Travelling to Mai Chau, Vietnam soon? Whether you’re looking for a Mai Chau homestay or just things to do in Mai Chau, have a look at the photo below. If this place looks like somewhere you’re excited to visit, read on!
Besides cycling around ethnic villages, trekking through vast rice paddy fields, and tasting delicious local cuisine, there’s one more experience you should not miss when visiting Mai Chau: Enjoying the ultimate peace and tranquility at Mai Chau Countryside Homestay.
Well no, if you’re wondering, I’m not being paid to promote this place. It just happened that during our day trip to Mai Chau in late October 2017, we luckily bumped into this beautiful homestay at Pom Coong Village of the Thai ethnic minority. Blown away by its peaceful ambiance, I’m so excited now to share with you all about this place.
About Mai Chau
First of all, here are some facts about Mai Chau that you might want to know:
- Where is Mai Chau? Mai Chau is a district of Hoa Binh city in northwest Vietnam. Situated 150 km from the capital Hanoi, it’s a valley with a picturesque landscape of mountains, rice paddy fields, and stilt-house villages.
- Mai Chau is home to a large number of Thai people (who are considered an ethnic minority in Vietnam). They live in stilt houses and still preserve their own culture and traditional customs. They create beautiful handmade items such as bags and clothes using their own traditional weaving method.
- Lac Village and Pom Coong Village are the two most popular Thai people’s villages in Mai Chau. The stilt houses there now serve as homestays for tourists and sell traditional handicrafts made by the locals. (Lac Village is quite commercialized now, which is why I prefer the less crowded Pom Coong nearby). There are some other less touristy villages as well, such as Van Village and Naphon Village.
- What to eat in Mai Chau? There are lots of local eateries in Lac Village, serving mostly rice with local meat, fish, and vegetables. The choices are not so diverse, though. Our lunch there included rice, boiled vegetables, one fried egg, grilled pork, and smoked buffalo meat (which is a local specialty). I remember we paid around 200.000VND + for 2 people.
- When to visit Mai Chau? Mai Chau is a valley surrounded by mountains so its temperature is normally lower than Hanoi’s. Springtime when flowers bloom is a beautiful season to visit Mai Chau. You can also come here in May / June (harvest season) to see the stunning golden color of rice paddy fields.
- Where to stay in Mai Chau? There are lots of local homestays, guest houses, and hotels here for you to choose from. Check out the list of accommodations in Mai Chau here.
Mai Chau Countryside Homestay
Now here’s the lovely Mai Chau homestay which I totally recommend. This homestay lies serenely in Pom Coong Village, which is a 10-minute walk from the touristy Lac Village.
Mai Chau Countryside Homestay features a large pond with lots of fish. Its rooms are located on stilt houses with terraces facing the pond.
To access these stilt houses, you need to walk on a Koi fish “stream”. (It actually feels quite cool to walk this way!) Just next to this “stream” is a cafe/bar where you can relax, enjoy a glass of tropical mocktail, watch the fish swimming and behold the beautiful scenery of rice paddy fields at the same time.
If you don’t need a room at Mai Chau Countryside Homestay, this cafe is still worth a visit as its peace and tranquility are truly a haven from the hustles and bustles of Hanoi.
What to do in Mai Chau?
Apart from visiting Mai Chau Countryside Homestay, here are some other interesting things to do in Mai Chau:
- Cycling around the villages and rice paddy fields. You can rent bicycles from the locals (20 000 – 50 000 VND / hour).
- Trekking across villages and climbing up mountains
- Discovering beautiful limestone caves (Chieu Cave, Mo Luong Cave)
- Strolling through local shops for handmade products with unique ethnic styles of Thai people. But beware: Some products are made in China rather than locally, so check the label before you buy!
To top it off…
Due to its proximity to Hanoi, Mai Chau is definitely a great destination to temporarily get away from the bustling capital.
Although Mai Chau is often crowded with tourists during the weekend, a visit to Mai Chau Countryside Homestay can provide a truly peaceful experience for urban dwellers like me.
So if you feel like escaping Hanoi for a day or two, come to Mai Chau! And don’t forget to visit Mai Chau Countryside Homestay as well 🙂
Thinking of visiting Mai Chau soon? Pin this post for future reference!
Oh, one more thing! There are affiliate links in this post BUT don’t worry! They absolutely won’t cost you any extra if you book accommodations by clicking on them 🙂
I lived in Hanoi earlier this year and was so determined to visit Mai Chau, but with my work schedule I just never made it. Seeing this post made me realize I definitely have to go back!
I read about this place for the first time several weeks ago. It reminds me of several areas of Northern Thailand. Like you mention, the peace and quietness in places like this is incredible. It is like you are transported to another world. I need to escapes to places like this more often.
It really does look so peaceful. The stilt houses look so neat and I would love to do some mountains and see the caves. I am thinking of going to Vietnam next year so will pin for future reference.
This looks so beautiful, so serene and peaceful – definitely saving this for later! The food looks great too!
I enjoyed reading your post about this is a beautiful venue. You offered great tips on things to do.
It looks like the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of Hanoi. Next time in Vietnam I need to do a homestay, didn’t get a chance last time I was there.
What a charming and beautiful village. Seems like a great way to experience the area as a local.
This looks so beautiful! I’ve never travelled to any parts of Asia, but posts like this make me want to book my next adventure somewhere like this.
This looks so peaceful and stunning at the same time. I’ve only traveled to China, but I’m dying to go to Vietnam anytime soon.
I was in Hanoi for a day in 2017 and wished I had more time to visit, especially now that I’ve seen what Vietnam has to offer. Your photos are amazing! Pom Coong Village Would never have been on my radar had I not read this post but I would love the chance now to go and visit. The view of the rice paddies from the cafe looks amazing! That seems like a “bucket list” type of experience right there.
I can sense the peaceful experience that one can get at this homestay. Countryside homestays beat everything else when it comes to staying and experiencing a different culture. I loved the house and the green surroundings.
The homestay experience is just like living in a village itself…that view of the fields from the inside is so peaceful. But now that you mention ‘more exotic destinations like Ha Giang and Pu Luong’, I’m going to look them up too.
How peaceful and tranquil it looks to be there in this homestay. I am sure you were able to experience the culture so much more. I have never been to Vietnam but I am starting to get really interested 🙂
Wow I need to do this! I’m heading back to Vietnam later this year and I really want to do some more off the beaten path stuff. Thanks for the inspiration!
This beautiful mountainous area with thick jungle, bamboo groves, tea plantations and waterfalls lends itself to fantastic walks and mini treks to ethnic minority villages, without the influx of tourists.