Hill tribes of Mai Chau

Journey across the emerald rice paddies and staggering mountain passes of the peaceful Mai Chau valley in this spectacular module. You'll see the day-to-day lifestyle of the locals as you spend a night in a traditional Vietnamese stilted house. You'll be the guests of a village family, who will lavish hospitality and tasty typical cuisine upon you. If you wish, you can attend a folklore evening with the White Tai people of the village.

Mai Chau is an excellent alternative to Sapa for travellers eager to experience hill tribe culture, but a little short on time. Unlike Sapa, the village of Mai Chau is very accessible from Hanoi and still offers a unique glimpse into traditional ways of life.

At 7.30am you will leave Hanoi by minibus and head into the hills. The village of Mai Chau is nestled in an emerald valley considered to be the birthplace of the real Vietnamese, about 145km southwest of Hanoi. Nowadays, the Mai Chau Valley is inhabited by the White Tai people. They are famous for their traditional embroidered clothing, their dancing, traditional songs and especially their Can wine. This potent wine is made of leaves and is drunk through a bamboo straw.  You will arrive in Mai Chai in late morning and served a tasty lunch in your quirky stilted house.

After lunch you will visit the Tai village of Ban Lac. This village is surrounded by paddy fields and rice terraces, with vendors selling silk scarves and local handicrafts. In the evening, you can enjoy the folklore of the White Tai over a glass (or two) of Can wine. The folklore event is entirely optional, so if you would prefer you can spend the evening at your own leisure. You'll spend in a basic traditional stilt house, with a mattress and a blanket but little else. We would suggest that you bring a sleeping bag sheet and mosquito net for some extra comfort.

After a hearty breakfast, you'll take a short 3km hike to a village of the Muong tribe, found only in this remote region of Vietnam. The Muong tribe orginates from South China and is known for its fascinating folklore. After lunch, you'll leave for your return trip to Hanoi, reaching the capital at around 5pm.

You can follow this cultural module with a relaxing trip to the incredible archipelago of Halong Bay. See our Anchors Away in Halong Bay module or the slightly more active Magical Islands and Hilly Hikes module.