Rolling rice paddies as much as the attention can easily see. The sound of chickens clucking. Stilt houses in the middle of forest-covered mountains. Simple and fresh plates of food. These are the basic impressions Mai Chau provides you with. Operating out of easy reach from Hanoi, Mai Chau is often a breath of clean air, and a great choice if you’re looking for a calm destination full of nature and culture. Listed here are seven top activities to do in Mai Chau.
Wake naturally
Mornings are fantastic for peaceful walks through Mai Chau. With small hamlets dotting the valley, winding paths and quiet gardens, it’s easy to explore yourself. Keep an eye out for a drink stall which you could savour a ca phe phin (Vietnamese coffee) looking on the rice fields as butterflies drift by.
Learn about ethnic textiles
Much more Mai Chau, don’t miss the opportunity to shop beautiful fabrics woven through the White Thai people. Local shops will even have looms out front, to watch the locals weaving, or give it a try yourself. For an ethical splurge, take a look at Hoa Ban+ shop in Lac village, a social enterprise that provides vocational training to women from your White Thai minority.
Pedal through the valley
One of the better ways to experience Mai Chau is simply by cycling. You are able to tripped on your own or engage a help guide help you explore the numerous trails over the valley. Tips could also expose you to a White Thai household. Sit back inside their long stilt houses, where one can sip tea, nibble on lychees and find out a little more about rural life.
TIP: Your hotel will help you book a cycling tour, or find qualified guides at Mai Chau Lodge. If you’re unable to cycle, you'll probably still explore the valley with electric carts.
Taste farm-fresh dishes
Mai Chau’s cuisine is really as fresh because it comes. Start your meal with com lam (bamboo-tube grilled rice). Peel off the bamboo cover and dip the rice in minced peanuts for any delicious treat. Ga d?i (grilled native chicken), th?t l?n xien nu?ng (pork skewers) and stir-fried greens are a couple of favourite Mai Chau dishes. If you’re feeling adventurous, try ve s?u chien, a local delicacy of stuffed and fried cicadas.
Enjoy ethnic dance and music
Traditional performances can be a special section of every stop by at Mai Chau. The White Thai musicians are proficient at using natural materials to craft instruments that creates mesmerizing rhythms. After dinner, relax and settle in to watch a White Thai performance. These shows feature live folk music and dancers completely ethnic dress.
Sleep in the stilt house
If you’ve never tried over sleeping a stilt house, you'll be able to in Mai Chau. Wooden stilt house homestays can easily be present in Lac Village and Poom Co?ng village. These houses will often have neat and simple accommodation, with shared bathrooms and open-air sleeping quarters. Mai Chau also boasts four-star hotels as well as beautiful lodges with views with the rice fields.
Explore the outside
The countryside surrounding Mai Chau is designed for nature lovers. You should subscribe to a morning of kayaking about the Hoa Binh Reservoir, or require a full-day trekking tour in neighbouring Pu Luong Nature Reserve. Many hotels and homestays in Mai Chau offer tours to caves and waterfalls nearby. You can also book packages for outdoor activities ahead of time using your travel company.
Progressing to Mai Chau
Your journey to Mai Chau from Hanoi takes three hours. You'll be able to arrange an individual transfer by car, join a shuttle van, take a bus from My Dinh bus station, or drive there by motorbike.
A good time to see Mai Chau is produced by March to May or throughout the harvest season from September to November.
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