Travel to Sapa - Explore villages hidden in the mountains and forests of Hoang Lien Son

Travel to Sapa: Explore 4 villages hidden in the mountains and forests of Hoang Lien Son

1. Cat Cat village

From the center of Sapa town, following the road towards Fansipan mountain about nearly 3km, Cat Cat village of San Sa Ho commune is located at the foot of Hoang Lien Son mountain range. Cat Cat is mainly inhabited by the Mong people, formed in the mid-19th century. In the early 20th century, the French discovered this place and chose it as a resort. There is a beautiful waterfall here which in French means CatScat. That's why the new version is called Cat Cat (misreading CatScat).

Cat Cat village not only attracts Sapa tourists because of its wild and lyrical natural landscape but also because of its unique traditional cultural features. The Mong people here build their houses against the mountainside, which are three-room houses with three horizontal column trusses placed on round or square stone slabs, the roof is covered with Pomu wood planks, and the walls are made of sawn wood. The house has 3 doors, the main door in the middle, 2 side doors at both ends of the house.

In addition to growing rice, the Mong people in Cat Cat also preserve traditional handicrafts such as growing flax and weaving fabrics, weaving household utensils, carving silver and forging agricultural tools. Coming here, visitors have the opportunity to visit the display area of traditional handicraft products. Sophisticated products not only bring livelihood to the village but also contribute to preserving the traditional crafts of the people.   

2. Ta Van village

Ta Van village is a famous community tourism destination, where the Giay people live, located peacefully in the beautiful Muong Hoa valley. According to local people, Ta Van means large arc, leaning against the majestic Hoang Lien Son range. Ta Van village now has several dozen households doing homestay tourism to serve Sapa tourism. Giay people's houses are built next to a gentle slope following terraced fields. The house has both stilt houses and dirt houses, with the middle space being a solemn place to place the ancestral altar and receive guests.

In addition to tourism, people here also farm, forge production tools and carve silver. Giay women, with their skillful hands, also create beautiful hand-embroidered products. Giay people also enjoy artistic activities such as fan dancing, then dancing, and flute dancing. In particular, it is impossible not to mention the type of Vuon Giay singing, a form of cultural and spiritual activity that connects the community since ancient times.

In the local language, Vuon Giay means singing of the Giay people. Vuon Giay is special in that there is only one singing melody, but depending on the singer, it is modified to suit the situation and mood. Therefore, Vuon Giay is both discreet and thoughtful but extremely lyrical in expressing the singer's thoughts and heart. Vuon Giay has three popular forms: singing love songs between men and women, singing at the wine tray, and singing farewell songs. 

3. Lao Chai village

Lao Chai village is about 7 km from Sapa town, inhabited by Dao, Giay and Mong people. The village is located with its back against the Hoang Lien Son range, in front is the Muong Hoa stream, surrounded by winding terraced fields. The road to Lao Chai has been paved to help visitors move easily. The mountain terrain has many curves and winding slopes. During the journey here, you will admire the beautiful scenery on both sides of the road.

4. Ta Phin village

Another place that Sapa tourists also love to explore is Ta Phin village. Ta Phin village is located in a valley with four sides of mountains, has a fairly large and flat area, and is inhabited by the Red Dao and H'Mong people. Ta Phin is the hometown of famous Dao Do medicinal bath leaves for many years. So coming here, tourists have the opportunity to bathe in fresh medicinal leaves, buy brocade, pick strawberries... and enjoy highland specialties. In particular, you can also visit the ancient Ta Phin monastery, the ruins of which many tourists come to explore and take photos because of its mysterious beauty.

We hope you found this Sapa villages tourism post informative and useful for your travel planning in 2023. Sapa is a fantastic destination to learn about Vietnamese culture and history, and it will undoubtedly provide you with an amazing experience. Allow Threeland Travel as Vietnam travel agency to assist you in planning your trip to Sapa if you are seeking for a reliable and competent travel service. We can tailor your schedule to your preferences and budget, and we can handle everything from ticket purchases to accommodation and transportation. Please visit our website or contact us right away to learn more about our unique deals and packages. Don't pass up this chance to see Sapa with Threeland Travel!