Hiking in SaPa to Cát-Cát Village and the Waterfalls

For my second full day in SaPa, I had again planned a route using Komoot, although my experiences from the previous day had made me wary of the route details, which could be attributed to the residual effects of rain, mud, and the constantly changing pathways in the rice fields. At first, I considered renting a scooter, but I was more intrigued by the idea of exploring the mountains on foot. Before arriving in SaPa, I had read that it was supposed to be quite cold and uncomfortable there. However, during my brief time, this was not the case at all. Today felt more like summer temperatures, it was perfect weather for sunglasses, and once again, I had to watch out for sunburn. My shoes had dried overnight, allowing me to set off cheerfully after breakfast. The trail led me downhill towards Cat Cat Village. Originally a traditional ethnic village and home to the H’Mong people, it has now transformed into a tourist hotspot where visitors expect something in return for their entrance fee. The village now offers shows, exhibitions, insights into traditional local life, opportunities to take pictures with borrowed cultural props, and even some educational content on local animal husbandry. Additionally, a river meanders through the village where some waterfalls can be observed. After visiting Cat Cat Village, I wandered off the usual tourist paths along some beautiful trails, keeping an eye on Fansipan, the highest mountain in Indochina, even though it wasn't my destination. On this stretch, I encountered only two tourist hikers and mostly locals; often carrying hoes for their fieldwork. I also walked through real, current villages with their small cattle, chicken, and pig farms, though I mostly only heard the pigs grunting behind the stable walls along with their strong smell. Eventually, after only 16 km of hiking, I found my way back to SaPa, although the climbs made it feel like a bit more, especially the last ascent in the serpentines before reaching SaPa was quite a challenge and the heat was pressing down on me. The moped drivers, who offered me rides numerous times, looked surprised and dejected when I consistently declined their service...

After freshening up at my nice accommodation, I ventured out once more for an evening strengthening round. Coincidentally, it was happy hour everywhere. That worked out well ;-) ...