A trip to Mai Chau

Most people who visit the north of Vietnam go to Sapa to see the mountains and minority tribes … having been there before and got rained out, we decided to go somewhere a little different and went on a little mini tour to Mai Chau and Pu Luong Nature Reserve.

A brief of Mai Chau

The town itself sits in a fertile valley enveloped on either side by rambling hills all carpeted in the thick green forest.  The paddies and fields of the town provide the main sustenance for the people living there and elegantly change colour with the seasons.  In Spring, the fields are bursting with the bright, vivid green of the young plants. Over the Summer this gradually changes, the paddies morphing into a sea of gold in the Autumn.

Most of the towns are populated by the White Thai ethnic groups but there are also some others in the area such as the H’ mong Village of Xa Linh. The villages are small and blend seamlessly with the environment. The majority of houses are skillfully built using a combination of bamboo and timber with thatched roofs, the natural materials complimenting the unblemished surroundings. The main trades in this undisturbed settling, weaving, and farming, are now complemented by the tourism that the area attracts. The hospitality of the local families is one of the main charms of the area. The laid-back atmosphere of the environment seems to be an extension of the warm, easy going people that live there.

Cycling in Mai Chau

Experiences in Mai Chau

The countryside around Mai Chau is truly some of the most beautiful I have ever seen, emerald green rice fields, dotted with farmers in traditional Vietnamese pointy hats, and then huge limestone mountains just randomly jutting up out of the plains.  The evening we spent in Mai Chau, a huge thunderstorm rolled in, making the whole thing even more spectacular, and making me wish (again) that I had a much better camera.

To my shame, I had a few too many beers and ended up dancing at the cultural show.  Luckily I didn’t fall over, and we didn’t have to pay either.

Probably the most memorable thing about the national park was that Katie got bitten to death by mosquitoes, and her foot swelled up to resemble an elephant….in fact it was easily the closest we came to seeing any wildlife as the park was full of local people shouting, throwing beer bottles into the jungle and playing loud music on their mobiles.

We hope that after reading this post, you will have a clearer look about this beautiful land and take a trip to Mai Chau soon. If you have any questions or need further information, do not hesitate to contact us. Share this article with others if you find it helpful. Thank you!