Possessing the poetic beauty, the cool and fresh air, the cultural diverse, and the rich and unique cuisine, Mai Chau is an ideal destination in the Northwest Vietnam for those in needs of relaxation.
Mai Chau is a mountainous district in Hoa Binh Province. It borders with Son La Province in the north, Thanh Hoa Province in the south, Da Bac District in the north, and Tan Lac District in the east. Covering an area of 564.54 square kilometers, Mai Chau is home of one district (Mai Chau District) and 22 communes. Approximately 140 kilometers from Hanoi and 60 kilometers from Hoa Binh City, Mai Chau is nearby tourist destination which is easily reachable. From Hanoi, travelers can travel to Mai Chau by car or motorbike. Travelers can also catch coaches at My Dinh or Giap Bat Station. The ticket price for one person fluctuates from 90,000 – 120,000 VND.
Mai Chau is a valley, therefore, the climate hear is quite mild and pleasant: summer is not too sweltering and winter is not too freezing compared to other places in the North Vietnam. For that reason, travelers can visit this valley in any time of a year. However, to admire the most breathtaking scenery, there are two best periods to travel here, which are between October and December, and between March and April. From October to December, paying a visit to Mai Chau, tourists have a wonderful opportunity to adore the stunning beauty of peach flowers and plum flowers in full bloom. Meanwhile, March and April is a time that Ban flowers come into bloom and there are many traditional festivals of ethnic minority groups taking place at this time.
Once coming to Mai Chau, it will be a huge omission if travelers miss to visit Lac Village and Pom Coong Village. These peaceful villages are ideal to learn about the traditional and unique culture of the ethnic minority in the northern mountains. Mo Luong Cave and Chieu Cave are also should-not-miss attractions when travelling to Mai Chau. These impressive caves have hundreds of stalactites in diverse shapes and sizes. Especially, according to scientists, the stalactites were formed thousands years ago. Besides, other scenic spots like Thung Khe Pass, Van Village, Nhot Village, paddy fields,… are stunning places to take beautiful photos.
Regarding to the cuisine, it cannot fail to mention “Cơm lam”, which literally means bamboo cooked rice. “Cơm lam” is the most famous dish of Mai Chau made by pressing wet rice with added salt into bamboo tubes and then baked on a charcoal fire. “Cơm lam” is often served with chicken skewers, grilled pork, or salted roasted sesame. Except from “cơm lam”, other specialties that travelers should try at least one time include glutinous rice (“xôi nếp nương”), Muong pork (“thịt lợn Mường”), bitter bamboo shoots (“Măng đắng”), hill chicken (“gà đồi”), and so forth.
Other attractions in Northwest Vietnam: Moc Chau Plateau; Mu Cang Chai; Son La prison; Dien Bien Phu
