Mai Chau, a mountainous area located in the North of Vietnam, has been described as a fresh and peaceful place with breath-taking landscapes. Mai Chau Vietnam is synonymous with not only eco-tourism but also the home to different ethnic minorities. Coming to this site, you will be offered the chance to enjoy a rural area in pristine condition as well as to know more about the local life. Please scroll down to explore all the things you need to know about Mai Chau during your Vietnam tours.
Mai Chau weather over the year
Since located in the Northern part of Vietnam, Mai Chau bears characterized features of the weather in this area.
In the spring, when the sun gradually comes out after winter months, the temperature gets higher, ranging from 18 to 27 degrees Celsius. The rainfall during this season is quite modest, which means your trip is likely to go smoothly without weather-related difficulties. Visiting Mai Chau at this period, you can expect about 4 hours of sunshine each day to enjoy the valley’s sun-dappled views. Besides, you can also be rewarded with the romantic scenery of a variety of blooming flowers.
Over the next period of the year, the weather of Mai Chau in summer becomes hotter but still lower than that of other sites in Northern Vietnam, especially in Hanoi. However, as in the rain season, the rain may become a barrier for some interesting activities like trekking and cycling. The sunshine hour of this time is a little bit longer than that of spring, from 5 – 6 hours.
After reaching its peak in the summer, in autumn, the temperature goes down (from 21 to 24 degrees Celsius); making it become the ideal weather to taking part in outdoor activities. The decrease in the rainfall compared to the summer along with the continuous 5 – 6 sunshine hours can be seen as a plus point of Mai Chau weather. At the end of autumn, Mai Chau bears wealthy and vibrant beauty with yellow terraced fields covering all hillsides.
In winter, like any part of the North, Mai Chau climate is relatively cold with an average temperature of 16°C. For those who are used to hot weather, this period seems to be inconvenient; but the condition of rainfall and the number of sunshine hours can be considered as redeeming factors. While the rainfall falls down to its bottom, 4 to 5 hours of sunshine are stable. During this time, especially during Tet holiday, you will have opportunities to join traditional festivals of local people and learn more about their lives.
Mai Chau accommodation
About accommodation in Mai Chau, you can think of the Mai Chau Ecolodge. From its name, the philosophy of it is to combine tourism with protecting the environment and the community via sustainable practices. This means that while having a good view of mountains and rice fields from the room, you can lessen the negative effects on the environment.
Another place to stay in Mai Chau that needs to be taken into consideration is Mai Chau Hideaway. The special thing about it is its unique position – in the heart of Hoa Binh Lake. This might bring you the feeling of relaxing on a romantic lake surrounded by magnificent mountains. Moreover, the resort also offers you many amusing activities like kayaking, cooking class, etc.
Things to do in Mai Chau
Taking a trip to Mai Chau, travelers have opportunities to gain memorable experiences from a variety of compelling activities. Below are 3 main things to do in Mai Chau:
Explore local area
A large area of rice paddies covered with yellow or green, magnificent mountains, different kinds of flowers in bloom, etc. are waiting for you. For your discovery trip, it is very easy to rent a bike; or for those who’d like to challenge themselves, trekking is a better idea.
Try the local dishes
It’s a big mistake to leave Mai Chau without tasting its traditional food. The bamboo rice, which is produced by putting wet rice with a little salt into bamboo tubes and then heating, is the most popular dish. Five-colored sticky rice in Lac village made from natural materials can be an alternative to the bamboo rice.
When visiting Lac village in March, grapefruit leaves pork roll – Muong minors’ specialty is the thing that you should not miss. Moreover, you ought to have a meal with a local family, that would be a memorable experience.
Go shopping
For people who love shopping, exploring the regional markets of ethnic groups can be an interesting activity to do in Mai Chau. Textiles, paintings, souvenirs or other local stuff can be found in such markets.
How to get to Mai Chau from Hanoi
The distance to Mai Chau from Hanoi is only 140 km. It is ideal to get there by private rental car because you can stop somewhere to take photos.
Another option of transportation to Mai Chau from Hanoi is bus service at Giap Bat station, Yen Nghia station, My Dinh station. It departs from Hanoi in the morning at about 6 am to 8 am, and in the afternoon at about 1 pm. The bus ticket is quite reasonable with VND100,000/ person (approx. US$4.5)
If you are fond of adventure, driving a motorbike from Hanoi to Mai Chau seems to be an interesting idea. The distance of 140 km away from Hanoi will take you about 4 hours to get to Mai Chau. You are recommended to follow the highway 6: Hanoi – Xuan Mai – Luong Son – Hoa Binh – Muon Khen – Mai Chau.
Once you arrive at the destination, you can choose to do a trek around Mai Chau. Or else, you can rent a bike to discover the surroundings. It is easy to rent one from the homestay you’re in.
Suggested Mai Chau tours
- Adventure The Winding Northwest 7 Days
- Exclusive Trip Pu Luong To Ninh Binh 4 Days
- Mai Chau Escape 2 Days
Left a bustling life behind, Mai Chau as a real heaven for tourists who want to explore new land, immerse with natural landscape and living style. Don’t hesitate to contact us – Indochina Voyages now for the best Mai Chau tour arrangement!
Toan Do – Travel Lover
