Overview
The village grew around a French hydroelectric station of the 1920s, and the waterfall and the old power house are still the centre of it. What you see now is arranged for visitors — weaving and indigo dyeing demonstrated, costumes for hire, a performance stage — and whether that reads as accessible or as a theme park depends on what you wanted. The walk down through the terraces is the better part and is the same in either case.
Highlights
Walk down from Sapa and take a motorbike back; the return climb is steep. Go early, before the buses. If you want a village that is not arranged for visitors, walk to Lao Chai or Ta Van further down the valley instead.