Houtong

A mining village that cats inherited

Houtong (猴硐) was once one of northern Taiwan’s most productive coal-mining settlements. The Ruifang–Houtong Coal Mine was among the largest in Taiwan during its peak operating years (1940s–1970s). When the mines closed, most residents left. The village emptied, the stone terraces overgrew with vegetation, and the cats stayed.

By 2008, word spread online that a substantial colony of cats had taken over the hillside above the railway station. Animal welfare volunteers began visiting to feed and sterilise the population. Local residents who had remained started opening cat-themed shops and cafés. By 2012, Houtong was receiving busloads of visitors on weekends, and CNN had named it one of the top cat destinations in the world.

The cats are real — not placed here as a tourist attraction, but a genuine resident population that grew from a core of local pets and strays. They are vaccinated and sterilised (the official count is around 200; the actual number fluctuates). They go where they like. On a weekday morning, you’ll find them sleeping in the sun on the pedestrian bridge railing, watching from the abandoned mining building windows, or sitting in the middle of the path demanding attention.

Where	On the TRA main line, one stop before Ruifang
Cost	Free entry; TWD 49 train fare from Taipei
Time needed	1.5–2 hours, usually combined with Shifen or Jiufen
Getting there	Direct TRA train from Taipei Main Station, ~55–65 min
Best time	Weekday mornings before 10:00 for calmer, more social cats

What to see in Houtong

The cat colony

The cats live primarily on the elevated section across the Jijiu River from the railway station — a covered pedestrian bridge (the Cat Walk Bridge) crosses the river to this area. The hillside has steep stone paths between old stone houses, some inhabited by residents, some converted to cafés or gift shops, some just open for exploration.

Practical cat interaction: The cats here are accustomed to people but are not toys. They will approach you on their own terms and ignore you when they’re not interested. Do not pick up cats or force interaction. Do not bring food from outside the village — the cats have supervised feeding schedules managed by volunteers, and human food can cause digestive problems.

Volunteer coordinators are usually present on weekends. On weekdays, a few dedicated regulars manage feeding and check on the colony. If you see a sick or injured cat, the Houtong Cat Care Station near the pedestrian bridge handles coordination.

Houtong Coal Mine Ecological Museum (猴硐煤礦博物館)

The coal mine complex on the south side of the railway tracks has been partially converted into a heritage museum. The museum covers the mining operations, the lives of the workers, and the equipment used during the peak production years. Several of the original mining structures — loading platforms, sorting facilities, the ore conveyor — remain in place and are interpreted with signage.

The museum is genuinely interesting if you have context for Taiwan’s industrial history. The equipment is displayed in situ rather than moved to a gallery, giving a better sense of the scale and function of the original operations.

Free entry. Allow 30–45 minutes.

The village pathways

The residential area above the Cat Walk Bridge has a network of stone pathways through old Japanese-colonial-era buildings. Some are inhabited, some converted to small businesses. The stone walls, narrow lanes, and riverside forest create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the Taipei area.

The river itself — the Jijiu — runs clear here and has good light in the mornings. Kingfishers are sometimes spotted along the banks.

Cat memorials and the cat village aesthetic

Houtong has committed to the cat theme completely: cat murals on walls, cat pawprint tiles on the bridge, cat statues near the station. The village’s souvenir shops sell cat-themed ceramics, plush toys, phone cases, and postcards. Several cafés serve food on cat-shaped plates or with latte art. It’s unabashedly themed, which either delights or exhausts depending on your tolerance.

The cat memorial area near the upper village commemorates cats that have passed — small plaques with names and photographs. This is both touching and a reminder that these are real animals with histories in the community.

Houtong vs. other cat attractions in Taiwan

Houtong is a genuine feral colony that grew organically, which sets it apart from staged “cat café” attractions found across Taipei. If you’re weighing whether to add Houtong to your itinerary alongside a cat café visit in the city, the two experiences are complementary rather than redundant: cat cafés offer air-conditioned, guaranteed interaction with resident cats bred for the venue, while Houtong offers an outdoor, unscripted encounter with a real community of animals that happen to live in a scenic former mining village. For readers planning a broader animal-and-nature day, the Houtong cat village guide has a fuller comparison and a route that pairs the village with a short riverside walk.

Getting to Houtong from Taipei

By TRA direct train: Houtong has its own station on the TRA main line, one stop before Ruifang. Direct trains from Taipei Main Station to Houtong take approximately 55–65 minutes. Fare is TWD 49 (~€1.35 / $1.55). This is the most straightforward option.

Via Pingxi Branch Line pass: If combining Houtong with other branch line stops (Shifen, Pingxi, Jingtong), buy the TWD 80 one-day pass at Ruifang. Houtong is the first stop on the branch line from Ruifang (8 minutes). This pass allows you to hop between all stations freely.

By organized tour: Several tours include Houtong as part of a Pingxi area or north coast day.

Private day tour: Jiufen, Houtong, and Shifen from Taipei (7 hours)

Combining Houtong with other destinations

Houtong is almost never visited alone — it’s too small for a full day’s activity. It’s most commonly a morning stop (1.5–2 hours) before continuing to Shifen, Jiufen, or Pingxi.

Houtong + Shifen + Jiufen (full day): Train from Taipei to Houtong (55 min), 1.5–2 hours in the cat village, train to Shifen for lanterns and the waterfall (8 min), then train back to Ruifang and taxi/bus to Jiufen (15 min). Return from Ruifang to Taipei in the evening. A solid 10-hour day.

Houtong + Shifen + Pingxi (branch line day): Use the one-day pass. Start at Houtong, proceed to Shifen, then to Pingxi or Jingtong. Good for visitors primarily interested in the Pingxi area rather than Jiufen.

Houtong + Jiufen only: If time is limited, combine these two towns and skip Shifen. Houtong in the morning, taxi from Houtong or Ruifang to Jiufen (TWD 300–400) for the afternoon and evening.

One-day tour: Yehliu + Shifen + Houtong + Jiufen

See the houtong cat village guide for detailed visit tips and the Pingxi line day trip guide for the full branch line routing.

Where to eat in Houtong

Houtong has a modest number of eating options:

Station area stalls: Near the station, several vendors sell standard Taiwanese snacks — sausages, fish balls, sweet potato balls. Quick and affordable (TWD 30–80).

Cat-themed cafés: Several cafés in the elevated village area serve drinks and simple meals with cat decorations. Prices are slightly elevated by the theme — coffee around TWD 100–150. The food is acceptable; you’re paying partly for the atmosphere.

Pack your own lunch. For a longer stay, bringing your own food (convenience store sandwiches and snacks from Taipei before departure) is practical. The village has a convenience store near the station.

Eat properly in Ruifang or Jiufen. If combining Houtong with Jiufen or Ruifang town, do your proper meal there — better options at lower prices.

Water and sun protection. The village has limited shaded seating around the station but more once you cross into the elevated cat area, where old buildings and trees provide relief. There’s no large supermarket — bring a bottle of water from Taipei or buy one at the small station-area convenience store before setting off, especially in summer.

Practical notes

Don’t feed the cats. This is genuinely important. The cat welfare volunteers manage feeding schedules to maintain the cats’ health. Feeding from outside disrupts this. The cats do not need your snacks.

Weekends are stressful for the cats. Hundreds of visitors arrive on Saturday and Sunday, and some cats retreat to quieter corners of the upper village. Weekday visits yield calmer, more social cats.

Photography etiquette. Do not use flash photography near the cats. It stresses them and can cause them to flee from visitors, reducing encounters for everyone.

Time of day. Cats are most active in the morning (before 10:00 AM) and late afternoon (after 3:00 PM). Midday is rest time — you’ll find them mostly asleep in the shade.

The Cat Walk Bridge is elevated. The bridge connecting the station area to the cat village is covered and wide enough for foot traffic. It’s accessible with prams; the steps up to the upper stone paths are not pram-friendly.

Frequently asked questions about Houtong

Why are there so many cats in Houtong?

The colony began from a combination of local residents’ pets left behind when the mining community declined, and strays that moved in. Animal welfare volunteers began sustained sterilisation and care programs in the 2000s, stabilising the population. The cats now have established territories in the village.

Are the cats friendly?

Most are accustomed to human visitors but are not domesticated pets. They will interact on their own terms. Some will approach and allow petting; others will ignore you or walk away. Respect their signals. Do not force interaction.

Is Houtong a full-day destination?

No. Allow 1.5–2 hours for the cat village, the mining museum, and a walk along the upper paths. It’s designed to be combined with other Pingxi line stops or with Jiufen.

How many cats are in Houtong?

The managed colony has fluctuated between 100 and over 200 cats. As of 2025–2026, the population was approximately 200, all sterilised and vaccinated. Exact numbers vary as cats are born, die, or occasionally added to the colony.

Can I bring my cat-loving children?

Yes — Houtong is suitable for children who are gentle with animals. Supervise younger children around the cats and reinforce not to chase or startle them. The village paths are manageable for older children; the stone steps in the upper area are steep.

Should I visit Houtong on the way to Jiufen or on the way back?

Either works, but most visitors do it on the way out, in the morning, when the cats are most active and the light on the river is best. Doing it on the way back from Jiufen in the evening means tired cats and a rushed visit before the last convenient train — the morning-first sequence is the one experienced travellers recommend.