Both villages are very small and offer a stark contrast: Aizhai is untouched by tourism and people will invite you for a cup of tea whereas Dehang was transformed to meet the demands of mass-tourism and locals in traditional costumes ask you 10 RMB to take a picture of them.
My verdict
As a first time traveller and if you have time, Dehang is an interesting option. However, with a 100 RMB entrance fee, Dehang is one of the most expensive villages in southwest China. In addition, the price barely makes it for the performances (if you arrive on time), the amount of concrete poured and renovations that are taking place in the village. The hike to the waterfall (in summer only) barely justify the 100 RMB.
The landscape of Dehang was privatised, but after talking to a few villagers, none of the locals benefit from this privatisation.
