Traditional Vietnam - White Tai hill tribe

Hill tribes of Mai Chau

Route: Hanoi - Mai Chau - Hanoi

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

Our traditional Vietnam tour is an excellent alternative to Sapa if you're 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.

If you'd like to start building your Vietnam holiday, take a look at our range of bite-sized Vietnam tours. Alternatively, if you'd rather leave the planning to us, you can take your pick from our selection of ready-made holidays in Vietnam or give one of our friendly travel specialists a call on 01273 322 041.
Duration 2 days / 1 night
Departs Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from Hanoi

Accommodation

1 night in a traditional stilted house in Mai Chau. Comfort Level 1 - 2 (see accommodation).

Price

 £105 per person - based on 2 people

Included

 All transport, accommodation in Mai Chau, lunch and evening meal on Day one, breakfast and lunch on Day two, guided excursions as listed.

Transport
Air-conditioned minibus, walking

 Excluded All other meals and drinks, folklore evening

Day 1: Hanoi - Mai Chau

At 7.30am this morning, you'll leave Hanoi by minibus and head into the hills for our traditional Vietnam adventure. 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 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'll arrive in Mai Chau in late morning for a tasty lunch in a traditional stilted house. It may take a few attempts, but before you know it you'll be a pro with chop sticks. 

After lunch, you'll get a real taste of traditional Vietnam as you 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 in Mai Chau at your own leisure. You'll spend the night in a basic traditional stilted 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.
Traditional Vietnam - Hill tribe handicrafts
Traditional Vietnam - breakfast with the hill tribes

Day 2: Mai Chau - Hanoi

After a hearty breakfast, you'll set of on a short 3km walk from Mai Chau to a village of the Muong tribe, found only in this remote region of Mai Chau. The Muong are known for their fascinating folklore and originate from Vietnam, unlike the White Thai who (despite their name) arrived in Vietnam from Southern China. After lunch, you'll finish your journey through traditional Vietnam and begin the return trip to Hanoi, reaching the capital at around 5pm.

You can follow this traditional Vietnam trip with a relaxing tour of Halong Bay, considered to be one of the top attractions in Vietnam. During our Halong Bay Cruise you'll spend a night under the stars on an historic junk boat, or you could choose something slightly more active by taking our Halong Bay trip.

Traditional Vietnam - Accommodation (click to enlarge)

  

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