A tourist trap worth falling into...
The name 'cat empty' refers to when the village used to have lots of cats that left when the tea industry declined a hundred years ago here.
Maokong has been plastered all over promotional material and every blogger, YouTuber, and Instagrammer is sure to visit here on their paid visit to Taiwan. Nonetheless, I still think you should go.
The first reason is the sky-lift. As long as you go off peak hours the wait isn't too long. It's cheap to ride and the views are amazing.
Once you're there you'll see tons of food vendors offering things like sausage, rice, and ice cream. There's multiple hiking trails and ways you could go, all of which offer something unique. My favorite places to visit in MaoKong are: Yinhe Cave, Maokong Potholes, and ZhiNan Temple.
If you visit YinHe Cave you can expect to see beautiful Tiger Lilies late in the summer like the ones pictured below.
On your way to the Maokong Potholes you'll pass by a bunch of tea shops. If it's raining they're a good spot to go get some cover and take in the sound of raindrops hitting the tin roofs while gazing back at the city. Then once you make to to the potholes you'll get to relax next to a nice little stream.
Last but not least, if you stick around until it gets dark that's when ZhiNan Temple really shines. It has such a good vibe at night and lends excellent views of the city below.
So whether you choose one adventure, two, or all three. I'm confident you'll have a great time in Maokong IF... and only IF... you avoid the weekend crowds. If you must go on the weekend I recommend not going until late afternoon on Sunday.
📍 Address: Lane 74, Section 2, Xinguang Road, Wenshan District, Taipei City, 116.