Houtong Cat Village - New Taipei, Taiwan
I first heard about Houtong Cat Village (猴硐貓村) from a friend. After looking into it, I learned it was once a thriving coal mining town. I arrived by train, and as soon as I got to the waiting area at Houtong Station, I noticed cat-themed decorations everywhere—and even a few station cats lounging on benches. I spent some time just taking photos of them before leaving the station.
As I explored the town, I saw many stray cats, all well cared for by the locals. There were cat houses, clean water, and food near shops and in designated areas.
Since it was raining heavily, I ducked into a few shops, each with its own resident cat. It was fun watching them interact with customers. After wandering for a bit, I stopped at a cat café for a light lunch, served on a cat-themed plate.
Unfortunately, the coal mining park was closed for maintenance, but I still walked around the outside and saw the old coal carts they used. I caught the next train towards my next destination - Shifen.
Route Overview
Distance: 3.13 km out & back (Houtong Station)
Total elevation gain: 96 m
Duration: 1 hr 13 min (with breaks 1 hr 30 min)
Difficulty: Easy
Cost Breakdown
Train: Taipei Station → Houtong Station — NT$83
Souvenir: NT$270
Food: NT$300
