mai chau

We pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The drive to Mai Chau takes around 3-4 hours southwest through Hoa Binh Province.

Thung Khe Pass. We stop at the top of the pass for panoramic views of the Mai Chau Valley below. Local vendors sell corn and sugarcane here.

Lunch in the valley. Traditional White Thai cuisine - sticky rice, grilled meats, bamboo shoot dishes and fresh vegetables.

Cycling through the rice paddies on the flat loop between Ban Lac and Pom Coong villages. An easy, relaxing ride with plenty of photo stops.

We walk through Ban Lac Village, visiting local weavers making brocade textiles on traditional looms beneath their stilt houses.

Homestay in Ban Lac. Settle in, explore the village or relax on the balcony watching the sun set over the rice paddies.

Home-cooked White Thai dinner at the homestay, followed by a traditional dance performance.

Breakfast at the homestay. Fresh tea, coffee and local dishes.

We drive from Mai Chau into the Pu Luong Nature Reserve. The road climbs through increasingly dramatic scenery as we enter the reserve. The transfer takes approximately 1.5-2 hours.

We begin our trek through the reserve, following trails that wind through terraced rice fields and alongside streams lined with bamboo water wheels. The route passes through small hamlets where farmers work the terraces by hand. The trekking today is approximately 10-12km on rolling terrain.

Picnic lunch along the trail with views across the terraces. A chance to rest and take in the scenery before continuing.

We continue trekking through bamboo forest and past more water wheels, arriving in Don village in the afternoon. The views from the village across the terraced valleys are some of the finest in the reserve.

Homestay in Don village. A traditional Thai stilt house with views of the terraces from the balcony. Simple but comfortable - mattresses, mosquito nets and stunning scenery.

Communal dinner with our hosts. Home-cooked local food shared on the floor of the stilt house. A very different atmosphere to the Mai Chau valley below.

Early breakfast at the homestay. We want to make the most of the morning.

We trek from Don village towards Hieu Waterfall, following trails through the reserve. The route passes through jungle and alongside the river. Trekking today is approximately 6-8km.

Hieu Waterfall. The signature waterfall of Pu Luong - multi-tiered cascades with natural swimming pools surrounded by jungle. We spend time here swimming, relaxing and taking photos. This is worth the trek.

Bamboo rafting on the Cham River. We float downstream on a traditional bamboo raft, drifting past rice paddies, limestone karsts and bamboo water wheels. A perfect way to end the Pu Luong experience - about 30-45 minutes of pure relaxation.

Lunch near the river before we begin the transfer back to Hanoi.

We drop you back at your hotel in Hanoi. Three days covering two very different worlds - the cultural valley of Mai Chau and the wild terraces of Pu Luong.