Mai Chau Travel Guide

One of the main attractions for tourists to visit Vietnam is its ethnic diversity and topography, especially in the Northern mountainous region. But not all visitors have enough time to discover both a Northwest or Northeast (usually, it will take at least 5-7 days). Then Mai Chau will be the best choice to ensure you have a complete trip in Vietnam. Why?

• Not too far away from Hanoi, just only 140km ( about 3 hours by car)
• The climate is pleasant year-round, summers are not too hot, and winters are not too cold as the high mountains.
• Full features of the Northwest mountainous region: terraced fields with 2 rice seasons per year, the villages of Thai, H'Mong, Muong, Dao, with traditional stilt houses, diversity of handicrafts
• Various tourism activities and suitable for all types of tourists: tourists are interested in exploring with trekking hours through ethnic villages, experience sleeping on stilts house of local people; Or tourists could prefer to relax in the comfortable resorts with cycling activities, gentle walking
• Local people are friendly, enthusiastic, and open to visitor

Please refer to the detailed information below to prepare well for your great trip to discover this beautiful land.

Mai Chau town

                                                                      

Table of content

1. Location, climate and the best time to visit Mai Chau

Mai Chau is a Hoa Binh province district located in the Northwest of Vietnam, 140 kms from Hanoi – and takes about 3 hours by car or 4 hours by motorbike.
It is the place you can visit at all times of the year. Especially when you come to Vietnam in winter (December - January - February) and still want to explore the northern mountainous ethnic groups. Still, the high mountainous areas such as Sa Pa and Ha Giang are too cold, foggy covering all the sights, the fields are barren, Mai Chau and Pu Luong are the ideal destinations for you.

A year can be divided into two main seasons: the rainy season from May to September and the dry season from October to April next year.
The best season to visit Mai Chau falls in these months: October, November, March, and April. The weather is dry, cool, pleasant, and very suitable for walking, trekking, or cycling.

December, January, February: It is dry, but sometimes there will be very cold periods, sleeping at a homestay will be a bit inconvenient because of limited facilities.
Around the end of January and early February is the beginning of the rice crop. You will have the opportunity to see the locals working on terraced fields. This season also attracts many domestic tourists to admire the plum blossoms of Mai Chau.

          Plum blossom season in Mai Chau

March, April, May: It is beautiful, sunny, neither too cold nor too hot, nor the rainy season. The terraced fields are green and in May starts turning yellow in preparation for the harvest season.

From June to September: It is summer and also the rainy season in Mai Chau. August - September may be at risk of flooding. June and September are the rice harvest season; the terraced fields are glowing yellow under the sunshine. Because there are 2 rice seasons in a year, people continue a new crop right after the rice harvest in May.

October and November: The weather is cool and dry, blue sky is clear. In this season, there is no rice in the field. However, the Northwest landscape is always covered with a bright green color, so you will still be captivated by this place’s beauty.

2. How to get to Mai Chau?

Mai Chau is located at the gateway to the Northwest of Vietnam, so you can easily connect with other tourist destinations:
From Hanoi: 140 kms
From Tam Coc - Ninh Binh: 140 km
From Pu Long Nature Reserve: 50 km
From Nghia Lo (in the Northwest trip watching terraced fields): 220 km
From Son La (in the Northwest classic trip Mai Chau - Son La - Dien Bien Phu): 170 km

              Mai Chau location in the northern Vietnam

For a tour that combines with many other attractions, it is best to rent a private car because it is inconvenient to book a local bus for foreigners.
Also, not every place is near the bus station so you can catch the bus. You will have to take a motorbike taxi or taxi from your stay to the bus station and vice versa. Not to mention that the bus ride time is sometimes not suitable with your tour schedule. Local buses are usually small, small seats and short, so if you have to sit for a long time on a bumpy mountainous road, it will not be comfortable.

And if you want to discover only Mai Chau from Hanoi on your own, it's quite easy.
Mai Chau is not too far from Hanoi (140 km), the road is beautiful and easy to go, besides going by car, some young people choose motorbike to experience a different feeling.

Limousine D Car from Hanoi to Mai Chau
Many Limousine bus companies are serving transportation routes the Hanoi - Mai Chau with extremely reasonable prices (about USD 10/ person): Anh Dung Limousine, Xuan Trang Limousine, Manh Kien Limousine ... The buses operate from 6:00 am to 19:00 daily. They usually depart from Big C Thang Long Hanoi and drop off passengers in Mai Chau town’s center.

>>>Reference to book ticket at this link

Motorcycle
From Hanoi, it will take 4 hours to get to Mai Chau by motorcycle.

The shortest and fastest way is Hanoi – Xuan Mai – Luong Son – Hoa Binh – Muong Khen – Mai Chau –only ride along the national road No 6 to get to Mai Chau. Do not forget to stop in Thung Khe pass to enjoy the panorama view of Mai Chau Valley.
Although the road is good, it is long riding to prepare well and check the weather forecast before the trip.

3. Discover ethnic villages in Mai Chau.

Mai Chau covers an area of 564.54 kms with a population of about 63,000 people. This is the place where many ethnic groups are living. Thai people are nearly 60%, Muong people 14.05%, Kinh people 14.01%, Mong people is 9.6%, Dao people is 2.02%, the rest is a small percentage of other ethnic minorities.
Coming to Mai Chau, you will discover the customs and habits and the daily life of the local people. If you are not too strict about the condition of sleep comforts, you should experience a night of sleeping in a homestay, in a typical stilt house of ethnic people to better understand their life, chat with them, have dinner, and sing, drinking ... The people's house’s living conditions are very simple but ensure all necessary items such as blankets, curtains, pillows, mattresses, towels, showers, and shared WC. In return, you enjoy the kindness of the host, the peaceful village scenery, and the delicious meals.
The ethnic villages currently strongly developing tourism in Mai Chau are Mai Hich, Buoc, Lac village, Pom Coong, Na Phon village.

3.1.  Mai Hich village:
About 14km from the center of Mai Chau, Mai Hich commune has all the community tourism development elements. The highlight is the majestic mountains, preserving the cultural identity of Thai ethnic, rich cuisine ... Not too crowded and noisy as in the center of Mai Chau, Mai Hich still retains the wild features and the peaceful to attract visitors.
 

                                                   The beauty of Mai Hich village                                                     
 

Some suggestions for a place to overnight in Mai Hich:

Mai Chau Villa 4* ( with swimming pool)
Add: Cha Lang village, Mai Hich commune
Web: maichauvillas.vn
Price: From 89 USD/room/night ( included breakfast)

Tu Diep homestay
Add: Hich 2 village, Mai Hich
Facebook: https://vi-vn.facebook.com/tudiephomestay/
Price: 15 USD/pax ( included dinner, breakfast) or 30 USD/double bungalow ( included breakfast)

Minh Tho homestay
Add: Hich 2 village, Mai Hich
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Minh-Tho-Homestay-245759822476888/
Price: 15 USD/pax ( included dinner, breakfast)

Tuyet Nhung homestay
Add: Hich 2 village, Mai Hich
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HomestayThuyetNhung/
Price: 15 USD/pax ( included dinner, breakfast)

3.2. Buoc – Xam Khoe village
If you want to stay in a quieter place, choose Buoc – Xam Khoe village. About 25 km southwest of Mai Chau’s center, Buoc village is located on a hill covered with green palm forest. This place still retains pristine features, imbued with cultural identity.
The Thai people in Buoc village are extremely hospitable and friendly. They still keep the wet rice cultivation habits, slash-and-burn cultivation, traditional stilts house made of wooden floors, thatched roofs, and special tools for daily farming... That simple rustic image has captivated many visitors.

           Buoc Village's gate in Mai Chau

        Rice field terrace in Buoc village
 

                          A local woman is sweaving in Buoc village

Some suggestions for a place to overnight in Buoc village:

La Maison de Buoc ( with swimming pool)
Add: Buoc village, Xam Khoe, Mai Chau
Web: lamaisondebuocmaichau.com
Price: From 7 USD/pax ( sharing stilts house, included breakfast), 35 USD/bungalow/night ( included breaskfast)

Ha Van Nhieu homestay
Add: Buoc village, Xam Khoe, Mai Chau
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Havannhieuhomestay/
Price: 15 USD/pax ( included dinner, breakfast, sharing stilts house)

3.3. Lac, Pom coong, Na Phon village
Mai Chau town today is a very familiar community tourism destination with tourists, especially domestic tourists at every weekend.
Here, you will discover the beauty of Thai villages such as Lac village, Pom Coong village, Na Phon village ... The roads through the villages are really good. You can also ride your bike leisurely on the small winding roads between the rice fields, the mountains and hills with the typical Thai stilt-roofs.

Lac village in Mai Chau

Besides the tourism industry, the local people still focus on rice cultivation and brocade weaving. Walking along the Lac village, you can easily see the sisters by the weaving. They are extremely friendly so don't be afraid to take pictures or visit their products.
Passing through Lac village, you will see a more peaceful scene in Pom Coong, Na Phon… Usually, it takes about 1.5 hours - 2 hours to walk around these villages. The homestays often have bikes for rent available if you wish.
 

Mai Chau Ecolodge in Mai Chau

Some suggestions for place to  overnight in Mai Chau:

Mai Chau Ecolodge 4* - best choice for 4 star in Mai Chau
Add: Na Thia village, Na Phon Commune, Mai Chau
Web: Maichau.ecolodge.asia
Price: from 70 USD/room/night ( included breakfast)

Mai Chau Lodge 3*
Add: Mai Chau town, Hoa Binh province
Web: maichaulodge.com
Price: from 50 USD/room/night ( included breakfast)

Mai Chau Valley 3*
Add: Mai Chau Town, Hoa Binh province
Web: maichauvalleyview.com
Price: from 35 USD/room/night ( included breakfast)

Mai Chau Rustic Home 3*
Add: Mo village, Mai Chau Town, Hoa Binh province
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Maichaurustichome/
Price: 7 USD/pax ( stilts house, included breakfast), 40 USD/room/night ( included breakfast)

Mai Chau Nature Lodge 3*
Add: Na Phon village, Mai Chau town, Hoa Binh province
Web: maichaunaturelodge.com
Price: 40 USD/room/night ( included breakfast)

Mai Chau Countryside homestay
Add: 30 Pom Coong village, Mai Chau town, Hoa Binh province
Price: 30 USD/room/night ( included breakfast)

Little Mai Chau homestay
Add: Na Phon village, Mai Chau town, Hoa Binh province
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Little-Mai-Chau-Homestay-596034994081003/
Price: 35 USD/room/night ( included breakfast)

Mai Chau Farmstay
Add: 38 Lac village, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh
Tel: 091 478 8884
Price: 25 USD/room/night ( included breakfast)

Quan Hang homestay
Add: Lac village, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh
Tel: 0978 98 6740
Price: 15 USD/pax ( included dinner, breakfast, sharing stilt house)

Tu Nhung homestay
Add: 16 Pom Coong village, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh
Tel: 0164 894 86424
Price: 15 USD/pax ( included dinner, breakfast, sharing stilt house)

Tuan Tu homestay
Add: Chieng Chau village, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh
Tel: 0167 302 3151
Price: 15 USD/pax ( included dinner, breakfast, sharing stilt house)

Phanh Khoan homestay ( stilt house number 14)
Add: 14 Lac village, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh
Tel: 0973 826 355
Price: 15 USD/pax ( included dinner, breakfast, sharing stilt house)

Stilt House number 1
Add: Lac village, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh
Tel: 0915 833 572 – 0166 324 5556
Price: 15 USD/pax ( included dinner, breakfast, sharing stilt house)

3.4. Van Village
Only about 1km from the center of Mai Chau town, Van village is located at the foot of Pu Van mountain, where the Thai ethnic people live. They live mainly on wet rice cultivation, animal husbandry, traditional occupations such as weaving, knitting ... Tourism development is quite early. However, Van village still has many wild features, rustic, from scenes to the idyllic lifestyles of Thai people.

A stilt house in Van Village

4 Other tourist destinations:

4.1. Thung Khe pass or Da Trang pass
On the way from Hanoi to Mai Chau, you will pass Thung Khe Pass, also known as White Stone Pass. The tourist cars all stop here for visitors to admire and take pictures, and the driver had a few minutes for rest in the middle of the long journey.
The pass is not as majestic as O Quy Ho pass in Lao Cai and not as steep as Ma Pi Leng pass in Ha Giang, but still full of attractions. From the top of the pass, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the beautiful Mai Chau valley below. A few simple shacks have been set up by local people so that tourists can stop to rest, enjoy the scenery and enjoy some of the region's rustic specialties such as grilled corn, bamboo cooked rice...

Thung Khe pass on the way to Mai Chau

4.2. Ba Khan lake
Ba Khan is a small commune of Mai Chau located on the bank of Hoa Binh hydropower reservoir. Very close to 2 famous tourist spots, Mai Chau and Hanoi, Ba Khan was almost forgotten until recently.
With a circumference of about 20 kms, Ba Khan is compared to Ha Long Bay on land - the hidden paradise of the Northwestern mountains because of its poetic beauty.
Tourists could visit Ba Khan on the way from Mai Chau to Hanoi. If you want to relax, Ba Khan Resort is the ideal choice.

Ba Khan Resort

Ba Khan village Resort
Add: 01 Ba Khan, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh
Website: bakhan.com
Price: 70 USD/room/night (Included breakfast)

4.3. Mo Luong cave
About 2km from Lac village, Mo Luong Cave is the destination for tourists who love to explore. The old name is Bo Luong cave. In Thai, Bo Luong means big water spring. It is a water spring that originates in the heart of the Pu Kha mountain range, flows into the western field, and the local people have dug into a reservoir and named it Mo Luong lake.
Mo Luong Cave has 4 main caves with beautiful natural stalactites.
It also has the great value of history and culture with many interesting legends.

Mo Luong cave in Mai Chau

5. Travel activities

5.1. Walking - Trekking
The best way to explore land, especially in the mountains, is by walking
During the walking, you can leisurely enjoy the view, take pictures or stop to chat with local people. And just following the winding trails with one side of the mountain, the other side is the immense field, you can fully feel the beauty of this place.
The road in Mai Chau does not have many high slopes, so it is suitable for most tourists, from children to the elderly. You just need regular sports shoes, you can conquer the basic roads with 2 - 3 hours per day.
For trekking tours, you will need trekking shoes. You can trek 1 up to 2 days in Mai Hich or Xam Khoe village since the scenery does not change much. Trek tours for more than 2 days in Mai Chau are not recommended.

Trekking in Mai Chau through the Villages and rice field

5.2. Cycling
With a quite flat terrain, Mai Chau is also a good place for cycling tours. The feeling of cycling in a peaceful village with not many cars and motorbikes on the road; or cycling on dirt roads in the cool green fields is extremely comfortable.
Usually, tourists will cycle around 1 – 2 hours gently in the early morning or evening to enjoy the fresh air.
Bicycle rental fee in Mai Chau is 50,000 VND / session.

Cycling activities in Mai Chau

5.3. Motorcycling and motorbike taxi
If you can't walk a lot and can't ride a bike, then the motorbike experience is still very enjoyable. You can enjoy more and further than you can walk or cycle. The local driver and guide know the land where they live and are also very familiar with the road to admire the scenery. Though sometimes walking on the mountainside trails can be heart-pounding.
Cost of motorbike rental: 150,000 VND / 1 hour - 2 hours.

Motorbike taxi to visit Mai Chau

5.4. Traditional entertainment show – Drinking local wine
One of the unique cultural features in Mai Chau is the traditional dance of the Thai ethnic people. After dinner, locals will invite tourists to join in this performance. Lovely Thai ladies in traditional costumes will perform umbrella dances, fan dances, and ethnic songs.
After that, tourists will participate in the collective performance, dance together, drink local wine, bamboo dancing. You will have an unforgettable memory of your trip. Come to Mai Chau, do not miss this interesting activity, especially at the local people's house!

Thai's ladies in their traditional dress for dancing show

5.5. Cooking with local people
Sleeping in a homestay in Mai Chau, you can participate in cooking activities with the host. There is no oven, no electric stove, ... only with a simple wood stove but with the ingenuity of the chef, the dishes with extremely attractive flavors will surely surprise you.

Enjoy cooking with local people in Mai Chau

5.6. Join in farming activities: Corn harvesting, planting rice, rice harvesting (seasonal activities)
If you like the real experience of the ethnic life in Mai Chau, you can join them in daily activities such as going into the forest for firewood, going to the fields to take corn, hoeing by land, plowing the fields, transplanting, harvest,... Of course it depends on the time of your trip and depending on the people’s farming schedule.

Rice harvesting in Mai Chau

6. Mai Chau specialties

Besides charming sceneries, Mai Chau is also famous for many unique delicacies.

6.1. Bamboo cooked rice ( Com Lam)

Com Lam - Bamboo cooked rice in Mai Chau

The most famous dish is Com Lam ( Bamboo cooked rice) in Mai Chau. Right from the stop on Thung Khe pass, you can see the local people selling a lot. The rice is placed in young bamboo tubes and grilled on a wood stove. When the rice is cooked, it smells very fragrant when opened. You can enjoy bamboo cooked rice with sesame salt or grilled pork.
For good taste, it is essential to choose the right type of rice grown in the terraced fields. This is the most important factor that makes up this iconic dish of Mai Chau cuisine.

6.2. Muong  pork
Muong Pig is a small pig, raised in natural conditions, grazing in the field, not eating industrial foods, so its meat is good, lean, low in fat, delicious and sweet. Really good taste.
This is the indispensable specialty in the meals for tourists when visiting the Northwestern mountainous area.

Muong Pork specialty

6.3. Hill Chickens
Hill chickens are stocked in gardens, on hills, in forests, and raised naturally. Anyone who has eaten the original Mai Chau hill chicken cannot forget its special flavor. The meat is extremely delicious.

Hill Chicken specialty

6.4. Sour bamboo shoot
Bamboo shoot is a specialty of Mai Chau. It is always available in the house because people often go to the forest to pick up bamboo shoots to pick up or dry to eat gradually.
There are also some other unique dishes in Mai Chau for visitors who like to experience new things, such as wild bees stir-fried with sour bamboo shoots, grilled fish, mountain snails, ...

Sour bamboo shoot

7. Organize Tours to Mai Chau

If you only go to Mai Chau, you can choose a 2-day classic tour or a 3-day tour with a 1-day trek. Mai Chau - Mai Hich - Xam Khoe can be combined in the same tour.
On the way from Hanoi to Mai Chau or vice versa, you can visit the ancient village of Duong Lam with hundred year old houses, or Thay Pagoda, Tay Phuong Pagoda with unique architecture.
If combined with other tourist destinations, just 1-2 nights in Mai Chau will be good. Mai Chau can be combined with Ninh Binh or Pu Luong, or Nghia Lo for the Northwest tour schedule.

>>>Click here for the reference price of Mai Chau Tours