Mai Chau

Mai Chau is located 135 km south-west of Hanoi in the Northern province of Hoa Binh with a population of about 47,500 that belong to different ethnic minority groups such as the White Thai, H’mong, Zao, Muong, Tay, Hoa and Viet.

The Mai Chau hill tribes are warm and welcoming, and famous for their handicrafts – in particular for their skills in embroidering clothes.

Mai Chau offers a most splendid vista of the Valley which is surrounded by lush green fields and stilt houses inhabited mainly by the White Thai ethnic group. The Sunday market brings a lot of people from the surrounding countryside into town.

In general Mai Chau experiences pretty good weather throughout the year. It rains less and the humidity in lower than other Northern Vietnamese cites. The best weather is between September and May when temperatures range from 15°C to 30°C. It can be quite chilly during winter from (November to February).

Mai Chau Hotels

Avana Retreat$$$$

There is so much to admire about this secluded resort. Firstly, it’s eco credentials are first class and the project was constructed with a unique building method: totally hand-crafted earthwork and thatch rooves under the guidance of craftsmen from three minority groups of Mai Chau. 90% of staff are local people who provide insightful tours and visits to neighbouring villages and are offered fair wages and health benefits. Water is purified onsite, and powers the hotel’s turbines; single...