Houtong Cat Village is an abandoned mining town home to over 200 stray cats and various gift shops and cafés. Keep reading to learn more.
I’ve visited Houtong many times. To help you determine whether it’s worth seeing, I’ve compiled some information based on my experience.
Important Information
| Is it Worth Visiting? | Yes; if you like cats |
| Best Time to Visit | Sunny days |
| Entrance Fee | Free |
| Opening & Closing Hours | 24/7 |
| Time People Spend Here | 2 hours |
| How Many Cats Are There? | More than 200 |
| City Location | New Taipei City |
| Address | No. 70 Chailiao Rd., Ruifang Dist., Ruifang, New Taipei 22450 Taiwan |
| Wheelchair Accessible? | No |
| Chinese Name | 猴硐貓村 / Hóu dòng māo cūn |
| Where to Leave Luggage? | Lalalocker; otherwise, there aren’t many options |
How Do I Get to Houtong Cat Village?
Take the direct train from Taipei to Houtong on the Pingxi Line (45-60 min). If traveling from other areas, transfer at Ruifang Station.
The journey should cost you NT$56 – 91.
You could also rent a car or scooter.
Does it Cost Money to Visit Houtong Cat Village?
It’s free to enter Houtong Cat Village.
What’s There to Do in Houtong Cat Village?
In short, here’s what to do in Houtong Cat Village:
- Shop
- Take the mine cart tour
- Visit the museum
- Visit an abandoned Japanese Shinto shrine
- Visit cat cafes
- Feed and pet the cats
- Walk
Houtong doesn’t have the most activities. You could peruse the village, visit the cat-themed cafés and souvenir shops, and feed the kitties. The walk would take you about an hour or 2.
Otherwise.
Explore the area. It’s more peaceful than most tourist destinations and allows you to breathe in fresh, unpolluted air.
Bring insect repellent, though. You won’t want a bunch of mosquitoes biting you. Also, don’t let the cats lick areas where you applied bug repellent.
1. Visitors Center
Find other things to do in the area and collect a tourist stamp. The stamps don’t do anything other than serve as memorabilia to remember when you visited Houtong.
The folks here speak English. Ask them any questions about Houtong.
2. Houtong Mine Tour (Minecart Ride)
- Cost: NT$150
- Duration: 30 min
The Houtong minecart ride will put you in an 85-year-old diesel-fuel cart used during Japan’s occupation. The tour guide can speak English.
They didn’t speak English during my visit, though. And the carts move at a turtle’s pace.
You will breathe in the cart’s gas when riding the cart through the tunnels. I’d avoid this ride if you’re sensitive to that.
The tour will stop at an area where they’ll let you play with the tools the miners used for around 10 minutes.
3. Houtong Museum
A free-to-enter museum that presents:
- Old photos
- A diorama of the mining village
- Mining relics
- Tools used for mining
It’ll probably take you (at max) 10 minutes to get through the museum. There’s also a gift shop here. I don’t recommend any particular souvenirs from here. I’d recommend saving room in your bags for other foods or trinkets.
4. Houtong Shrine Relics
- Address: No. 61, Houdong Rd, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, 224
The Houtong Shrine Relic is one of Taiwan’s few remaining torii gates (entrance of a Shinto shrine). You’ll need to leave the village, ascend stairs, and descend more stairs until you reach a roadside.
You’ll eventually reach this shrine.
There isn’t anything to do in this area except observe one of the remaining relics from the Japanese Empire’s occupation.
I find it fascinating. I also want to visit all the torii gates in Taiwan, which is on my bucket list.
Upon leaving the village, you’ll need to cross a bridge and see an obvious hiking path.
How to Plan Your Houtong Itinerary (Nearby Places)
Drive for around 16 minutes from Houtong to Jiufen. Or take buses 808 and 788. Once there, explore the old street, hike along the Teapot Mountain Trail, and check out the Yin Yang Sea.
Once the sun’s close to setting, take bus 788 to Keelung City. Visit the night market, then walk off the calories at one of the many shopping centers.
If you’re staying in Taipei, take a train from Keelung Station to any of the stations in Taipei City. Or find a hotel with a harbor view in Keelung.
Combined with Houtong, those activities will fill your entire day and only require a little money. Aside from food and transportation costs.
Here’s what I’d do:
- Breakfast
- Head to Houtong
- Walk around, pet the cats, and visit the Japanese shrine
- Get lunch
- Head to Jiufen and explore
- Take a bus back to Taipei and go to Raohe Night Market
- Or go to Keelung and visit the night market
Houtong doesn’t have much to do, but it’s a great way to kill a few hours.
What Is Houtong Cat Village?
Houtong Cat Village is a quirky tourist destination in Ruifang District, New Taipei City. This rural village is home to over 100 stray cats. Making it a paradise for cat lovers. Visitors can explore historic homes, enjoy scenic views, and enjoy cat-themed activities.
The village was once a mining town, home to Taiwan’s largest coal-mining sites. When the mine closed in the 1990s, the population dwindled.
In 2008, a group of cat lovers began feeding stray cats in the village, which led to a growing cat population.
Today, the village is home to hundreds of cats. Visitors can come to see the cats and even adopt one. There are also various cat-themed shops and cafés. The souvenirs in these shops can get pricey, though.
But they’re worth it. Since they’re (purr)fect.
Houtong is also a functioning community. Ensure you respect people’s property. Because you’re around or sauntering through people’s homes. And don’t mess with the cats. They don’t have special protection.
I’ll emphasize later.
Are There Any Hotels?
Houtong doesn’t have any hotels, since it’s a community. You’d find all “nearby” hotels in Keelung, Jiufen, and Ruifang.
How to Approach the Cats: Houtong Cat-iquette
Out of my 20 visits to Houtong, I’ve seen many tourists mess with cats (in a bad way). Don’t do this. The cats just want to enjoy their lives.
Here’s how to approach the cats in Houtong:
- Handle with care: Do not pick them up.
- Maintain distance: Don’t chase them or touch their shelters.
- Prioritize hygiene: Wash your hands before and after interacting with them.
- Be gentle: Never touch a cat’s mouth.
- Proper feeding: Use the provided cat food bowls. Overfeeding is harmful.
- Capture responsibly: Turn off your camera flash when taking photos to avoid startling the cats.
- Create a calm environment: Do not tease or harass the cats.
- Purchase cat food from local shops: Don’t feed the cats human food.
- Respect their space: Other animals can stress cats. Do not bring pets to the area.
If you notice an issue with the cats, notify someone at the information center. Let them deal with cat-related problems. Do they speak English, though? The last time I was there, the staff wearing the American flag pins spoke English.
So, that’s how you’ll identify the English speakers.
These are also animals susceptible to diseases. Tourists often infect the cats with whatever they’re stuck with. Leading to the village temporarily shutting down. Don’t touch the cats if you’re sick…
Follow the cat-iquette to keep Houtong alive as a tourist destination. If tourists mess with the cats too much, that could ruin the experience for future visitors.
Cat Village History
It was once a thriving coal-mining community, but when the mines closed in the 1990s, the population declined, and many buildings deteriorated.
Come 2008 —
A group of cat lovers started feeding and caring for stray cats in the village. This increased the number of cats and eventually led to the creation of a cat sanctuary, cat-themed cafés and shops, and the village becoming a popular tourist destination.
Houtong Cat Village Photos
