Cat Cat Village – Home of H’Mong ethnic group

Cat Cat Village is located 2km from the center of Sapa Townlet, along mist-covered zigzagging roads with mountains on one side and green terraced fields on the other. This is an age-old village of H’Mong ethnic group -  a sub-group of Miao ethnicity, who are said to have come from Southern China - from 19th century. Possessing peaceful, splendid natural landscape, unique customs and cultural activities, nowadays Cat Cat becomes an Vietnam’s attractive destinations for almost tourists.

The H’Mong people here live in groups and reside in three-compartment houses coverd by pomu wood roofs. Along the way to the village we can see their houses leaning on the mountain sides and near terraced fields where they do farm and raise livestock.

In Cat Cat village, local people still preserve most of their old, unique customs and habits such as wife-pulling, wedding ceremonies and many traditional handicrafts.

Visitors to Cat Cat have an opportunity to admire a lively and colorful picture. That is the image of young women sitting by looms with colorful pieces of brocade decorated with designs of flowers and birds. When these pieces of brocade are finished, they are dyed and embroidered with beautiful designs. A noteworthy is that H’Mong women use plants and leaves to dye these brocade fabrics. And then they roll a round and smooth section of wood covered with wax on fabrics to polish them, making their colors durable.

In addition to the brocade weaving craft, many residents in village are good at manipulating gold and silver jewelry. Their products are fairly sophisticated, especially jewelry for women.

Tourists to Cat Cat are most attracted by its unique customs, especially the custom of “pulling wife”. A man can ask his friends to lure a girl he likes to his house and keeps her there in three days. During these days, if the girl agrees to become his wife, a wedding will be held. However, the girl can happily go home after three days if she does not like him.

Traditional houses of H’Mong people in Cat Cat have three rooms with three doors and are covered with po mu wood roofs. In the house there are three columns that stand in round or square stones. The walls are made from sawn timber. The main door is always closed and only opens when people in the house organize important events. Altar, inlaid floor are where they contain food, places for sleeping, kitchen and receiving guests are indispensable parts of the houses.

To develop the tourism potential in Cat Cat Village, Lao Cai Province’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Department has organized many programmes such as the “Cultural Festival Days in Cat Cat Village” and the tours “A Day of Being a Dao Ethnic Farmer” and “A Day of Being a Mong Bride”. Join these programmes visitors will learn more about and experience many interesting cultural activities of the H’Mong people in this peaceful mountainous village.