Vietnam Trekking – Travel Hanoi Mai Chau Cuc Phuong National Park Tam Coc (10 days)

The 8-day tour is arranged in the northern Vietnam taking you to some of the most popular travel places including Mai Chau, Cuc Phuong National park and Tam Coc. The tour begins with a car transfer from Hanoi to Mai Chau where you spend the first 6 days trekking through local hilltribe villages such as Xa Linh, Hang Kia, Tau Na, Cun Pheo, Xam Khoe, Poom Coong, Noong Luong, Ban My. The first 5 nights are spent at local home (homestay) offering the opportunity to experience the real life. You continue your holiday travelling to Cuc Phuong National Park. There you one more day trekking through jungle, to visit the 1000-year old tree before you move to Tam Coc, “halong bay inland” where you enjoy a river boat trip, sampan cruise tour and optional bicycle tours before you travel back to Hanoi. The 10-day adventure tour is provided with English-speaking tour guide, support vehicle and is only available from October until April. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Hanoi – Hoa Binh – Mai Chau.

You will be met up with Lotussia Travel team and transferred to Hoa Binh ( 75 km from Ha Noi).  Upon your arrival in Hoa binh, start 3-hour trek to Ban Voi. You will admire picturesque view of Hoa Binh reservoir on the height of 300m above sea level. After 3 hours trekking transfer to a boat. Lunch on board. Cruise on Hoa Binh reservoir to Bai Sang. Transfer to Mai Chau ( 15 km), on the way to Mai chau stop to see Go Lao waterfall. Dinner and overnight in Mai Chau.

Day 2: Mai Chau – Xa Linh – Hang Kia

Breakfast. Start 3.5-hour trek to Xa Linh. This morning you will trek through rice fields, jungles before going to Xa Linh. Afternoon continue 4-hour trek to Hang Kia, stop en route for seeing the H’Mong hill-tribe people. Overnight at Hang Kia village.

Day 3: Hang kia – Tau Na – Cun pheo

An early morning start to trek mountainsides to Tau Na. The trekking is quite adventurous at times with some steep uphill and downhill walking, but the views are incredible. However, some physical preparation will enable you to fully appreciate today’s trek. Overnight at Cun Pheo – A Muong village.

Day 4: Cun pheo – Xam khoe – Pom Coong

The spectacular countryside and simple lifestyle of the Thai ethnic minority people are a highlight of Mai Chau valley although conditions are very basic. Lunch in Van Mai. In the afternoon trek to Pom coong. En route to Van Mai you have the chance to meet local people, all friendly and Welcoming. Overnight at Pom Coong village.

Day 5: Pom Coong – Noong Luong

In this morning we spend 3 hours walking up to reach Noong Luong where you can see Muong villages on the highland of 1.200 m above sea level. A good meal is already awaiting you in local house. Afternoon trek to Tra Day to discover the rural life of Muong ethnic. Dinner and overnight in Noong Luong.

Day 6: Noong Luong – Ban My village

This day will be long with picnic lunch en route. You will trek through many villages and rice field, hills, forests. On the way you will meet interesting local people who are working on farm or on rice field. Tourists arrive in Ban My village at 5h00 PM . Warm hosts and hot meal is ready to serve you. Overnight in Ban My village.

Day 7: Ban My – Cuc Phuong

Breakfast. Trek 2 hours get out Ban My ( Tan Lac District) before we take a 60 km drive to Cuc Phuong National Park. After lunch trek 2 hours around. Overnight in Muong village in Cuc Phuong.

Day 8: Cuc Phuong trek

We continue venturing into the national park of Cuc Phuong. A 6-hour trek with picnic lunch en route gives us a great opportunity to explore one of Vietnam’s most beautiful primeval forests and also see the Muong hill-tribe people. Overnight in Cuc Phuong.

Day 9: Cuc Phuong – Ninh Binh

Upon leaving Cuc Phuong National Park we are transferred by car to Tam Coc. A boat trip on a river through “ Ha Long inland” – The quiet and peaceful landscape of rice fields surrounded by limestone formations to visit three grottoes of Tam Coc. Afternoon visit Non Nuoc pagoda in Ninh binh. Overnight in Ninh Binh.

Day 10: Ninh Binh – Ha Noi

Breakfast. Transfer to Ha Noi. Trip ends.

Mai chau trekking tour 01 day

Mai chau trekking tour 01 day

If you only have 01 day for Mai Chau, you can join group tour with Trekking Travel that leaves everyday. You will visit Mai Chau with a trekking tour to come to visit the mountainous townlet of the Thai people. It is one of the most picturesque regions of Vietnam’s Northwest – an area with outstanding beauty and biodiversity and worth exploring by foot.

 ITINERARY:

7:30-8:00: our driver and guide come to pick up you at your hotel for going to Mai Chau.
10:00: Bus will stop at a beautiful place on the way for having a short break.
11:30-12:00: you arrive Mai Chau village, stop for some beautiful pictures of the village from hight.
12:15: check in your room and you will have traditional lunch.
13:00: enjoy riding bicycle with our local tour guide, you will see farmers working in rice fields, locals women and girls are weaving scarves. You will have chance to visit surrounding  peaceful villages.

 15h00: get on bus and we start to leave Mai Chau
19:30 – Drop you off at your hotel

More information :

Isolated Mai Chau is a 139km trip from Ha noi and 66km further on from Hoa Binh. Though it’s not far, the trip from Hoa Binh to here takes almost two hours by motorbike due to the mountainous terrain.

Mai Chau is in a valley just over the biggest hump, about 10km from the  Song Dariver and only 150 metres above sea level. The village presents an idyllic rural valley that could easily charm you into staying longer than intended. Nestled between two towering cliffs and surrounded by emerald green paddies, it is an enchanting sight as you wind down the cliff side.

In spring Mai Chau is a bright, almost parrot-green and by autumn this green transforms into golden hues as the rice approaches harvest. Taking the time to watch these transitions of colour seems like a perfectly useful way to spend your time while there.

Beware that whilst a beautiful time of year, Mai Chau can become unbearably hot in June / July with little respite from the heat as electricity doesn’t come on until the evening.

Those bemoaning the dearth of truly budget accommodation in Vietnam will be happy to learn that this is one place you can stay for a song. The star attraction here is a ‘homestay’ in a stilt house in one of the two ethnic White Thai villages, Ban Pom Coong and Ban Lac. While both are run by ethnic minority families who have lived on and worked the land for generations, this is hardly like trucking into a Karen village in  village in northern Thailand and  staying in the spare room of someone’s house.

The ‘bare bones’ accommodation is purpose-built to give tourists the ‘homestay’ experience, while the watchful eye of the government makes sure they have western toilets, ample bedding, and sometimes even satellite TVs in the common rooms.

Ban Lac is the more developed of the two villages, with more gift shops and a busier nightlife — what there is of it — but there’s little to differentiate the accommodation on offer. The lodgings are mostly traditional stilt houses with large communal rooms where you can sleep on a mat laid upon a squeaky, split bamboo floor, for just about the same cheap price everywhere. The sleeps are really a loss leader — they make the real money off the food you eat, and the curios and textiles you buy. Not to mention, the liquor you drink. A typical charge is 150,000 VND / person for dinner, breakfast, and a bed although some are a bit cheaper. You could save ‘small money’ by eating in town, but family-style Vietnamese cooking is generally far superior to restaurant fare, and you wouldn’t want to miss out on the nightly group meals.

Despite this tourist-driven set-up, and the regular influx of visitors, the villages remain a relatively peaceful retreat, and it’s heartening to see how the influx of tourist dollars hasn’t changed the essential character of the locals, which we gauge to be as warm and easy-going as you please.

As far as eating is concerned, all guesthouses in the villages offer food at quite reasonable prices and varying standards. If they don’t live up to your expectations there is little option other than to track back into town to try the local restaurants. Be warned though you will struggle to find anything of outstanding worth there.

Mai chau trekking tours 3 days – 2nights – boat trip on Ma river

Mai chau trekking tours 3 days – 2nights – boat trip on Ma river

This trip to the Northwest highland of Mai Chau offers a balance of cultural and physical activity set amongst some northern Vietnam?s stunning natural landscape. We trek for one and a half days through villages in Mai Chau and overnight in a White Thai village where we have opportunities to observe the local lifestyle of these minority people. From the mountainous region of Mai Chau, we travel back to the nation capital, Hanoi.

Day 1: Hanoi – Mai Chau – Boat Trip on Ma River (L/D)

We depart Hanoi and head west towards Hoa Binh city where we stop for refreshments and visit Hoa Binh hydro station was built in the 1980’s. Leaving Hoa Binh we climb to towards the Mai Chau valley, about another two hours away to the White Thai village of Lac. Enjoy the stunning views while lunching on tasty local dishes cooked by the White Thai girls of the village. Afternoon we walk to the surrounding village then drive to Co luong harbor for the delights of a boat trip on Ma River for visit Ban En village. Trek along the river bank to where you will reboard the boat where boat to go back to the Lac village. Our hosts for this evening will be the White Thai minority people. While enjoying these people’s hospitality we find out a little more of their lives and cultures while socialising after the evening meal. Tonight’s accommodation in a stilt housewill probably be a little more rustic than you would be used to but nonetheless a lot of fun. Traditional dancing can be arranged as an extra.

 Day 2: Mai Chau – Xa Linh (B/L/D)

Today we will visit XaLinh village- 60 km following the Hwy 6, the village of Black Hmong people. You will trek 2-3 hours though the mountains to see the daily life of the Hmong peole, tilling the fields, logging or herding buffalo. Have lunch cooked by a local White Thai woman from Lac village in Hang Kia village before returning to Lac village. Have dinner and spend other night in your stilt house in Pom Coong village.

Day 3: Van Village – Hanoi (B/L)

Following breakfast we embark on a lovely walk to Van village. We have the opportunity to spend some more time strolling around the hamlets and witnessing the beginnings of another day in rural Vietnam before we return to Hanoi. We enjoy lunch in Mai Chau before we drive back to Hanoi. Visit Muong village in Hoa Binh before the tour finishes at your hotel in Hanoi.

Included services

    Transfer in air-conditioned vehicle
    Pick up & drop off at your hotel in Hanoi
    Homestay at a stilt house
    English speaking tour guide
    All meals as mention in the program (B- breakfast, L- Lunch, D- dinner)
    All admission cost at places mentioned in itinerary

Isolated Mai Chau is a 139km trip from Ha noi and 66km further on from Hoa Binh. Though it’s not far, the trip from Hoa Binh to here takes almost two hours by motorbike due to the mountainous terrain.

Mai Chau is in a valley just over the biggest hump, about 10km from the Song Da river and only 150 metres above sea level. The village presents an idyllic rural valley that could easily charm you into staying longer than intended. Nestled between two towering cliffs and surrounded by emerald green paddies, it is an enchanting sight as you wind down the cliff side.

In spring Mai Chau is a bright, almost parrot-green and by autumn this green transforms into golden hues as the rice approaches harvest. Taking the time to watch these transitions of colour seems like a perfectly useful way to spend your time while there.

Beware that whilst a beautiful time of year, Mai Chau can become unbearably hot in June / July with little respite from the heat as electricity doesn’t come on until the evening.

Those bemoaning the dearth of truly budget accommodation in Vietnam will be happy to learn that this is one place you can stay for a song. The star attraction here is a ‘homestay’ in a stilt house in one of the two ethnic White Thai villages, Ban Pom Coong and Ban Lac. While both are run by ethnic minority families who have lived on and worked the land for generations, this is hardly like trucking into a Karen village in  village in northern Thailand and  staying in the spare room of someone’s house.

The ‘bare bones’ accommodation is purpose-built to give tourists the ‘homestay’ experience, while the watchful eye of the government makes sure they have western toilets, ample bedding, and sometimes even satellite TVs in the common rooms.

Ban Lac is the more developed of the two villages, with more gift shops and a busier nightlife — what there is of it — but there’s little to differentiate the accommodation on offer. The lodgings are mostly traditional stilt houses with large communal rooms where you can sleep on a mat laid upon a squeaky, split bamboo floor, for just about the same cheap price everywhere. The sleeps are really a loss leader — they make the real money off the food you eat, and the curios and textiles you buy. Not to mention, the liquor you drink. A typical charge is 150,000 VND / person for dinner, breakfast, and a bed although some are a bit cheaper. You could save ‘small money’ by eating in town, but family-style Vietnamese cooking is generally far superior to restaurant fare, and you wouldn’t want to miss out on the nightly group meals.

Despite this tourist-driven set-up, and the regular influx of visitors, the villages remain a relatively peaceful retreat, and it’s heartening to see how the influx of tourist dollars hasn’t changed the essential character of the locals, which we gauge to be as warm and easy-going as you please.

As far as eating is concerned, all guesthouses in the villages offer food at quite reasonable prices and varying standards. If they don’t live up to your expectations there is little option other than to track back into town to try the local restaurants. Be warned though you will struggle to find anything of outstanding worth there.