The Purrfect Day Trip To Houtong Cat Village from Taipei
There are many great day trips from Taipei, like Jiufen and Keelung. But one that I highly recommend, tucked away in the mountains of northern Taiwan is a former coal mining town turned cat village, Houtong.
Houtong Cat Village, officially just Houtong is one of those attractions that is not only a must visit destination in Taiwan but it’s a unique attraction that offers history, scenic views, and a lot of beautiful cats.
In Houtong, you can find cats everywhere. Here, cats lounge on benches, stretch out on the stairways, and casually wander through the streets.
If you are planning a trip to Taiwan and looking for day trips from Taipei, this guide covers everything you need to know before you go.
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Getting to Houtong Cat Village from Taipei is relatively easy. There is a direct train from Taipei Station to Houtong Station. Houtong Station is the next stop after Ruifang Train Station. The train ride was about 1.5 hours give or take.
When at Taipei Main Station, we took the train on platform 4 northbound. The train line was called Yilan.
Quick Summary
- Taipei Main Station, Platform 4, Northbound on the Yilan Line
- 1.5 hour train ride directly to Houtong Station passing Ruifang Train Station
Brief Introduction on Houtong Village
Houtong Village hasn’t always been a kitty purradise. In fact, Houtong Village started off as a small mining town. During its heyday, Houtong Village was producing coal of a rate at 220,000 tons a year and had a sprawling population of around 6,000 people.
The mining community thrived here for decades since the 1920’s, but began to decline in 1990, once the mine shut down. Because of this, younger residents left the town in search of new opportunities and Houtong village declined rapidly.
Once people left the village, the stray cat population began to increase and the locals that stayed behind began feeding these feline friends.
There are still attractions and mining related equipment scattered throughout the village that is open to visitors. To learn more about what life was like for the miners in the area, there is the Houtong Miner’s Culture & History Museum.
It wasn’t until 2008, where an individual visited Houtong Village and started to shine a spotlight on the stray cat population and received help from organizations to vaccinate and care for the stray cats.
Pictures of Houtong Village and especially the cats started to emerge and curious cat lovers flocked to the destination. Since then, Houtong Village has become one of Taiwan’s most popular tourist attractions. Once a dying village, Houtong Village is now thriving. The cats that call this place home are local celebrities and visitors from around the world come here to pet and see them.
The Cats and Cat Attractions Around Houtong Village
If you are a cat lover like we are, then Houtong Cat Village might just be purradise (Sorry for the cheesy sayings, can’t help it)!
When first arriving at Houtong Station, you can’t help but notice the unique design of the train station. Once exiting the gates, you are instantly greeted by cats. Visitors then have two options, head toward the Cat Bridge and wander around the hillside petting cats and stopping at one of the cat themed cafes or go down the stairs to the small village full of souvenir stores, restaurants, and more cats!
Let’s start by crossing the Cat Bridge to the opposite side of town. When exiting the train station gates, head right up the stairs toward the bridge. There is a long walkway that crosses the tracks. Here you will find fun walkways for the cats and places for both cats and humans to sit and spend time together.
Once on the other side of the bridge, you can freely walk around the paved walkways and see the many cats lounging around or looking for pets. Just follow the sign to see more cats!
There is a Cat Corridor here that is full of cute cat themed cafes. There are about 5-6 cafes on this small stretch. Each café has their own unique dishes, many kitty themed.
We didn’t do our research prior to coming and just selected a café that looked yummy based on their menus hanging outside. We found ourselves at the Hide & See Café and are so glad we came here. The interior was adorable, the staff was super friendly, and the treats were tasty. We had cream puffs in the shapes of cats which were both hilarious and delicious. But the main joy of Hide & Seek Café was a cat here by the name of Panghu, which translates to “Fat Tiger”. Panghu was a 9.3 kilo (20.5 lbs.) cat. He had quite the personality, he even escaped the café while we were sitting there. Thankfully he can’t go very far so the owner brought him back inside safely.
After a fun stop at Hide & Seek Café, we crossed the bridge to the other side. Here there are more souvenir shops, street vendors, and actual sit down restaurants.
There were quite a few cat sculptures and lanterns set up around the area. Jill had fun taking pictures with some of the drawings and statues.
Houtong Village isn’t just for cat lovers. There are spectacular views all around town. The Keelung River cuts the town in half, there are trails following the river and even hiking trails in the surrounding hills. The cats even loved being out in nature!
The cats at Houtong Cat Village are well taken care of and looked after. They get fed, have plenty of fresh water. There are many places around town for them to stay dry and out of the elements. We even saw wooden houses built for them with kitty litter boxes.
Rules and Etiquette Around the Cats
- Be mindful of the cats and understand their behaviors.
- If a cat is taking a well deserved cat nap, don’t bother it.
- Don’t bring outside food for the cats. If you really want to feed them, there is food and Squeezy Treats available at selected stores. Why not support the local community!
- Do not bring your cat here and abandon them here (Trust me it happens often).
- Similar to above, don’t take any of the cats home with you, they are much happier in Houtong Cat Village.
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Activities and Tours 🏖 🚁
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