Many visitors arrived early in the morning to secure a ride for a unique experience in Taiwan that feels like landing on an alien planet.

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Hot air balloons returned to Tianliao’s otherworldly ‘Moon World’ badlands this week, offering visitors a chance to soar above the region’s stark, moonlike landscape of bare mudstone ridges and sparse vegetation.

The Kaohsiung hot air balloon event, now staged at the famous lunar-style terrain, featured a 28-meter-tall ‘Kaohsiung Bear’ balloon alongside two large standard balloons and a lineup of animal-shaped designs, including a Taiwanese macaque and a husky. Crowds gathered before dawn to secure spots, with some residents saying they left home around 5 a.m. to avoid traffic and long lines.

As the balloons drifted upward, passengers described the ascent as both nerve-racking and thrilling, noting the distinctive sounds of the burners and the surreal feeling of entering another world. Many took photos against the dramatic backdrop, framing the colorful balloons with Moon World’s eroded hills to capture what felt like a landing on an alien planet.