Mai Chau
White Thai Stilt Houses in a Green Valley
A flat valley of rice fields ringed by hills, four hours from Hanoi, where White Thai villages such as Lac and Pom Coong host visitors in stilt-house homestays. Cycle between the villages, walk to the hill hamlets, and eat sticky rice in bamboo. A gentle, short break from Hanoi, and on the way to Pu Luong.
Highlights
- Stilt-house homestay in Lac or Pom Coong
- Cycling the rice fields
- Chieu cave climb
- White Thai dance evening
- Sticky rice cooked in bamboo
- Thung Khe pass viewpoint
Things to do
- Cycle the valley villages and rice fieldsMorning · 3h
- Walk to a hill hamletAfternoon · 3h
- Chieu cave climbAfternoon · 1h 30m
- White Thai music and dance in the villageEvening · 1h 30m
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: September – November, March – May
Worth knowing
Tet: Closures and a Travel Rush
Tet (Lunar New Year) falls on 6 February in 2027. In the week before, trains, buses and flights sell out and fares rise; for three to five days after, many shops, restaurants and family-run hotels close. Check the date for your year, book transport a month or more ahead, and expect higher prices.
- Tet (Lunar New Year) — Vietnam's biggest holiday. In the week before, trains, buses and flights sell out and prices rise as everyone travels home; for three to five days after New Year's Eve many shops, restaurants and family-run hotels close, while temples and flower markets are at their liveliest. Book transport a month or more ahead, or avoid travelling in the days either side.