Cat Cat village is about 2km from the center of Sa Pa town (Lao Cai), the village belongs to Hoang Lien commune, located precariously at the foot of the majestic Hoang Lien Son peak. This place has long been known as a peaceful and poetic Mong village in the Northwest region, likened to a paradise in the middle of the wilderness, a stopover for tourists from all over the country when coming to explore Sa Pa in any season of the year. This land is home to more than 90 Mong ethnic households. Despite its rugged terrain, Cat Cat village possesses extremely rich and beautiful tourism potential, becoming a highlight of Sa Pa tourism.

Cat Cat village in the middle of the rice harvest season.

Mr. Ma A Cau (born in 1974, Mong ethnic group), head of Cat Cat village shared: “With the advantage of tourism potential, and the attention of Party committees and authorities at all levels, Cat Cat village always considers tourism as a sustainable direction to contribute to the development of Sa Pa tourism. Cat Cat people participate as tour guides and directly organize tourism services in the village to meet the exploration needs of tourists, thereby having a legitimate income. The life of the village also changes every day thanks to tourism”.

Standing from above, visitors can observe the whole Cat Cat village. It is a poetic and charming picture of a village at the foot of Hoang Lien mountain. On the other side of the mountain is a village with small wooden houses evoking the peaceful life in the deep mountains. In the middle of the village is a stream flowing from the great forest, creating waterfalls that bring water to the village and creating small streams flowing around the terraced fields winding around the mountainside. The winding trails running around the mountainside and valley will bring visitors up close to admire Cat Cat village.

Wooden houses in Cat Cat.

Stopping at Cat Cat village, people seem to blend into a slow-living space in the middle of the great mountains and forests, in the beautiful village like in a dream. Here, the ancient colors are evoked from the wood color of the houses of the Mong people, in the brocade colors that the people hang in front of their houses and the melodious sounds of the Mong flutes and pipes, soaring throughout the village. Cat Cat has the wildness of the mountains and forests blending with the sounds of streams and great waterfalls, the majestic beauty of the mountain slopes, of the rocks by the stream, the scent of wild flowers blooming all year round, the coolness of the weather. All of these harmonize to create a Mong Cat Cat village that attracts people, whoever comes here will find the feeling of slow living, dispelling all worries to blend in with the mountains and forests.

In the center of Cat Cat village is the space for visitors to experience the village culture when coming here. Above is the Tien Sa waterfall pouring water from above, white, resounding throughout the space, below is the clear stream flowing through rustic wooden houses, giant water wheels turning steadily. The suspension bridge across the stream is also the gateway to explore Cat Cat village. On the stream bank, visitors can experience visiting the houses of the Mong people with a classic and modern decoration, imbued with indigenous culture. Visitors can try the feeling of horse riding, taking pictures right by the stream and wearing ethnic costumes in houses built with bamboo, wood, straw, and earth in an ancient style.

The poetic scenery of Cat Cat village in the afternoon sun.

During the flood season or the ripe rice season, Cat Cat village is as beautiful as a paradise in the middle of the mountains and forests. The whole village seems to blend into the beautiful waves of rice, shining with the vitality and endless beauty of life and people here. On the mountain slopes, the terraced rice waves undulate, continuing as if running to the horizon. Visitors walk on the small roads to immerse themselves in the village space and admire the beautiful terraced fields at dawn or dusk. At those times, the whole Cat Cat village seems to float in a sea of ​​clouds, the afternoon sunlight shining from the top of Hoang Lien Son makes the space magical and mysterious.

In the middle of Cat Cat village, visitors from all over will have the opportunity to explore and experience the unique and ancient indigenous culture. The people here are simple, rustic and hospitable. They welcome visitors with a natural, open and friendly manner. Local dishes will attract visitors such as five-color sticky rice, men men, bamboo rice, local pigs, grilled chicken, wild vegetables, stream fish... In small houses or homestays, visitors will find a sense of relaxation and peace, feeling the cultural colors and wild nature of the mountains and forests.

For tourists from all over the world, when coming to Sa Pa tourist complex, Cat Cat is always the top choice destination. Most tourists enjoy walking on the trails leading to the village to start an interesting experience in the village. The services that are chosen by many tourists are choosing homestay space along the road to the village and in the center of the village, choosing check-in points from above to admire the overall picture of Cat Cat. Along with that are services that create great attraction for tourists such as: Taking photos in ethnic costumes at wooden houses, rammed earth houses, riding horses by the stream to take photos or experiencing terraced fields in the ripe rice season. Tourists also choose spaces at small corners of shops along the road to the village, by the stream to sip a cup of coffee, finding a sense of relaxation.

Cat Cat is an ideal stopover for tourists.

Mr. Chu Tuan Anh ( Phu Tho ) said: "Cat Cat tourist village always retains its original features, I see this as an important attraction for tourists from all over. When coming here, everything is attractive and we choose to experience it."  

Ms. Nguyen Phuong Thanh (Thanh Xuan, Hanoi) shared: "Cat Cat village always attracts me and my family because of its wild and poetic beauty. Here, all services are also very convenient and reasonable. My family and I always choose Cat Cat to stop every time we come to Sa Pa".

In recent years, Cat Cat village has constantly innovated in developing tourism services to meet the needs of tourists from all over the world. Every year, the village welcomes thousands of tourists to explore and leave good impressions. Although the infrastructure and resting places in the village have been developed, constructed and diversified, Cat Cat has not lost its wild beauty, indigenous culture and village space. Because according to the Mong ethnic people here, that is the important starting point for the village to develop tourism, creating attraction and an indispensable factor to retain tourists.

Article and photos: NGUYEN THE LUONG