Cat Cat Village

Cat Cat lies in the valley immediately below Sapa and is the nearest H'mong village to the town, which is why it was the first to be developed and why it is now the least representative: the route through it is a ticketed path past craft stalls, costume hire, photo installations, a waterfall, an old French hydro station and staged dance performances. Whether that is worth doing depends entirely on what you are after - as a short walk with views and a waterfall it functions, and as a picture of H'mong life it does not. Villages further down the Muong Hoa valley are less altered.

What you actually see

• The nearest H'mong village to Sapa - and the first developed.
• A ticketed path - past stalls, props and performances.
• A waterfall and an old hydro station - built by the French.
• Not a picture of village life - which is the honest description.

When to go

September to November and March to May. Half a day.

Honest expectations

Entry is charged and the village is essentially a managed attraction. Photo installations and costume hire dominate the route. Selling pressure is constant. Visitors wanting something less staged should walk further down the valley.

Nearby

Sapa is above; Ta Van and Lao Chai are further down the valley.