9:00 AM - 9:45 AM Ximending (Hotel Papa Whale) - Houtong Cat Village

9:45 AM - 12:00 PM Exploring Houtong (Detailed post on Houtong Cat Village)

Things to do at Houtong:

• Meet the cats. Feeding the cats are discouraged❌. There are local volunteers and food provided by the Official caretakers. However, you can move closer to them and take tons of photos. Most of these cats are friendly among tourists.

• Cross the iconic Cat Bridge. This is the bridge that connects Houtong station to the heart of the Cat Village

• Enjoy coffee at a Local Cafe ☕ Across the Cat Bridge or Cafes and Craftshops serving cat-themed desserts and selling cat-themed souvenirs

• Visit the Coal Mining Ecological Park ⛏️ Know a little history of Houtong.

• Shop for Cat-themed Souvenirs 😻 

How to get here:

• Fast local train from Taipei Main Station bound for Hualien and get off at Houtong Station. Fare: Adult - NT$ 83 

• North bound TRA local trains on the Yilan (宜蘭) Line toward Ruifang Station and beyond

  • Some trains may require a transfer at Ruifang

  • Typical travel time: ~1 hour from Taipei to Houtong. 

  • Fare around NT$ 46-56 one way.

• Private Car for the day-trip NT$ 5,000-6,500

02:00 - 02:40 PM Jiufen Old Street to Shifen

02:40 - 04:30 PM Exlpore Shifen

Things to do at Jiufen:

• Fly a lantern

  • Single color lanterns NT$ 150 - 200

  • Multi-color lanterns NT$ 200 - 250

• Food trip!

  • Must try food: Jiufen Beef Noodles, Ah Gan Taro Balls

  • Another tip: If you have no patience lining up for milk tea at Xing Fu Tang in Taipei, there are no queues here. Go grab your Milk Tea fix!

• Tea break at A-Mei teahouse or Jiufen teahouse overlooking the misty coastal area

• Shop your heart out! They have souvenirs, leather goods, nuggat, ceramics, postcards and all kinds of local tea

How to get here:

1. Train + Bus

1. • Take a TRA local train from Houtong Station → Ruifang Station (⏱ 5 minutes) 💰 Fare: around NT$15

   • Exit Ruifang Station and walk ~3 minutes to the bus stop in front of the police station (瑞芳警察局站).

   • Ride Bus 788 or 965 heading to Jiufen Old Street (九份老街) ⏱ 15–20 minutes (depending on traffic uphill) 💰 Fare: around NT$15–20 with EasyCard 🕰 Total Travel Time: ~25–30 minutes

2. Taxi 

   • ⏱ 15–20 minutes

   • 💰 Around NT$300–400, depending on traffic and weather

02:00 - 02:40 PM Jiufen Old Street to Shifen

02:40 - 04:30 PM Exlpore Shifen 

Things to do at Shifen:

• Visit Shifen Falls

  • 15-20 minutes walk

  • Little Niagara of Taiwan 

• Stroll through Shifen Old Street

• Release a sky lantern - No trip to Shifen is complete without lighting a sky lantern on the old railway tracks. Best time around 4:30 - 6:00 PM when lanterns rise in the dusk

  • Single color lanterns NT$ 150 - 200

  • Multi-color lanterns NT$ 200 - 250

How to get here:

1. By Bus + Train (most practical for travelers)

• From Jiufen Old Street, walk back down to the main road where you’ll find the bus stop near 7-Eleven (九份派出所站 / Jiufen Police Station Stop).

• Take Bus 788 or 965 heading downhill to Ruifang Station (瑞芳車站).

  • ⏱️ 15–20 minutes

  • 💰 NT$15–20 using EasyCard

• Once you arrive at Ruifang Station, transfer to the Pingxi Line (平溪線) train.

• Ride the train to Shifen Station (十分車站) — the journey passes through lush valleys and riverside villages.

  • ⏱️ 35–40 minutes

  • 💰 NT$20–25

🕓 Total travel time: ~1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes

🌿 Tip: The Pingxi Line train comes roughly every 30–60 minutes, so check the schedule at Ruifang before grabbing milk tea or snacks nearby.