- 03/03/2020
Wake up in nature
Mornings are ideal for quite Mai Chau walks. It’s easy to discover on your own, with small hamlets dotting the valley, winding paths and peaceful gardens. Keep an eye out for a drink stall where you can enjoy a Vietnamese coffee watching the rice fields as butterflies fly by.
Learn about ethnic textiles
Do not miss the opportunity to shop beautiful fabrics made by the White Thai people when at Mai Chau. Local shops will even have front looms where you can watch local people weave or try it yourself. Check out Hoa Ban shop in Lac village, a social enterprise that offers vocational training to members of the White Thai minority , for an ethical splurge.
Pedal down the valley
Mai Chau is one of the easiest ways to experience it by cycling. You can set off on your own, or hire a guide to help you navigate the valley’s many trails. A guide will introduce you to a household in White Thai too.In their long stilt houses, take a seat where you can drink tea, nibble on lychees and find out more about rural life.
Farm-fresh dishes to taste
The cuisine of Mai Chau is as new as it does come. Start your meal with a bamboo-tube grilled rice. For a delicious treat, take off the bamboo cover and dip the rice in minced peanuts. Some favorite Mai Chau dishes are grilled native chicken , pork skewers and stir fried greens. If you feel adventurous, try a local delicacy of fried and stuffed cicadas.
Enjoy ethnic Music and Dance
Traditional performances form a special part of all Mai Chau visits. The White Thai musicians are able to use natural materials to craft instruments that produce hypnotic rhythms. Relax and settle in after dinner to watch a show of White Thai. These shows feature full ethnic dressed live folk music and dancers.
Dorm in a trendy house
If you have never tried to sleep in a stilt bed, in Mai Chau, you should. Wooden stilt house can be easily found in the village of Lac Village and Poom Coong village. Typically these houses have clean and simple housing, with shared bath rooms and open-air dormitories. Mai Chau also boasts four-star hotels, as well as stunning lodges.
Discover the exteriors
Mai Chau ‘s countryside is ideal for nature lovers. You might want to sign up on the Hoa Binh Reservoir for a morning kayaking, or take a fullday trekking tour in the nearby Pu Luong Nature Reserve. Many hotels and homestays offer tours of nearby caves and waterfalls.
Arriving at Mai Châu
The ride from Hanoi to Mai Chau takes roughly three hours. You can arrange a private car transfer , get on a shuttle truck , take a bus from My Dinh bus station or ride a motorbike there. The morning is the perfect time to travel, so you can enjoy amazing views over the Mai Chau valley at Thung Khe Mountain pass and cliff-side panoramas.
The morning is the perfect time to travel, so you can enjoy amazing views over the Mai Châu Valley at Thung Khe
Mountain Pass and cliff-side panoramas.
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