Top experience you may interested in:
What to visit in Mai Chau – Beauty in Every Season
Mai Chau offers its unique charm throughout the year. From February to April, it’s springtime with blossoming ban flowers and pleasant warm weather. The landscape of Mai Chau transforms during the summer months. May and June bring golden rice fields covering the valley. July is the season of pouring water. The best time to visit Mai Chau is from August to October when you can enjoy the cool autumn weather while basking in the sun over the lush rice fields. By the end of October, the valley turns golden during the harvest season. From November to January, the valley is adorned with white plum and apricot blossoms.
What to Visit in Mai Chau – Beauty in Every Season
How to Get to when visit Mai Chau
You can travel to Mai Chau on a motorbike or by driving your car to experience the freedom of the road. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Yen Nghia or My Dinh bus station in Hanoi. The road to Mai Chau is beautiful and easy to navigate. If you’re a beginner in traveling, the Hanoi – Mai Chau route is highly recommended.
There are two routes you can choose from:
Route 1: 140 km by motorbike – Nguyen Trai – Quang Trung – Ba La – Chuc Son – Xuan Mai – Luong Son – Ky Son – Hoa Binh – Cao Phong – Tan Lac – Deo Thung Khe – Mai Chau.
Route 2: 150 km by car – Thang Long Avenue (Trung Hoa Tunnel) – Xuan Mai – Luong Son – Ky Son – Hoa Binh – Cao Phong – Tan Lac – Deo Thung Khe – Mai Chau.
For bus travelers, stop at Tong Dau intersection and take a motorbike taxi for another 5 km to reach the center of Mai Chau. The bus ticket costs around 80,000 – 140,000 VND per person.
Returning from Mai Chau to Hanoi, buses usually depart in the morning, with the earliest one at 5:30 AM and the latest one at 3:00 PM. The distance from Ban Lac to the town’s bus station is about 1.6 km. If you’re traveling by motorbike, it’s better to leave earlier to avoid unpredictable weather conditions.
Accommodation when visit Mai Chau
If you love tranquility, consider staying at homestays like A Pao Homestay, Y Mua, Y Sao, A Do, which are conveniently located near the famous Hang Kia – Pa Co cloud hunting spots. Y Mua Homestay is the nearest, just 3 km away from the cloud hunting area. These homestays offer affordable prices, around 100,000 VND for a communal room. They are nestled in peaceful villages with tea hills and lush plum gardens.
In Ban Lac, there are plenty of homestays to choose from. Little Mai Chau is a great option, secluded from the touristy area, providing a serene atmosphere. The room rate is 80,000 VND for a single bed and 160,000 VND for a double bed.
For a more luxurious experience, you can opt for Mai Chau Ecolodge (Na Chieng, Na Phon) with rates starting from 1.1 million VND per night, or Mai Chau Rustic Home (Mo Village) with rates from 800,000 VND per night.
Mai Chau Hideaway, located on the peninsula in Hoa Binh lake, offers a unique experience with rates ranging from 1.6 to 3.6 million VND per night on weekdays and 2.2 to 4 million VND per night on weekends (Friday and Saturday).
About 9 km away, you can find Bakhan Village Resort, situated on the mountainside of Khan Ha village. The resort overlooks the green valley and Hoa Binh lake, with room rates starting from 1.1 million VND per night.
Avana Retreat in Panh village, Bao La commune, is another upscale resort in Mai Chau, offering rates of 5 million VND per night on weekdays and 8 million VND per night on weekends or holidays.
These resorts often fill up quickly, especially on weekends, so it’s recommended to book at least a week in advance.
Things to visit in Mai Chau
- First, visit Thung Khe Pass or Da Trang Pass, located on National Highway 6 between Tan Lac and Mai Chau. These limestone mountains are formed during road construction and are frequently covered in clouds, creating a dreamy atmosphere. You can find stalls selling local specialties and refreshments for visitors to take a break.To experience the local culture, don’t miss Ban Lac, where hundreds of stilt houses dating back 700 years can be found. The area also offers endless rice fields and homestays on stilts for accommodation.
- If you enjoy shopping, visit Pom Coong Village to find charming handicrafts made by the local Thai people. For a taste of the authentic rural life, head to Tong Dau or Cha Long to interact with the local farmers.
Rent a bicycle to explore the charming villages of Mai Chau.
- Explore Hang Mo Luong, part of the Pu Kha mountain range in Mai Chau town. This cave system consists of four main caves, famous for its unique limestone formations resembling flowers and water streams. During the resistance against the French, this place served as a meeting place for the locals. At the end of the journey, visitors can admire a subterranean stream flowing into a nearby lake.
- Hang Kia – Pa Co, located in the gateway to the Northwest at an elevation of 1,200 – 1,500 meters above sea level, is almost always surrounded by clouds. It’s the only place with H’Mong ethnic communities in Hoa Binh, surrounded by majestic mountains. Climbing up to the “Heaven’s Gate,” you can immerse yourself in the vast white clouds. The ideal time for cloud hunting is from November to April, with the most beautiful clouds between 5 AM to 9 AM. If you’re not lucky with the clouds, the area still offers breathtaking panoramic views of the valley. Local people also plant many flowers in this area for visitors to take photos with the wooden bridge. The ticket to Hang Kia cloud hunting area costs 20,000 VND.
- Visit Pa Co Market, a unique destination you should try. The market opens every Sunday morning. Mai Chau Market opens from 5 AM and closes around 9 AM. Here, you can find local products, handicrafts, and traditional items from H’Mong, Thai, and Muong people.
- Visit Go Lao Waterfall or Go Mu Waterfall, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Mai Chau, located in Phuc San commune, about 15 km from Mai Chau. From Tong Dau intersection, head towards Moc Chau to find the way to the waterfall. You can park your vehicle at a local’s house near the waterfall and hike down. The waterfall is about 20 meters tall, with cascading white water and large rock formations below the lake.
During your stay in Mai Chau, make sure to take time to learn about the unique cultural aspects of the local Thai, Dao, and H’Mong ethnic groups. Witness the images of women sitting at the loom weaving colorful traditional fabrics or men skillfully crafting bows and arrows. Enjoy the traditional songs performed by the local youth, wearing their vibrant traditional costumes while dancing to the rhythmic sounds of the bamboo flute. Although the beauty of Mai Chau is simple and rustic, it never fails to captivate the eyes of travelers.
Popular tourist attractions
– Ba Be lake
– What to Visit in Moc Chau
– What to visit in Lai Chau
