Mai Chau Valley
16/01/2019Mai Chau Valley is a moutainous region of Hoa Binh Province in the Northwest of Vietnam. It is located 160km from Hanoi, 65km from Hoa Binh Province and 150 metres above sea level. It takes around 3,5 hours drive from the center of Hanoi.
Mai Chau Vietnam offers mesmerizing landscape, rich ethnic culture, unique cuisines, and a wide range of outdoor adventures. This town is an ideal place to escape from Hanoi’s hustle.
Mai Chau Vietnam is renowned for its captivating landscapes and vibrant culture. With a harmonious blend of rolling hills, verdant rice paddies, and charming villages, Mai Chau offers a serene escape for nature lovers and adventure seekers.
Mai Chau is well known for stilt houses. They called Thai stilt houses and made of bamboo and timber material. The special construction of the houses protects locals from flooding, and the empty space below the main floor of the house serves as a shelter for domesticated animals. The houses provdide super photo opportunities, dotted as they are around the valleys, peeping out through the trees.
Mai Chau is nestled among the mountains, surrounded by emerald green paddies, and the rice fields where agriculture still strives. The area has many rice farms and the terraces provide more scenic beauty. The scenic beauty of the area makes this one of the best things to attracts many tourists.
Mai Chau Valley have the villages where are well preserved traditions of ancestors the White and Black Thai Tribes. White Thai people is weaving. You will see their traditional craft products hanging on the poles along the streets in the Lac Village. There are other tribal minorities living in Mai Chau as H’mong, Dzao, Tay, Muong …
*** When is the best time for visit Mai Chau?
Mai Chau weather features a humid subtropical climate. It has two distinct seasons. The rainy season from May to October when brings lush greenery and rejuvenates the surrounding landscapes & the dry season from November to April provides a refreshing respite from the summer heat. Tourists can visit Mai Chau at any time of the year.
– From August to October: It is the best time to visit Mai Chau as you can enjoy the mild autumn weather and marvel at the green rice paddies. October is perhaps the most ideal month because harvest takes place and the rice takes on a glorious golden.
– From October to December: This period also boasts cooler weather, and the enchanting bloom of cherry blossoms and apricot flowers.
– From March to April: This period features mild temperatures diverse ethnic festivals, and the vibrant blooming of ban flowers
*** Visiting Mai Chau during the festivals
Festivals are also the ideal periods to visit Mai Chau. If you want to get closer to local people, you may not want to miss these festivals below.
– Thai people’s Xen Ban and Xen Muong festival: takes place in august of the lunar calendar annually
– Thai people’s Rain festival: takes place in the April of the lunar calendar.
– Muong people’s Cong Chieng festival: takes place on the Lunar New Year
– Tay people’s Long Tong festival: takes place from the 5th and 15th of January of the lunar calendar
*** How to get to Mai Chau from Hanoi on your trip?
1. Take a Private car from Hanoi to Mai Chau
It is easy to take a taxi directly to Mai Chau or you can rent a private car from Travel agency. The drivers cannot speak English but they can drop you any places there as your requirement. With this way, it is quickest to get Mai Chau.
2. Take a limousine bus
The limousine bus is public to Mai Chau. Limousine are more better which depart from Hanoi Old Quarter. The driver can speak and understand a little bit English. The price is reasonable but more comfortable.
4. Take a motorbike (Not advice)
If you prefer to experience highway by motorbike. You have make sure that you are skillful and have experience driving in Vietnam. If not it is dangerous for you. By this way, you have to rent a good mobobike from Tour Operator in Hanoi Old Quarter.
*** 05 The most attractions in Mai Chau
1. Thung Khe Pass
Thung Khe pass) is situated along the route between Mai Chau and Moc Chau, part of National Road 6 in Hoa Binh province. With a height of over 1,000 meters above sea level, standing at the summit of this pass allows you to admire the panoramic beauty of Mai Chau below – a picturesque landscape of tranquility.
Arriving at Thung Khe pass, travelers will be impressed by the majestic mountain roads surrounded by the fresh green hues of grass and foliage. Sometimes, the thick blankets of mist that envelop the pass create a mystical atmosphere, giving visitors the sensation of stepping into a fairyland. Thung Khe Pass is a must-visit destination in Mai Chau Vietnam that showcases the awe-inspiring wonders of Vietnam’s mountainous terrain.
2. Lac Village
Lac village has been exsited for 700 years and it is the place of special traditional cultures of Thai people. There are 5 main big families living in the village: Ha, Lo, Vi, Mac, Loc. Recently, the beautiful of Lac village are discovered, hence not only gain their life from agriculture and weaving, but local people also concentrate on contribute the village become a touristing destination.
Lac Village is a charming destination that offers a unique Mai Chau Vietnam homestay experience. With its breathtaking landscapes, this traditional Thai ethnic village invites visitors to immerse themselves in the local culture and lifestyle.
Experiencing an overnight stay in a traditional stilt house offers a chance to savor delicious local cuisine, witness traditional song and dance performances with friendly local people.
3. Pom Coong Village
Another attraction that should not be missed on a Mai Chau day trip is Pom Coong Village. It is a traditional village of Thai people. with more than 300 people and nearly 70 households living together. “Pom Coong” village has a very interesting and unique meaning, the word “Pom” in Thai is a hill, and “Coong” means a drum, combining both words “Pom Coong” together means the village having hills on a big drum, this big drum as known as vast fields.
When wandering through the village, you will be captivated by the charming stilt houses, intricate handicrafts, and vibrant traditional costumes. You can embrace the vibrant culture by participating in traditional dances, or savoring the delicacies of Mai Chau Vietnam such as barbecued beans, banana flowers or sticky rice with seven colors.
4. Pa Co Fair Market
Pa Co Fair Market is a vibrant cultural highlight of Mai Chau on every Sunday morning. It is attracting both locals and foreign visitors.
Wandering through the market and interacting with the friendly locals are valuable activities during your Mai Chau Vietnam tour. From intricately woven textiles to handcrafted jewelry and delicious local delicacies. Pa Co Market is where you can witness the customs and habits of Hmong culture. Lying between Mai Chau and Moc Chau, Pa Co Market is the meeting point of two ethnic groups: Hmong from Moc Chau and Thai from Mai Chau. The bustling atmosphere of the market is so special compared to the quiet feeling of the weekdays. People will bring their self-made and self-grown products trying to sell to others. Pa Co Market is one of the unique things to do in Mai Chau.
5. Mo luong Cave
Mo Luong cave is located in Pu Kha mountain system of Mai Chau town, Hoa Binh province. The most famous cave is Mo Luong cave which is a natural cave in the limestone blocks with magnificent stalactites. It also retains 2 entrances overlooking stretching paddy fields and villages in the valley. And tourists can explore it easily to find the strange feeling aside from a immense green paddies. This is a very unique tourist destination, ideal for travelers who like to explore and find strange feelings when coming to Mai Chau.
Visiting Mo Luong Cave, visitors not only admire the beauty of stalactites with unique shapes, but also hear the legend about a snake turned into dragon bringing rain to the village. In order to show gratitude to the snake, the villagers worship the snake in Mo Luong cave.
