Mai Chau is located in Hoa Binh province, approximately 135 km from Hanoi and 60 km from Hoa Binh. From the top of Cun Mountain, one can admire the superb panorama of Mai Chau surrounded by a green valley and stilt houses. Many minorities, including the Thai ethnic group, live in Mai Chau.
Stilt houses border both sides of the roads. The houses are quite large with palm leaf roofs and polished bamboo-slat floors. The kitchen is located in the center of the house; the cooking as well as the making of the colorful tho cam, the material used by Thai minority to make their clothes, takes place in the kitchen. The windows are large and decorated with patterns. Each house also has a pond to breed fish.
The Sunday market brings a lot of people into town. People from different minorities living in the mountains come to Mai Chau market to sell their specific products: honey, bananas, corn, and tho cam made by skilled Thai women. The Sunday market is also an occasion to enjoy traditional Thai dishes and to participate in traditional dances.
Mai Chau can be a base for some trekking tours to the villages around, this is with homestay overnight on the traditional houses of the H'Mong and the Thai. Worth a guided treking tour there.
Day1: Hanoi - Ninh Binh (L, D)
Depart for Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh), enjoying the rural scenery along the road. Visit Hoa Lu old citadel. In the afternoon, take a rowing boat along the tiny canal among the rice fields to visit Tam Coc (Three Grottoes). 16:00 Tour ends. Overnight at Thuy Anh hotel.
Day 2: Ninh Binh - MaiChau (B, L, D)
Morning: 07h30 Departure to Mai Chau. On the way to MaiChau, visit to Hang Pagoda (Ancient Cave pagoda) to enjoy a peaceful scenarios and to get a more understanding of the most popular religion - Buddismn. Visiting a Muong ethnic minority village to see stilt-house and their lives. 12h30 lunch at restaurant.
Afternoon: 13h30 Drive to MaiChau. Homestay overnight stilt house - Lac village (Mai Chau guesthouse). Go shopping around Lac Village. Walking throughout some White Thai villages to see people making traditional dress and stools. 19.00 have dinner.
Day 3: MaiChau - XaLinh - Hanoi (B, L)
Morning: 07h30 Breakfast. Leave for XaLinh at 08h00, visiting H' Mong ethnic minority village (Pa Co market held on Sunday) to enjoy the daily life of the local people. Walking through plum & peach gardens to contemplate peaceful scenery. 12h30 lunch at restaurant.
Afternoon: On the way to Hanoi stop at HoaBinh Hydro-Power-Station to see how the greatest power station was built in the war. Return to Hanoi at 16h30.
Tour Cost includes:
- Full transportation as tour program indicated.
- Full meals as indicated in the itinerary.
- English/French - speaking guide.
- Twin-share accommodation with daily breakfast.
Tour Cost excludes: - Airport taxes, Visas, Travel insurance, Tips, Personal expenses, Emergency transfers.
As indicated: (A/C= Air-conditioning, O/N= Overnight, B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
Tariff for this trip: The tariff may differentiate according to number of participants and the high or low seasons in Vietnam. Please contact our travel consultant for the price of this trip.