Tour Details

2-Day tour Mai Chau to discover the beauty and exotic cultures of Vietnam’s hill tribes of Mai Chau – a small town nestled in the midst of a lush valley and surrounded by emerald-green rice fields, located about 130km west of Hanoi. Step off the beaten path and experience Mai Chau’s relaxed hill tribe life and breathtaking scenery, cycling, trekking through the rolling countryside, immersing yourself in the wonders of Mai Chau valley.

Departure location

Hanoi

Availability

Daily group tour or Private tour

Price Includes

Pickup and transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
Accommodation (Homestay, Bungalow, Resort..)
Lunch & dinner at local restaurant
English-speaking tour guide,
Bike ride in Mai Chau
Sightseeing and permit fees during guided time

Price Excludes

Drinks & other meals not mentioned
Personal expenses & tips
Travel insurance

Complementaries

Availalbe and updated per booking

What to Expect

Escape the bustle of city to Mai Chau, a lush valley and surrounded by emerald-green rice fields,
Relaxing ride to visit the hill tribe village, learn about the culture of the ethnic minority Thai people
Good photo opportunities.

Itinerary

Day 1 HANOI - MAI CHAU (L, D)

7.15-7.30 Pick up at your hotel in Hanoi, head out for Mai Chau. Stop along the way to visit the Muong tribe and then at Thung Khe Pass for a spectacular view of Mai Chau Valley. Have an authentic lunch with a local family of the White Thai Tribe and enjoy some free time to acquaint yourself with the villagers. Check in your hotel/home-stay/bungalow and rest.

Afternoon, ride a bike to the remote villages, discovering the natural beauty of the valley and the culture of the ethnic minority Thai people on our visits to the Pom Coong and Na Phon villages.

Return to your stay for a relax or help preparing the evening meal to learn about the local cuisine and culture. After dinner, enjoy a traditional dance and music performance of the villagers. Stay overnight in the long stilt house in Mai Chau.

Optional: Stay overnight in a luxury Mai Chau Lodge resort or Private Bungalow room or dorm bed at homestay

Day 2 MAI CHAU - HANOI (B, L)

Start the day with a simple breakfast with your host family then take a short bike ride through the surrounding countryside, before setting off on a trek through rice terraced paddies in Na Meo, Xam Pa villages and down winding lanes to visit the Cum and Sam Khoe villages. Immerse yourself in the vibrant local culture and scenery.

Check out and have lunch at restaurant. Then free time for shopping or relaxing.

15.30 Bid farewell to local host and drive back to the urban bustle, arriving at your hotel in Hanoi late afternoon.

EXTENDING? Optional Activities

If you would spend more time in Mai Chau, you can extend your trip with following options:

Walk, trek and cycle through paddy fields, tribal villages, handicraft villages, a Sunday market and more to get an in-depth look at the traditions and lifestyle of the white Thai ethnic group; interact with locals as well and discover vibrant ethnic minority cultures and magnificent lush green mountains.

Pu Luong nature reserve trekking (6-8 hours, From $35/person)

Pu Luong Nature Reserve is a spectacularly scenic national park located some 35km from Mai Chau. After our transfer there, we’ll trek through the picturesque forest along mostly dirt paths to visit Thai and Muong ethnic minority villages with their simple houses, often with buffalo underneath. This moderate walk has both even stretches through the villages and rice fields and hilly inclines into the forested mountains where we can take off our shoes and wade through mountain streams for some fantastic photo opportunities. After a picnic lunch (with sandwich of your choice) in the Eo Ken Village, we’ll trek to the Thai and Muong area around the Pa Ban Village with its lush farmlands and beautiful mountain scenery before boarding our transport back to the lodge in Mai Chau.

Sunday Market tour (4 hours, From $30/person)

Visit the Pa Co Sunday Market which happens only once a week. Where the locals, including the colorfully H’mong people come to the market from surrounding areas to trade. The market starts early in the morning and finishes before noon. Transport to the mountain market is via a shared vehicle leaving from the lodge at 8.30am. After visiting the market, take a relaxing walk along mostly paved paths to the neighboring villages of Sa Linh and observe the pretty green glass bottles used in the construction of some of the simple homes as a way to let in light. This trip will surely be a memorable one, from the scenic drive to the interaction with local people of different tribes.

Boat trip on Da River (4 hours, From $30/person)

After nearly half an hour drive from the lodge, we will get in to a very special and different scenery. You
will see the water fall and beautiful islands which we call Halong Bay on the mountain, after that we will get on a boat to go around the lake and try to catch the fish as the local people do, in the end you can jump in and enjoy the fresh and crystal clean water that make you forget all the hit of the summer.