭自然教育園區) is a forested nature park in Nantou County Taiwan. The park includes a forest sky-walk, bamboo forests, forest experiments, over 70 species of bird, and a monster themed village. It is a great day trip for nature lovers and hikers, and a unique way to enjoy Taiwan’s ecology….(read more)

Shanlinxi 杉林溪森

Shanlinxi is another beautiful area with forests and waterfalls that is full of fireflies in the spring.

Aowanda 奧萬大

Aowanda is another amazing camping and nature area where you can find fireflies in Nantou.

Sun Moon Lake

Picture

Sun Moon Lake is a beautiful scenic area in Taiwan and a popular tourist destination. Besides the lakeside scenery, one can also enjoy boat rides, Taiwanese street food, gift shops, temples, a gondola, aborigine theme park, and more. It is for sure a must-see destination for anyone coming to vacation in Taiwan…(read more

Yunlin

Huashan 華山

A hilly area in Yunlin that is full of fireflies.

Zhanghu 樟湖

Another mountainous area in Yunlin.

Shibi 石壁

A small valley in the hills of Yunlin near Nantou.

Alishan 阿里山

Picture

Alishan National Scenic Area is one of the most famous mountain areas in Taiwan (aka Mount Ali, or Ali Mountain). Formerly a timber harvesting area during the Japanese Era, it still has a working rail system for park visitors to ride around the mountain. The mountain villages, ancient forests, waterfalls, hiking destinations, and tea plantations have made it a popular destination for tourists. It is also a popular destination to see the sunrise over a sea of clouds. Overall, it is one of the most iconic and well-known mountain destinations in Taiwan…(read more)

Fenqihu 奮起湖

Picture

Fenqihu (aka Fenchihu) is a charming mountain village in Chiayi, and is the largest along the Alishan Forest Railway. It has two old streets that feature great food, such as the famous Fenqihu lunch box and jelly fig seed drink. You can also see many Japanese historical sights, such as a Shinto shrine, a train station, and residences. Also nearby are many beautiful sights, such as bamboo forests and hikes in nearby mountains. Fenqihu Old Street is also known as the Jiufen of Southern Taiwan. This place is definitely worth a stop along the Alishan Forest Railway…(read more)

Other mountain villages near Alishan:

Chashan 茶山社區

Taixing 太興社區

Fengshan 豐山社區

Lijia 里佳社區

Shizilu 十字社區

Ruili 瑞里社區

Guanghua 光華社區

Tainan

Meilingwulong Trail 梅嶺伍龍步道

This trail in the hills of Tainan is known for firefly sightings.

Kaohsiung

Maolin 茂林

Picture

Maolin District of Kaohsiung City is an amazing outdoor paradise and my favorite place in Taiwan. In this mountainous district of Kaohsiung, you can find waterfalls, streams, hot springs, butterflies, aboriginal culture, and great views, all by the roadside! Popular activities include swimming, hot spring bathing, river tracing, camping, and hiking. For our full guide to Maolin, click here.

Namaxia 那瑪夏

Namaxia is another mountain area in Kaohsiung known for its fireflies and aboriginal culture.

Hualien

Liyu Lake 鯉魚潭

Picture

Liyu Lake is a scenic lake in Hualien. Here you can paddle across the lake, or take a scenic bike ride around the shore. There are also many food options here. It is like the Sun Moon Lake of eastern Taiwan…(read more)You can book a paddle boatSUP, or kayak experience at Liyu Lake and more on Klook here and KKday here

Chinan National Forest Recreation Area 池南國家森林遊樂區

Chinan National Forest Recreation Area is a natural wonderland in central Hualien where you can see fireflies in the spring.

Danong Dafu Forest Area 大農大富平地森林園區

Another place you can see fireflies in Hualien is the Danong Dafu Forest Area.

Taiwan Firefly Spotting Map:

Check out the map below to see our full list of Firefly spotting areas:

Basic Firely Spotting Tips:

  • Don’t catch or harm fireflies
  • Stay on designated trails
  • Don’t use lights or flashes
  • If you need a light, use a red filter
  • Do not pollute the environment
  • Wear long sleeves and bring mosquito repellent
  • Wear hiking boots or shoes that grip well

How do I take photos of Fireflies?

Fireflies fly slowly and light on and off. The best way to capture them is by filming or using a camera with manual exposure time.

  • In-focus fireflies appear as small light dots or fine streaks; out-of-focus ones form larger dots and trails.
  • High ISO (800–3200): Shorter exposure, easier to capture light, but more noise.
  • Low ISO: Requires longer exposure, produces dimmer light points.
  • Bright environments: Reveal more detail, but dim firefly lights.
  • Dark environments: Less detail, more image noise.
  • Moderate lighting is ideal for balance.
  • Wide-angle lenses: Capture streak-like trails.
  • Standard to medium telephoto lenses: Better for capturing light dots.
  • Focusing at infinity: Large dots nearby, small dots in the distance.
  • Focusing on fireflies’ flight path: More small dots appear in the foreground.
  • Fireflies cover a wide range: Wide aperture = shallow focus.
  • Expert tip: Adjust focus distance during long exposure to capture richer trails.

Firefly activities in Taiwan:

Most campsites in Taiwan will have a Facebook Page. You can send messages to them on Facebook and reserve a spot in advance. Usually, this means you need to have Chinese skills or be able to use a translator.

Our Experience Spotting Fireflies in Taiwan

I have seen the most fireflies where I live, near my house in Nangang. There are fireflies everywhere in the mountains and hills here from about April to June. I never really tried to capture them on film until now for this blog.

The hardest part about capturing fireflies is getting just the right amount of light. Too much light and the fireflies will not stand out. Too little light and the whole image is too dark. Also, getting the right focus is hard in low light, and you also want to keep the shutter open long enough for some interesting shapes.

Here is an interesting path that a firefly took.

Another crazy firefly flight formation.

I found that going deeper into the forest, where there is less light, gave me a more optimal balance of light and firefly sparks.

Thanks for reading, and be sure to stay tuned for more of our guides on Taiwan to come!

For more seasonal activities in Taiwan throught the year, check out our Taiwan festival guide here.

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here. ​

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *