Tourist boats offer bat viewing in Taiwan’s Moon Cave

台灣鐘乳石洞穴的小船提供觀賞蝙蝠的服務

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hualien’s Moon Cave Recreation Area features a natural stalactite cave with a rich ecological landscape, including six bat species, per CNA.

Fengbin Township Mayor Chiu Fu-shun (邱福順) said only tour groups were previously able to reserve boats to enter the cave, but new changes to the policy will begin in October. Individual tourists will soon be able to book the service through the park hotline at (03) 878-1022.

The township office said new hours will also take effect next month, with the area open from 8:40 a.m. to 4 p.m. Two small boats will be available for bat viewing, each carrying eight passengers, with no more than 16 reservations allowed per time slot.

Chiu said visitors unable to secure boat reservations can still enjoy free admission to the recreation area. Other attractions include a cave bat ecological exhibition hall, a sea-viewing pavilion, and a rest area selling drinks, ice cream, and handicrafts.

The Moon Cave Recreation Area is located on Provincial Highway 11 and is open year-round. The Moon Cave is a close-ended rock cavern where water flows from the walls into a lake without an inlet or outlet but still shows tidal changes, creating tranquil waterways. Visitors can also observe signs of geological evolution during the boat ride.

It is the only bat cave in Taiwan accessible exclusively by boat, offering a unique sensory experience. The cave provides a stable environment for species including the East Asian bent-winged bat, Taiwan leaf-nosed bat, and Formosan lesser horseshoe bat.

In summer, about 300 to 500 bats live in the cave, while in winter the number can rise to more than 2,000. Along with bat watching, the area also highlights local ecology and Amis Indigenous culture.