“Being naive tourists my family made a trip to the village of Cat Cat near Sapa. It like entertainment with no respect for the culture of the Hmong people. Didn’t feel right. We discussed there should be another way. We came across Trekking Sapa and had a nice talk. Since we had little time they suggested a one day trip with a local Hmong guide. Although it rained terribly for the whole day we had the best time ever with our guide and walked to a little village. A very nice family invited us to their home and cooked us a lovely meal that we shared together with them. The biggest part of the money made with this kind of tourism goes directly to the guide and the Hmong people, as it should. In the spirit of the community.” – Sabine Stanjeck –Australia
Sapa tours paradise – the pride of the mountains and forests of the Northwest. This place is no stranger to domestic and foreign tourists. Amidst the majestic natural landscape of the mountains and forests, there is a small rustic village that makes anyone come to Sapa. This is the Cat Cat village with simple wooden logs, small streams, colorful brocades, and simple ethnic people.
How to Sapa Cat Cat?
Cat Cat is located in San Sa Ho commune, Sapa district, about 2km from the center of Sapa town. You can choose a walking style that can combine mountain views and admire the entire village from above.
Some experiences go to Cat Cat
On the way back, from the last stop of Cat Cat to the town is over 3km. After exploring the village for a long time, the 3km back road will make you tired so if you do not have good health you should go motorbike and car at the gate (not in in the village).
- Ticket price for motorcycles is 10k.
- Tickets to Cat Cat are 50k / person.
- Ethnic clothing rent 50k / person.
At the front gate, there are many ethnic clothing stores, you can buy yourself a set. In addition, they also sell accessories. You can take a photo with a different look and beautiful.
A small note is that when you buy tickets, there are many maps at the ticket counter. You can get it for free and it is very useful. There are all the famous attractions in Cat Cat village and guide the way.
You should prepare in a bag of candy because on the way to visit the village many children will follow you. They sell handicrafts and invite you to buy if you do not want to buy those candy baby. This picture is very simple, is not it?
Attractive points of Cat Cat village
These houses are formed from the years of the 19th century, the Cat Mon of the Hmong. The H’Mong family is based on the middle of the mountain, next to the hills to grow livestock.
Three-room wooden houses, also known as “wall houses,” you may have seen in Vietnamese films set in the North West. The interior space of the houses is very simple, the kitchen next to the reception, the dining room, only one extra two sleeping areas.
Cat Cat village center
It can be said that the village center is the most prominent stop on the journey to discover Cat Cat. Cross the steep, rocky sloping path, a beautiful setting opens up to your eyes, but you pay careful attention because the road is quite slippery.
Give yourself a relaxing break after the chaos of work, for a Sapa tour to enjoy the nature of mountains and forests. Do not forget to visit Sapa tours Cat Cat to explore the traditional culture of Hmong people.
Related information
Trekking in Sapa
You know, there’s no second place in Vietnam that you can find such amazingly beautiful and unique landscapes like Sapa. This destination is absolutely a perfect place for trekking lovers, who like to enjoy a slow, meaningful and full of surprise life.
Surrounded by breathtaking vistas, rolling peaks and stunning greenery, who can imagine that this primitive place can keep its natural beauty, even it used to be one of the most favorite destinations of French while they were taking control of Vietnam (besides Halong Bay and Hanoi).
And since then Sapa’s beautiful landscapes have become a number-1 choice for holiday-makers, particularly with Europeans looking for an escape from hustle life by taking a trekking tour.
Cat Cat village
Cat Cat village is named after its splendid waterfall located right at the entrance. This waterfall is originated from the Fansipan mountain, through the forest, delivering water directly to the rice paddy terrace fields, becoming the water source of the village. The stream then joining the Red River to flow down south.
Cat Cat is a Hmong village that is only 2km away from the center. This is the most attractive tourist spot in Sapa all year around. It was first built to be a relaxation resort where all the majors and captains would come to stay over for the holiday back in the 19th century when Vietnam still belonged to the French.
The Hmong people
This is the largest group of ethnic minorities in the region. Originating from China, they started to arrive about 300 years ago. They are famous for making hemp fabric and decorating it with indigo batiks. They wear long black jackets and wrap their legs with black scarves tied with bright ribbons. They wrap a black band around their heads. You buy their crafts in Ta Van and Cat Cat village.