Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi – Mai Chau – Pu Luong (Lunch, Dinner)
Pick up at your hotel in Hanoi, head out for Mai Chau. It will take 4-hour drive along the rolling hills to Hoa Binh province, stop at some road passes for a bird-eyed view of landscapes of several Muong villages. Scenic photo stop along the way, enjoy the beautiful scenery of Thung Khe Pass (One of the 10 most beautiful passes in Vietnam) for a spectacular view of Mai Chau Valley.
Arrive in Mai Chau, relax and have an authentic lunch with a local family of the White Thai Tribe and enjoy some free time to acquaint yourself with the villagers at Poom Coong village.
In the afternoon, we have a leisurely walking & biking along the valley passing by different villages of Thai ethnics, experiencing their farming activities, their house styles or interacting with them for interesting insight of authentic local cultures.
We will take a long cycling tour along Mai Chau’s humble paths, through its small villages and adjacent to its verdant rice paddies. The forested limestone mountains will be ever-present throughout the day, sitting behind caves and waterfalls, giving shade to the farmers as they plow the fields or pluck the rice.
Have free time shopping in Poom Coong or Lac village before driving further to Pu Luong nature reserve where it has now become a fascinating destination for those who love to discover the beauty of nature. You will have a chance to stay at a homestay of Black Thai people in Don village. Don Village area is well known for its stilt houses. The type of stilt houses, or pile dwellings, they construct are called Black Thai stilt houses and are made of bamboo and timber. These houses are elevated 10–12 feet off the ground in order to avoid water damage and shelter animals from the elements. Enjoy a traditional dinner at homestay of Black Thai people.
This is the time to interact with local people and the host about their culture, custom, and ways of life together with sipping rice wine.
Day 2: Pu Luong – Hanoi (Breakfast, Lunch)
The daily life here starts early, it will be interesting for you to get up at the first sign of daylight and take part in the activities in the morning, or take a stroll around Don village before having breakfast with our new Thai friends. At 8.00 am start a soft trek inside the Pu Luong Nature Reserve to walk through rice terrace fields. Trek through small paths shrouded in vegetation to slowly reveal a picturesque village sitting at the base of a towering mountain. Your camera will not be able to sit still!
Continuing to the base of the valley, you weave between roads and farmland, villages and wild fields, ponds and rivers, mountains and open land. Savor the ever-changing scenery as you trek to a beautiful spot where you will visit Uoi village before reaching to Pho Doan where our private vehicle waiting to take you back to the homestay for your lunch. We drive to Ho Chi Minh's road to come back to Hanoi in the late afternoon.
Tour includes:
– Private air-con vehicle pick up and drop off at the hotel
– All the entrance fees
– English speaking tour guide
– Bicycle ride in Mai Chau
– A bottle of mineral water each guest
– 01 night at a homestay in Pu Luong
– Meals as Itinerary
Tour excludes:
– Travel insurance
– Extra food and beverages
– Tips and personal expenses