GROUP TOUR – TOUR CODE: CMC01S

Discover a rare heaven near from Hanoi, the traditional stilt-houses among the lush rice fields. Our most popular trip includes cycling, trekking through rice paddy fields hiking 1,000 steps cave, cooking, homestay.

PRICE

  • Communal dorm room: US$ 65 per person sleeping in a common stilt-house with other tousists – 1 soft-mattress with private pillow and blanket for 1 person
  • Private room: US$ 75 per person
  • Private bungalow: US$ 90 per person

Single supplement surcharge: US$ 20 per person per night (applied for “private room” and “bungalow” only)

TIME: 7:30 (the 1st day) – 18:30 (the 2nd day)

INCLUSION

  • Pick-up & see-off bus from your hotel inside Hanoi Old quarter. A surcharge of US$ 5 per person is added in case pick-up & see-off outside Hanoi Old quarter. If you stay outside of the area and don’t want to pay the surcharge, please be present at Hanoi Grand Opera House at 8:00 am (Add: 1 Trang Tien street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi), the tour guide and bus driver will call on to pick-you-up.
  • Boat cruise and kayaking as indicated within the itinerary.
  • English speaking guide throughout the tour.
  • Accommodation in house-on-stilt: Mai Chau Nature Place No.1 of Special Lodging in Mai Chau on TripAdvisor
  • Welcome lunch – Dinner – Light breakfast (usually “Pho” Soft-noodles) – Farewell Lunch
  • Admission fees, hiking and cycling.
  • Thai hilltribe’s traditional dancing show.

EXCLUSION

  • Gratuities for tour guide and crew.
  • Phone call, laundry service and other personal expenses.

Tour itinerary

DAY 1 HANOI – MAI CHAU VALLEY VIEW- OVERNIGHT (L,D)

7:30 – 8:00 – Pick you up at your hotel in the Old Quarter in our comfortable van, departing for Mai Chau valley, 135km Northwest from Hanoi. Passing Cun pass, Thung Khe pass and stop on the top of Thung Nhuoi pass to take the overview photos of Mai Chau valley underneath.

11:30 – 12:00 – Arrive in Mai Chau town. Continue driving to Lac village and Pom Coong village. Say hello to the host and check in the stilt-house.

12:15 – Traditional lunch in local village

In the afternoon, you cycle around the villages with local tour guide, seeing farmers working in fields, villagers weaving scarves and visiting surrounding peaceful villages. In 2 hours, you will cycle among the rice fields, stilt-houses, streams and you know more about Thai hilltribes and their culture. You can buy some embroidery as souvenirs.

18:00 – Visit Thai living museum for Traditional dinner

19:30 – Watch Thai traditional dance in the stilt house. Enjoy Tradidional wine “ruou can” with the host.

Overnight in Mai Chau.

Mai Chau valley view traditional dance

Mai Chau valley – Traditional singing and dancing show performed by villagers.

DAY 2 MAI CHAU – HANOI (B,L)

7:30 -8:00 – Get up and go jogging around the village in the mist. Have a light breakfast (possibly with “Pho bo” Beef-noodles)

8:30 -11:30 – Hike to 1000 Step Cave and local market

12:15 – 15:00 – Lunch and free time to relax before getting on the van to Hanoi.

Around 18:30 – See you off at your hotel in Hanoi Old quarter. End of services.

BEFORE TOUR

Mai Chau Nature Place is a big stilt-house in Pom Coong village, ranking as No.1 of Mai Chau Special Lodging on TripAdvisor.com. It’s our priority for staying overnight. If it’s fully booked, we will arrange another good stilt-house (still homestay). Mai Chau town is a must-see for tourists who loves outdoor activities since 1962 and the facilities for tourism here are good after 50 years serving friends worldwide.

Compared to Sapa, Mai Chau has some advatanges in term of visiting. It’s only 135km from Hanoi (4-hour driving) while Sapa takes your fullnight on the train (380km 1-way). Mai Chau takes only 2 days but Sapa costs more time 3 nights at least. Accordingly, tours to Mai Chau cost you less than Sapa tours. Shortly, if you really want to find out Vietnam hilltribes at a moderate budget, you can choose Mai Chau instead of Sapa.

DURING TOUR

Homestay and private rooms are not equipped with air-condition. Local people don’t want the modern interfering with their traditions. Anyhow, they provide you mosquito nets and the temperature of Mai Chau is moderate at 12 – 25 Centigrade all-year-round, cool enough so air-condition is not necessary.

This tour could be called a “ecology tour”. Mai Chau valley now is detroyed by deforestation. Let’s raise your voice on TripAdvisor and fund the locals life by your visits to protect the serene charm of Northwest Vietnam.