Houtong Cat Village Taiwan Travel Guide

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” that’s what I thought when I first stumbled upon this gem on the internet while looking for places to go in Taiwan. My husband and I are obsessed with cats that one of our dream travels is to spend a day at Aoshima in Ehime Prefecture Japan (that’s for another post). So imagine our delight when we realized we are actually going to Houtong cat village–a tiny little town sprawling with cats! *sparkly eyes*

Unlike the bustling Jiufen that offers a view of the mountain landscape and the sea, Houtong stands out with its calm and slow atmosphere. After alighting a bus from Jiufen, we were greeted with a commanding view of the mountains, somewhat encasing the little road towards town. On our left side was the soothing burbling flow of the Keelung River and to our right was a wall of the mountain.

We were already exhausted from our long walks in Jiufen but stepping on to Ruifang District gave us an energy boost. The chirping of the birds, the smell of the trees and plants, the quiet and relaxing feeling all made a huge difference. Plus points because there were really few tourists when we went there.

As we mentioned, if you are a cat lover like us or you just want to explore more of Taiwan, Houtong cat village is for you. Check out these tips to make the most out of your visit!

1. How to get to Houtong cat village?

How you’ll get to Houtong will vary largely on where you’re coming from. But since we’re writing based on our own travel experience (hehe!), we recommend you do it in the following order. For those who will be staying at Green World Linsen (where we stayed), we’ll also include a step-by-step guide from there.

Jiufen ➡️ Houtong ➡️ Shifen Waterfall* ➡️ Pingxi

a. By Bus from Green World Linsen

From the hotel, it took us around two (2) hours to get to Jiufen. We made it a point to allocate one whole day to explore Jiufen and Houtong given their distance from the city.

1. Green World Linsen – walk towards Minzu E. Rd Entrance, around three (3) minutes from the hotel.
2. Minzu E. Rd Entrance – Take the 203 Bus to Jin An Park. This ride will take around 16 minutes. Alight on the 9th stop called Jin An Park. Note that you can use your Taiwan MRT Tourist Pass in all buses with a three-digit number only. Buses with a four-digit number will require an EasyCard. Read Taiwan Budget Trip Itinerary for more details.
3. Jin An Park / Zhongshan Girls High School – Upon alighting at Jin An Park, walk a few meters to the nearby bus stop/waiting shed. Then, wait for Bus 1062 and board. Be prepared to wait for a bit because some buses are fully occupied. Based on our experience, we had to wait for the next scheduled ride because the bus was already full and the driver won’t allow stand-ins.
4. Jiufen Old Street – Alight at Jiufen Old Street. After you explore Jiufen, walk towards the bus stop near Jiufen Police Station. Board the 965 Bus and this will take you to the Houtong Bus Stop. From here, you can walk towards the village by following the cat signages! 🙂
5. Total Cost of Trip: NTD 146 (NTD 30 only if you’re using a Taiwan MRT Tourist Pass) Take this cost with a grain of salt, note that fare may change without prior notice! Always best to bring extra monies!

b. By Train from Taipei MTR Station

1. Taipei Main Station – Board the Bannan Line towards Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Station. Alight on the third stop, Zhongxiao Fuxing.
2. Zhongxiao Fuxing – Walk towards the Zhongxiao Fuxing Station and board the Bus 1062. Be prepared to wait for a bit because some buses are fully occupied. Alight at Jiufen Old Street.
3. Jiufen Old Street – Alight at Jiufen Old Street. After you explore Jiufen, walk towards the bus stop near Jiufen Police Station. Board the 965 Bus and this will take you to the Houtong Bus Stop. From here, you can walk towards the village by following the cat signages! 🙂
4. Total Cost of Trip: NTD 151 (NTD 30 only if you’re using a Taiwan MRT Tourist Pass) Take this cost with a grain of salt, note that fare may change without prior notice! Always best to bring extra monies!

2. Are there any fees we should pay?

There is no fee to access Houtong Cat Village! Yay! Feel free to roam around the village and be prepared with your camera to take photos of every cat you meet along the way! ?

3. How many cats are there?

According to locals, there are close to 200 cats in the area. Some fur babies are snoozing on grass, some are quietly observing the hoomans, and then the others are inside the many shops in Houtong.

4. Can we feed the cats?

You can! There are stores in the village that sell cat food that you can feed the cats. Some village signs alert tourists not to feed the cats with left-over human food though.

5. What other activities can we do in Houtong Cat Village?

Apart from obsessing over cats despite their utmost effort not to notice us humans (haha!) what else can you do in Houtong? Here are a few tips:

• You can also visit the Houtong Coal Mine Ecological Park.
• Explore the nearby bridges!
• Explore the Keelung River!