Mai Chau
is an amazing natural destination located in North Vietnam, that is, though, often ignored by travelers who always look for touristic and famous places. If you want a peaceful place which is not chock-full of tourists, then Mai Chau is definitely a worthy option. In this article,
Incredible Asia Journey
will advise you
how many days to spend in Mai Chau
as well as a travel guide to this hidden gem.
Let’s get started!
Mai Chau is situated in the mountainous area which belongs to the province of Hoa Binh. It is approximately 135 kilometers Northwest from Hanoi which may take around 4-5 hours driving from the capital city. The entire region has an area of a total 520-kilometer square which consists of a plethora of magnificent landscapes.
By bus
The bus is the most common way to get to Mai Chau from Hanoi. You can go to My Dinh bus station to catch it or book a bus that can pick you up from your hotel. Of course, the price would be more expensive for the latter option.
There are buses departing at 06:00, 07:30, 14:00, and 14:30 every day at My Dinh bus station. You can find a ticket counter and ask for a bus ticket to Mai Chau, however, if you come there on the weekend or national holiday, it’s better to book the ticket in advance on online channels or ask your hotel’s staff for help.
Some recommended buses from My Dinh bus station to Mai Chau:
Ha Loan
Departure time: 7:50
Tel: 0912490679
Hoang Thao
Departure time: 14:30
Tel: 0914 688533 – 0218 386829
By motorbike
If you are brave enough to get on a motorbike and ride for more than 100 kilometers, then it’s also a good option. However, it’s not cheaper than you go by bus because the motorbike rental fee in Hanoi is even more expensive than a bus ticket.
Motorbike
If you stay in Mai Chau for more than a day and want to reach far-distance destinations such as Thung Khe Pass, then a motorbike is the best option for you. You can either drive from Hanoi or come here by bus and rent a motorbike at a local rental company.
Electric car
This is a car designated to serve tourists. This car will run around the village at a w speed so that you can enjoy the scenery. If you want to go to further places, you can deal with the driver about the price.
Bicycle
Biking in Mai Chau
This option is often chosen by tourist companies that provide tourists a eat experience of enjoying the green rice field while riding a bicycle. Bicycle is also an environmentally-friendly choice that can help the local community to sustain the environment.
Go Lao Waterfall
Go Lao Waterfall is nested in Phuc San area which is about 15 kilometers far from Mai Chau town. From the main road, you have to park your bike and trek to the waterfall. Although the way down to it is quite rough and challenging, once you get to the waterfall, you will be amazed by its majestic untouched beauty. It is 15-meter height and alongside, there is a small area that you can hold a small picnic party with your friends.
Thung Khe Pass
Located between Tan Lac and Mai Chau, Thung Khe Pass is a stopover that you can see a beautiful view of green mountains and valleys. Along the pass, there are some local stands that you can park your bike and enjoy some local signatures as well as the spectacular view. However, be careful when passing it because there are a lot of big trucks passing by this winding path.
Lac Village
Lac Village is now one of the most famous community tourism destinations among the Vietnamese as well as foreign tourists. It’s not a crowded, splendid, hectic town, but everything is just so local and natural making it so memorial in people’s hearts. This is a village of Thai ethnic minority group which consists of 5 families, namely Ha, Lo, Vi, Mac, and Loc. Until now, the village has been existing for more than 700 years. In the past, people here just did farming and weaving for a living, nowadays, since the village is becoming famous among tourists, the villagers start to do the tourism business to make more earnings.
Ban Pong Coong
Pom Coong Village is home to 70 households with more than 300 inhabitants. When coming there, you can see a lot of traditional stilt houses of the local Thai ethnic minority group. Thai stilt houses are a little different from those of other ethnic minority groups which are built higher on a 2-meter wooden pillar and made of bamboo. Windows in the house are very big so that wind can come through. Under the house is the place where Thai girls make their traditional stuff such as purses, shirts, etc.
Coming here, you will also have a chance to listen to traditional Thai songs and dancing. If you are interested, you can join them too.
Van Village
Van Village is located 1 kilometer away from Mai Chau town and under the foot of Pu Van mountain. Different from the other 2 villages, Van Village doesn’t have many tourists visiting, thus, its original beauty is still remained intact. If you visit Van Village in new year’s eve, there are some traditional games that you can join together with the local villagers.
This is a family-owned museum established by Mr. Kieu Van Kien who has a great passion for keeping Thai culture. Therefore, for years, he has been collecting a plethora of old stuff of Thai people residing in many places such as Son La, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, even Laos. In June 2012, he founded this museum as a place for visitors to come and learn more about Thai culture.
Thai Museum - Mai Chau
As Mai Chau has not only beautiful nature but also contains rich culture, it’s better to stay as long as you can to dive into the local life. However, if you cannot, Incredible Asia Journey recommends you stay at least 3 days 2 nights to visit all of the sites listed above.
However, if you are really pressed in time, you can book a Mai Chau 1-day group tour departing from Hanoi run by our company which can help you to grasp an overview of this spectacular attraction.
We have shown you the most essential information that you need to know before coming to Mai Chau. We hope you will have a clearer idea of this place after reading this post.
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