Houtong Cat Village 猴硐貓村
Famous island-wide as the home for literally hundreds of cats, the Houtong Cat Village is a must-see for cat lovers.
Originally a small coal mining town built during the Japanese era, Houtong attracted over 6,000 workers to the area, producing the highest amount of coal in Taiwan. By the 1990s with the ending of coal industry activities, the town's population began to decline, and is now a mountain town with museums and shops.
In 2008, a local cat lover began to care for abandoned cats in the town, finding and organising volunteers to post photos of the cats online. The public fell in love with the adorable cats and the village once again, reviving the area into a tourist destination.
The village is along the Pingxi Train Line (平溪線), leaving from Ruifang (瑞芳).
From Taipei Main Station, take a northbound train (except Keelung-bound trains) towards Ruifang Station. Either continue on a local train or Chu-kuang train one station further to Houtong, or transfer to the Pingxi Line (平溪線) and purchase a One Day Ticket for the Pingxi Line, NT$52. Afterwards, continue on to visit Shifen Waterfall and Pingxi.
From Ruifang train station, cross the street and take Bus 808 or F808 to Houtong town area.
