TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) and the Hsi Liu Environmental Greening Foundation have planned activities on Taipei’s Tiger Mountain to enable visitors to view fireflies that come out around this time of year, the GEO said in a press release on Friday (April 8).

The organized firefly viewing activities are scheduled to take place along the Tiger Mountain Biological Trail (虎山生態步道) on the nights of April 16, 17, 23, and 24. No registration is required to participate in the activities.

Guides will be stationed along the route from 6:30–8:30 p.m. on the stated days to help visitors better understand fireflies and the local ecology, according to the release. 

Light posts along the mountainside trails, including the Tiger Mountain Biological Trail, will not be turned on until 9:30 p.m. from now until May 10 in order to reduce interruption of the glowing insects’ activities, according to the GEO.

Visitors should begin a circular tour from the entrance of the Tiger Mountain Nature Trail (虎山自然步道) which is located beside the Songshan Cihui Temple (慈惠堂). Guests are invited to walk along the trail while following the florescent signs and floor stickers on the steps, then turn right to walk along the Tiger Mountain Biological Trail for firefly viewing before taking the Tiger Mountain Stream Trail (虎山溪步道) back down the mountain.

Public Transportation:

1. Take the Taipei MRT Blue Line to Houshanpi Station, leave the station from Exit 2, and walk along Zhongpo South Road to Fude Street. The trailhead at the Cihui Temple is located on Lane 251. The walk takes about 20 minutes.

2. Take a bus to the Fude Elementary School Stop, then walk along Fude Street to the trailhead at Lane 251, about a ten-minute walk.