Only about 135km from the capital, Mai Chau (Hoa Binh) is a 5-star weekend destination loved by many travel followers. With only 2-3 hours of travel, you can immerse yourself in cool fresh nature, enjoy delicious cuisine, explore unique culture, participate in interesting games on the river in the middle of Hoa Binh Lake, or simply walk, cycle in the middle of the stairs, lyrical in the midst of the Northwest Gateway.
Come on, pack your suitcase and let's go! Migo's 2 days 1 night itinerary has been scheduled for you!
Mai Chau - the perfect destination for a short stay of 2 days 1 night. Photo: maichau.ecolodge.asia
When is it beautiful to go to Mai Chau?
Don't fret because Mai Chau is beautiful every season. March and April are dry weather, moving easily. This is also the time when the banana flowers are whitening the earth and sky, Mai Chau is as pure as coming out of a fairytale, poetic and immeasurable.
From 5 to 8 months, Mai Chau welcomes guests again with ripe plum season. Swoop into the gardens and markets, fill the plums in the bag to bring back, enjoy the sweet and sour taste of the Northwest plum dipped with a little apricot salt, see the whole earth and sky collapsed into your mouth. Moreover, to be free to check-in among the plum orchards, it is amazing!
May 9 is the time when the Hmong people in Mai Chau are celebrating Tet independence, this is also an opportunity for you to experience this unique culture. October is the ripe rice season, the green fields are now covered with golden gold. The scent of new rice crept into the corner of the stilt house.
November comes to the end of the year: Mai Chau is gentle in the very mild cold of the valley winter. The last months of the year are also the time when peaches, apricots and plums begin to bloom. White and pink patches cover Mai Chau valley with wonderful colors like a giant watercolor painting. Don't forget to capture these beautiful moments.
Mai Chau is beautiful at any time of the year. Photo: Avana Retreat Fanpage
Where to go to Mai Chau to eat - Check out now 7 famous delicious restaurants near and far
Not only beautiful all year round, Mai Chau cuisine is also extremely special. Every waking season, river fish, village pigs, hill chicken, bamboo shoots, seasonal vegetables, sticky rice on fragrant, attractive grilled rice, Mai Ha wine keeps guests near and far. With a very rich cuisine and always abundant all year round. These delicious dishes are served at almost every restaurant in Mai Chau.
However, if you are new to Mai Chau for the first time and wonder where to eat, pocket these 7 addresses right away.
1. Hop Thuy Restaurant - Subdivision 2 TT. Mai Chau
The space is spacious, neat, suitable for large groups such as companies and groups. Professional service style, dishes of the restaurant are also Mai Chau specialties such as hill chicken, fried pig, lentil fish. Price range from 60,000 VND - 600,000 VND/chicken mother.
2. Shop 3 sisters - Chiang Sai hamlet, Mai Chau
This place is one of the delicious restaurants in Mai Chau famous for its rustic cuisine menu, especially serving vegetarian dishes. Although the dish is bold in the taste of mountains and forests, although rustic, it still makes many visitors near and far remember. Price: 200.000vnd/pax
3. Mai Chau stilt house - Lac village, Chiangzhou, Meizhou
The famous stilt houses you can refer to such as: stilt house No. 1 (Thu Hoa), Mai Chau stilt house No. 29 (Long Di stilt house) or stilt house No. 20 (Linh Hoi Homestay), stilt house No. 19 (Hung Mich), stilt house No. 38 ...
The stilt houses here serve homestay combined with dining with a menu of ethnic dishes such as hill chicken, grilled pork, Da River fish at affordable prices of 120,000 - 150,000 VND / serving.
4. Lighthouse Restaurant - Subdivision 4, Mai Chau
Hai Dang Restaurant serves Thai ethnic dishes, native pigs, spring fish, wild vegetables and Northwestern ethnic dishes. Their dishes include salmon and fresh sturgeon raised right in Mai Chau. If you have the opportunity to try fish dishes at the restaurant, you will surely be satisfied by the fresh taste of these fish dishes. Price: 130.000 - 300.000vnd
5. Thuy Nga Restaurant - 3 Dong Pound Junction, Mai Chau
The restaurant serves from breakfast, casual rice to famous mountain specialties of Hoa Binh. Large staff, quick service is a big plus point of the restaurant. Reference price: 50,000 VND - 200,000 VND/dish
6. Dung Hoa Quan - Na Phon, Mai Chau
Neat space, Dung Hoa Quan specializes in serving Mai Chau specialty dishes such as lam rice, fish map, purple sticky rice, grilled pork, hill chicken... With a large area, convenient location, this is a place chosen by many agencies and collectives when visiting Mai Chau. The average price is from 30,000 VND - 100,000 VND / dish
7. Hoa Ban Restaurant - Mai Chau Township, Hoa Binh
Fresh food, beautiful view extremely eye-catching, spacious parking lot, airy interior space in the style of rustic, cozy stilt houses, Hoa Ban restaurant is a favorite stop for many visitors to Hoa Binh. The restaurant menu is bold with the imprint of Northwest cuisine. In particular, there are also extremely fresh salmon dishes such as salmon sashimi, salmon salad, grilled salmon ... Recommended price: 70.000vnd/dish.
Go to Mai Chau, do not forget to enjoy the delicious specialties here. Photo: Maichau Ecolodge Fanpage
What to play - 4 great checkin stops in Mai Chau
1 - Thung Khe Pass
Nordic hills, snow-white hills, or where 4 seasons meet in one day... are the things tourists transmit to each other to say about a place not to be missed when traveling to Mai Chau. It is Thung Khe Pass.
Located on National Highway 6, the road from Tan Lac to Mai Chau town, the pass winds through the majestic mountain range of the Northwest. When the virtual is hazy with smog, with white "snow" like long gray hair standing out on the mountain green.
It all adds up to a spectacular 1-0-2 landscape that makes anyone passing by ecstatic to watch. This place is an extremely popular check-in point.
In the morning, on the cool pass like spring, noon the sun is clear like summer, in the afternoon the smog spreads the autumn board, turns off the sun, turns into freezing. In front of the majestic natural scene, there are now spots for visitors to rest and take photos.
Thung Khe Pass is as beautiful as the European sky, making visitors unable not to stop to admire. Photo: bds.net
2 - Go Lao Waterfall
Go Lao Waterfall (also known as Mu Waterfall) is one of the strips of white silk squeezing through the green mountains and forests of Mai Chau. In particular, this place almost retains the pristine beauty of nature. The clear, cool water dispels the summer heat, washing away all worries and worries. The sound of rushing water, the cool smell of the forest, bathing in the waterfall as much as you can sit and grill fish right by the water, drop a few cans of beer soaked in the cool water, it makes anyone who has ever visited this place want to come back again and again.
Go Lao Waterfall has a pristine and majestic beauty. Photo: maichau.ecolodge.asia
3 - Mai Chau villages
Referring to exploring Mai Chau, it is impossible to ignore the community cultural tourist attractions in ethnic villages. Famous destinations you should visit such as Lac village, Pom Cong village, Van village.
Here, you can walk along the village, explore the lifestyle and activities of the people here. Or rent a bicycle to walk around the small winding roads in the middle of rice fields, enjoy the cool, clear aroma of heaven and earth. Or simply enjoy the evenings sleeping in the airy stilt house, participating in community activities such as stall dancing, campfire, eating grilled chicken, drinking wine ... right by the stilt house. This is definitely an unforgettable sightseeing and unique experience.
The villages in Mai Chau are a destination not to be missed in the trip to Mai Chau to experience the culture of the Northwest community. Photo: http:vanhoanghethuat.vn
4 - Afternoon Cave
Located not far from Lac village and Mai Chau town center, Hang Afternoon is a perfect destination for your 2 days 1 night trip in Mai Chau. As a national historical site, to explore Afternoon cave, you will have to climb 1200 steps to reach the mouth of the cave, from here you can see the panoramic view of the beautiful Mai Chau valley.
Especially stepping into Afternoon cave, the magnificent beauty of hundreds of million-year-old stalactites glittering like silver can make any visitor ecstatic. Enjoy the cool air, touch the natural masterpieces and check in at the beautiful angles. Afternoon Cave is one of the highlights that make your trip unforgettable.
The impressive beauty of Afternoon cave - Mai Chau. Photo: @huongoi_photosconcept
Outing itinerary references:
Day 1: Thung Khe Pass - Village - Go Lao Waterfall
- Morning: Hanoi - Hoa Binh hydropower - Thung Khe pass – rest point (check-in at noon and lunch)
- Afternoon: Go Lao Waterfall
- Evening: Light a campfire, stay on stilts, enjoy local specialties at your resting spot and let the yeast of wine need to put you to sleep
Day 2: Visit the village - Hang Afternoon - go to the market to buy gifts
- Morning: Catch the sunrise through the windows of open stilts, stroll or cycle to neighboring villages, visit, explore, learn about the life of indigenous communities, or take a walk among the cool fields.
- Then visit the Afternoon Cave - take a photo, check in and then have lunch
- Afternoon: Visit markets, souvenir stalls to choose some items as gifts, and get on the car back to Hanoi
Visit the village and discover traditional weaving. Photo: maichau.ecolodge.asia
Properties - 4 Dreamlike Resorts in the heart of Mai Chau that make you not want to go back
Coming to Mai Chau, next to the most popular and affordable rest point are stilt houses in community tourism villages such as Lac village, Pom Cong, Ban Van ... It is impossible to ignore the dream-like homestays and resorts among the mountains and forests.
1. Mai Chau Sunset Boutique - Pom Congong village
It is a beautiful small hotel located in Pom Cong village, with a design that mixes a bit of modern Europe with decorative accents with local marks. Mai Chau Sunset Boutique is only 5 minutes walk from Lac village, about 1.5km from Afternoon cave, extremely convenient to explore the famous tourist destinations of Mai Chau.
- Reference room rate: from 800.000 - 1.300.000 VND/night
- Room view: View of mountains, valleys
2. Mai Chau Ecolodge - Na Phon, Mai Chau
Speaking of the most "genuine" resting spots in Mai Chau, it is impossible to ignore this place. Large space, beautiful rooms, attentive staff, standard service. Especially, the verdant campus is imbued with the nature of the Northwest, this place meets all the needs of relaxation and relaxation of couples, families or any group of guests with a full range of restaurants, bars, swimming pools, spas, gardens, car rental services ...
- Reference room rate: from 1.275.000 - 2.000.000 VND/night
- Room view with mountain and valley views
Mai Chau Ecolodge - one of the "genuine" getaways not to be missed when traveling to Mai Chau. Photo: maichau.ecolodge.asia
3. Little Mai Chau homestay - Na Phon, Mai Chau
Comfortable, cozy, small, close and thoughtful, this place is likened to a beautiful village girl in the middle of the mountains and forests. There are a variety of rooms for couples, small groups to large groups with large rooms decorated with furniture, walls mainly wood. Giving anyone staying here a cozy and relaxing feeling. Homestay also has a restaurant system with authentic dishes, cooked by local chefs who are sure to make visitors satisfied.
- Recommended room rate: from 116.000đ/night
- Room view with mountain view
4. Mai Chau Mountain View Resort - Lac 2, Chiangzhou, Meizhou
As a resort with many high-class services of 4-star standard located in the heart of Mai Chau, this place includes a complex of 42 rooms, spa, restaurant, bar, swimming pool ... and many rich utilities. The room system is equipped with modern amenities that allow you to rest and relax completely.
- Recommended room rate: from 1.350.000 VND/night
- Room view with mountain view
Budget for the trip
The estimated cost of the 2 days 1 night trip includes travel, meals, rest, and entrance tickets. You can refer to the following costs:
- Moving costs
- Cost of transportation to Mai Chau: If you do not have a private vehicle, you can move from Hanoi to Mai Chau by bus with the ticket price: 180,000 - 240,000vnd/time. The cost of limousine is from 400,000 - 450,000 VND/time. If traveling by motorbike, the cost of refueling ranges from 150,000 - 200,000 VND
- Cost of traveling to visit 8 villages in Mai Chau: If you rent a tram: the cost is about 250,000 VND / time and shuttle to go to the market comfortably
- Bicycle rental fee to visit the fields or wander the village: 30,000 VND / car
- Transportation fee between attractions: you can travel by motorbike or car, but the road from Lac village - Go Lao waterfall is relatively difficult to travel with a car, you can rent a motorbike for 100,000 - 150,000 VND
Choosing a private vehicle allows visitors to move comfortably and cheaply in Mai Chau. Photo: vnexpress.net
2. Room rental cost
As Migo suggested, the reference room rate at the accommodation, the cost of renting a room will range from 100,000 - 150,000 VND / night to over 2,000,000 VND / night. This depends on where you choose to spend the night: at stilt houses, at homestays or at luxury hotels. It is recommended that you try many different types of accommodation so that each time you come to Mai Chau, you will have different interesting experiences.
3. Food costs in Mai Chau
Breakfast will usually be served free of charge at your hotel or resort. In addition, you can bring your own items to organize a BBQ party on the shore of the hydroelectric lake, by the waterfall ... In the center of Mai Chau town, there are also many restaurants for you to choose from a variety of rice, hot pot, drinks, grilled dishes. The cost of meals in Mai Chau can range from 200,000 - 500,000vnd depending on your needs and preferences.
Mai Chau cuisine is not only delicious but also very affordable. Photo: Maichausky
4. Cost of visiting Mai Chau
Most attractions in Mai Chau offer free admission. There are very few attractions where you have to pay an entrance fee:
- Hoa Binh Hydropower: 35,000 - 50,000 VND/ child ticket - Adult overall visit - 10,000 - 20,000 VND/ child - Adults visiting the open construction
- Afternoon Cave: 10,000 VND/person
- Lac village: 10.000vnd/pax
- Thung Khe Pass: free
Note: Depending on each time of the year, especially weekends and peak tourist seasons, the price of hotels, resorts, homestays may "move" a little compared to the above reference price, you should contact to book in advance to get the most accurate quote and avoid running out of rooms.
Conclusion
Close distance, easy to move, many places to play, rich cuisine, cheap prices, diverse room options, it can be said that Mai Chau is a very attractive destination. Especially suitable for short trips within 2 days 1 night.
Migo hopes the above useful information will help you have more options for the upcoming Mai Chau holiday.