Mai Chau
A wide green valley of rice fields and White Thai stilt houses, close enough to Hanoi for a short escape and flat enough to cycle all day.
Highlights
- Cycling between Lac and Pom Coong villages, past rice fields and bamboo groves
- Weaving workshops, where the valley’s textiles are still made by hand
- The viewpoint at Thung Khe Pass on the drive in
- Evenings in a stilt house, quiet except for the frogs
Best time to visit
Year-round; rice is green in June and July and golden in late September and October.
Getting there
About 3.5 hours by road from Hanoi.
How long to stay
Two days.
Where to stay
White Thai stilt houses in Lac and Pom Coong villages for the village experience, or valley lodges and eco-resorts with pools looking over the rice fields.
What to eat
Sticky rice cooked in bamboo, grilled stream fish, free-range chicken with lime leaves and can wine drunk through long straws from a shared jar.
Good to know
- Since 1 July 2025 Mai Chau is part of Phu Tho province, after Hoa Binh was merged into it.
- October to April is the dry season. Bicycles are the best way around the valley; electric carts run between villages.
Combine with
Tours that visit Mai Chau
Questions about Mai Chau? Message us on WhatsApp +84 345 827 501 or email booking@hynatravel.com.