Mai Chau Village is a small mountain town about 100 miles south of Ha Noi. Rob and I were able to visit Mai Chau for a night when we were touring Vietnam in December of 2013. Though it was a bi of drive (about 3 hours) to get there, it was one of the highlights of our trip.
Once we arrived in Mai Chau, we were a little nervous about how we were going to fill two days in this small, sleepy town, but we found ourselves to be quite busy the entire time we were there. One of our favorite memories, apart from cycling through the rice fields, was just wandering through the streets of the village and seeing how everyone lived.
Mai Chau offers stays and tours in either a group package or as individuals. We opted for the group package, but still had tons of down time to explore the area. However you decide to get there, it is certainly worth the trip. Here are a few things you can do while you’re there:
Visit the market. The market is abustle with locals picking up their food for the day. Since it is the only market in the area, it was rather large for such a small village. You’ll see just about everything from skinned frogs that look like they’re still breathing, to extremely colorful fruits and vegetables. WARNING: While eating dog is taboo in Vietnam, we did see dog meat for sale at this market.
Take a bike ride through the rice fields. One of the highlights of our tour was hopping on some $1 bicycles and riding through the rice fields and village outskirts. Sure, one of our fellow travellers’ handle bars fell off his bicycle, but the views were beautiful. When our guided loop was over, we had some free time and took the loop again. I highly recommend doing this if you have the chance, as you’ll see more the second time around.
Climb to 1,000 Steps Cave. It’s exactly the way it’s named. 1,000 steps up lead you to a large cave with a beautiful view. I highly recommend you start early, before the heat of the day hits (especially if you’re there in the summer).
Drink rice wine. The region is pretty well known for it’s rice wine. Big pots of it are put on the floor and a bunch of long straws stuck in. Guests could come up and sip it as they wished. Sure, it may not be sanitary to share straws with 20 other people, but dang is it tasty.
Admire the craftsmanship of the locals. While I didn’t feel like Mai Chau was a tourist trap in anyway (granted we were there in the winter, so many it’s different in the summer months), many of the locals sell their crafts.
Partake in family-style meals. Vietnamese meals are served family-style. If you go to Mai Chau with a group, then you will probably be eating all your home-cooked, super local meals together. Embrace it. Enjoy it. And laugh at each other using chopsticks if you haven’t already mastered the art.
Watch the traditional dances. The post-dinner entertainment included traditional dancing by a few of the locals in in traditional costumes. The live music, the fan dances, and capping it all off with sips of rice wine made for an amusing evening.
Pick up trash. With all the visitors coming through, and the locals way of just throwing trash to the side, the roadsides and fields are dotted with refuse. If you have some down time, and are walking to another section of the village anyway, pick up a few pieces of garbage. It will help beautify the place, show you appreciate the village, and make you feel good.
Chat with the locals. “Chat” might not be the right word unless you speak Vietnamese, but you can communicate. In my experience, the Vietnamese are an extremely kind people that are quick to smile and show hospitality. Let them know you appreciate their village, you think their work is beautiful, and that you’re happy to be there. It will go a long way.
Appreciate the architecture. Many of the homes are built on stilts whether over concrete or over water. I found it fascinating to see the small entrance/exit ramps and how livestock was kept in pens among the stilts.
Embrace the group sleeping arrangement. Different tours offer different packages. Some provide you with a private hut, while others give you a group, dorm-style night’s rest with a pallet on the floor. Sure, you may not sleep because the stranger next to you snores like a lumberjack, but at least it’s a bonding experience.
Enjoy the company of the other people on your tour. You’re going to be with these people for a few days, so you might as well get to know them. The majority of our tour were Americans, but one had been living in a village not too far away with a family for the past 6 months. Another woman was traveling the world and claimed that as long as she had her things around her, she felt at home. You truly never know who are going to meet.
Try not to get killed. A three-hour ride on Vietnamese roads with a Vietnamese driver in a rickety Vietnamese van makes for a death-defying drive. You’ll bond quickly with the other members of your tour as you gasp and nervous giggle in unison at a particularly close call. It was wonderful to watch the world go by from the van, but the careless (or aggressive) driving of everyone on the road made for a bit of a white-knuckled ride. Worse comes to worse, close your eyes and hope for the best.
Play with the stray dogs. While I don’t actually recommend this, there were others on our tour who embraced it. The town is full of stray dogs, very docile, tired, lazy stray dogs. I just took pictures of them while others pet and played with them. Whatever your fancy, they’re part of the experience.
Take in the views. From the rice fields to the surrounding mountains, there are some spectacular views in and near Mai Chau. Pause to appreciate them.
Wake up with the roosters. You’re in a living, breathing village after all; roosters are just part of the experience. Get up and enjoy a quiet walk or sit in the village and watch it wake up slowly.
Enjoy the slower pace of life. From tending the rice fields, weaving scarves, or cooking for the tourists, Mai Chau definitely offers a slower, unplugged pace of life. Take it in fully for a refreshing evening away.
RQ: Which of these activities would you enjoy the most? Which would you least enjoy?
I’m Brooke Selb, a Personal Trainer and Health Coach specializing in helping busy moms and moms to be to easily juggle mom life with family friendly recipes, and easy exercise routines to help you achieve your fitness goals that fit in with your already busy life with sound nutritional advice.
