Day trip from Taipei

Houtong Cat Village

猴硐猫村Photography

Houtong Cat Village is an authentic mountain town and a paradise for cat lovers. Here you can see cats, play with them, and admire the mountain village houses and old street scenery.…

Houtong Cat Village

Houtong Cat Village, Taipei · P1340 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Key facts

Admission
Free
Opening hours
All day
Getting there
Take the Taiwan Railway Pingxi Line from Ruifang Station; Houtong is the first stop.
Guidebook rating
4 / 5

From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 2690. Open in Google Maps

About Houtong Cat Village

Houtong Cat Village is an authentic mountain town and a paradise for cat lovers. Here you can see cats, play with them, and admire the mountain village houses and old street scenery.

If you travel by train from Taipei, you will pass a small station called Nuannuan, the filming location of Rene Liu's song “Nuan Nuan.”

Frequently asked questions

How much does Houtong Cat Village cost?

Admission to Houtong Cat Village is Free, as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.

What are the opening hours of Houtong Cat Village?

Houtong Cat Village is open All day.

How do I get to Houtong Cat Village?

Take the Taiwan Railway Pingxi Line from Ruifang Station; Houtong is the first stop.

Where is Houtong Cat Village?

Houtong Cat Village is in Taipei, Taiwan Region, in the South China of China. Around Houtong Station, Ruifang District, New Taipei City

More places in Taipei

Keelung Port

Keelung Port

Keelung is the most important port city in northern Taiwan. Keelung Harbour is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces the sea on the fourth. The harbour cuts right into the city centre, so you can see it as soon as you step out of Keelung Station. The most enjoyable things to do here are watching the harbour scene and tasting local snacks at Miaokou. During the day, you can visit nearby sights such as Xiandong Cave, Shiqiuling Fort, Shibaluohan Cave, Baimiweng Fort and Haimen Tianxian. At night, head to Miaokou Night Market to sample local delicacies such as fish tempura, mian xian geng (thread noodle soup), cream crab, oyster omelette, braised eel soup, eight-treasure glass noodles and swordfish soup.

Free · 1 hour

Yangmingshan National Park

Yangmingshan National Park

Yangmingshan National Park is known as the 'Backyard Garden of Taipei.' The park encompasses Yangmingshan itself and the volcanic cluster centred on Datun Mountain and Qixing Mountain. It is the main volcanic zone on Taiwan island, with many hot springs, fumaroles, and explosion craters. The mountain is also home to many former residences of notable figures, such as the former residence of Lin Yutang, making it a place where natural and cultural landscapes come together. Butterflies are the most abundant and diverse animal resource in Yangmingshan National Park, with about 133 species, making it the principal butterfly-watching destination in northern Taiwan.

Free · 2–4 hours

Taipei 101 — illustration

Taipei 101

Taipei 101, the world-famous skyscraper in the Xinyi district, is the new landmark of Taipei City. Standing 508 metres tall, it blends classical Eastern culture with Taiwanese characteristics, and its night views are spectacular. Every year on the evening of 31 December, Taipei residents gather here to celebrate. As the countdown reaches zero, fireworks are launched floor by floor from the building, a sight both lively and spectacular. Nearby is Eslite Bookstore, Taipei's largest bookstore, which is also well worth a visit.

Individual ticket NT$600; group (20+ people) and concession tickets NT$450 · 2–4 hours

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei — illustration

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei

Built to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the memorial hall adopts the form of a Chinese palace, majestic and grand. Its interior includes the Great Hall, the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Library, the Zhongshan Art Gallery, and lecture halls. The Zhongshan Art Gallery regularly hosts a variety of art exhibitions. Cultural lectures held every weekend invite experts and scholars to speak on current affairs and social issues. Many island-wide music, dance, and drama events are also staged here, and the annual Golden Horse Film Festival uses it as the venue for Taipei's awards ceremony.

Free · 2–3 hours

National Palace Museum, Taipei — illustration

National Palace Museum, Taipei

The entire complex follows the layout of the Palace Museum in Beijing, adopting a traditional Chinese imperial palace design. Although its exterior is grand and magnificent, it cannot match the vast imperial aura of the Forbidden City in Beijing. The museum's collection is universally recognised as exceptionally rich, with nearly 700,000 objects. Its ceramics, paintings and calligraphy, and bronzes are especially complete, and the most captivating pieces are the famous Jadeite Cabbage and Meat-Shaped Stone.

National Palace Museum exhibition hall: NT$350 (free on Saturday and Sunday evenings); group ticket NT$320 · 3–5 hours

Badouzi Railway Station

This is an unstaffed station, so passengers must operate the transit card equipment beside the platform themselves. With mountains behind and the sea in front, it has been named the most beautiful station in northern Taiwan.

Free (platform open; a ticket is required to ride the train, about NT$150 per trip) · 20-40 minutes