Embark on an unforgettable adventure with the “Mai Chau Trekking at Chien Chau – Serene Mountain Beauty" tour, where nature and culture come together in perfect harmony. Nestled in the peaceful countryside of Chieng Chau village in Mai Chau, this trekking tour offers you the chance to immerse yourself in the traditions of the White Thai ethnic group, especially in the picturesque Ban Lac. Organized by Impress Travel, a trusted expert in Mai Chau Tours, this adventure is perfect for those looking to connect with nature, experience authentic local life, and enjoy the serene beauty of Vietnam’s northwest. Whether you’re a seasoned trekker or a culture enthusiast, this journey promises a unique and enriching escape!
Chieng Chau is a small village right in the heart of Mai Chau Valley. This location meets all the qualifications, combining ancient traditions and serenity with nature, which is appropriate for our tour, Mai Chau Trekking at Chien Chau. For over 700 years, Chieng Chau has been home to the White Thai ethnicity in this valley, a place where the history and culture of the people can sincerely be felt. Be prepared to be thrown into a world where life moves at a slower pace as peaceful as it is beautiful.
Chieng Chau is situated in the magnificent valley of Mai Chau, 3.5 hours from Hanoi. It is well known for its historic heritage combined with the cultural richness of the White Thai people. Right at the heart of this community is Ban Lac – Lac Village, a village that has gained its importance in community-based tourism since its existence 700 years ago. Despite the rising numbers of tourists, Ban Lac clings to its origins and provides a real, rare insight into traditional village life. As we start our trekking tour in Mai Chau Trekking at Chien Chau, you will see just how well Ban Lac has preserved ancient traditions while adapting to sustainable tourism.
Some of the most striking features of Ban Lac are the traditional stilt houses. Constructed of wood and raised above the ground, such a residence is sensible, both in its native climate and affording vistas to rice fields and mountains across the area. Staying in one of these stilt houses in fact-forms is one of the highlights of any Mai Chau Tours experience since one gets an ample avenue to live like the locals here and get aboard into the culture.
This village is also famous for its handicrafts, specifically brocade weaving done by the local women. The handicrafts are pieces of art displaying colors and patterns typical of the White Thai culture. You will have a chance to see these weavers at work an amazing thing to watch and you will be able to buy some beautiful items to take home as souvenirs and support the local community directly.
Core to the Mai Chau Trekking at Chien Chau experience is the cultural immersion of the White Thai people in Ban Lac. They take pride in their culture, best shown in the way of dress, food, and daily activities. Their traditional wares are with them, with colorful patterns, normally worn on special occasions or at cultural shows. You may even come across some traditional dances or musical performances that will make your stay at this place all the more enlightening about their culture.
As for food, prepare your taste buds for the flavor of the region. You’ll be served with main courses like com lam, bamboo-cooked rice, and ga nuong, or grilled chicken, with all the preparation of seasonings and vegetables made fresh. Sharing meals with your hosts isn’t about the food; it is about bonding with people and learning about their culture.
Right along the route are the handicrafts of the locals. Brocade weaving and wooden crafts here in Ban Lac are more than souvenirs but pieces of culture passed on through generations. From the moments of watching artisans perform their crafts, and carving intricate designs into buffalo horns, to watching colorful textiles take shape upon a loom, each moment of this trek draws you closer to traditions so dear to this place.
We start our lifetime of Mai Chau Trekking at Chien Chau adventure with a picturesque, 3.5-hour drive from Hanoi into the great countryside. As we leave behind the busy streets of the capital, the landscape starts to amazingly change. Be ready to enjoy the majestic mountain ranges, lush valleys, and small villages along the way it is just perfect to warm you up for the adventure!
Pro tip: This road winds through hills, so you may feel comfortable having your camera ready and some motion sickness tablets, just in case. There will be stops along the way where you’ll be able to stretch, breathe in the fresh mountain air, and snap some incredible photos.
In the late morning, we will arrive in Ban Lac – the heart of Chieng Chau village, the place where your homestay awaits. This is not a regular accommodation are booked in a traditional stilt house full of charm and authenticity. Upon your arrival, you are envisaged to receive warm hospitality from the Thai people, which will make you feel right at home. Herein, you have time to get yourself settled down, relax, get ready, and prepare for the day’s activities.
Well, things get even better! After a substantial lunch out of the hospitality of your hosts, take bicycles and continue with a tour of the serene environs at Pom Coong Village and Ban Lac. You go cycling through green rice fields, feeling the serenity of the region wash over you. The vibrant green of the fields creates an excellent topography against the mountain backdrop far away, interspersed with nature lovers.
Along the way, we will encounter locals working in their fields, weaving colorful brocade cloth, or making handicraft items out of wood. You may take this opportunity to approach them and understand how their lives are or perhaps try your hand at brocade weaving. This cycling is soft and enjoyable with a laid-back style that fits anyone who loves stupendous scenery with relaxed pedaling.
After the cycling tour, we will head back to the homestay for dinner in traditional Thai style. Get your stomach ready! Satisfy your cravings with com lam – rice cooked in bamboo, ga nuong – grilled chicken with some Thai rice wine called ruou can. As rich as the culture, and flavors to be savored, sharing meals with a resident family adds a deeply personal touch to one’s stay.
If you are game, we can arrange a possible traditional Thai dance show a graceful performance by local ladies, dancing in rhythm to traditional Thai music. It’s magical, the way to end the day!
Having our appetites satisfied with a delicious breakfast, the program continues with trekking along scenes of incredible beauty in Chieng Chau. Today we are going to trek on trails that pass rice terraces, through bamboo groves along streams of murmuring waters. It’s a moderate trek today, but virtually anyone can do it in comfortable shoes and plenty of water!
We will make the upward walk and observe the diversity in the ecosystem-lush-green forests giving their place to open rice fields and small streams slicing the area. Beautiful and serene, this nature walk is meant for anyone with an interest in Mai Chau‘s natural beauty up close.
After a few hours of trekking, we shall take up lunch in one of the most spectacular picnic spots you will ever have seen. Just imagine yourself, sitting down with a packed lunch amidst the serene countryside listening to nothing else but the chirps of birds and the soothing breeze. This is going to be the ideal time to relax and recharge your batteries while you drink in the beauty of the surroundings that endow you.
Continuing our tour, we hike past villages filled with their unique views: negative and positive alike. Afternoon gratifications include a few trips to the local markets, which provide souvenirs unlike others, such as handwoven scarves, wood crafts, and many other traditional items. These are the real markets, where products are made by the locals themselves. The locals have been perfecting these crafts for generations.
As we go on a trek, it will provide greater opportunities to interact with the locals and understand day-to-day living. Many of these families have lived for centuries in these villages, and personal knowledge regarding the land and culture is incomparably useful. It is a humbling experience adding so much richness to our trek.
We check back into our homestay after an exciting day hiking for a BBQ dinner. There is something magical about having a BBQ in the cool mountain air, with all of nature around and good company. The food will again be fresh, delicious, and prepared without fail in love by our hosts.
We can end the evening with star-gazing for those of us who need further unwinding. The clear skies of Mai Chau provide an opportunity that no other place would offer to see a blanket of bright twinkling stars above. It is tranquil and a peaceful way to end the day filled with adventure.
Other optional activities on our final morning include a short trek to a local farm to learn how the villagers grow their crops or take a deeper look into traditional Thai craftsmanship by learning how to weave beautiful brocade textiles. There is no better way to appreciate the culture than by participating in it!
These activities are not merely for observing; they are hands-on activities where, along with the locals, further acquaint yourself with their traditions, it could be farming or some form of crafting, but endearing as your journey concludes.
Before we leave, the local family will go out to see us off in a traditional manner so you are not only sent off but also carry many warm wishes and lifetime memories. We’ll start our drive back to Hanoi in the afternoon with a mind still on the lovely landscapes of Mai Chau.
As we get ready to dive into the adventure of Mai Chau Trekking at Chien Chau, there are a few important tips that will help you make the most of your experience. This trek is all about enjoying the beauty of nature, soaking in the local culture, and having a memorable time with the Mai Chau Tours team, so let’s ensure you’re well-prepared and comfortable for the journey!
Mai Chau Trekking at Chien Chau is for all grades of adventurers. However, a medium level of physical fitness is required for full enjoyment of the trek. Every day, we will have approximately 10-15km to get to a destination. Mostly, we will walk along scenic but uneven weave terrain, such as rice terraces, bamboo forests, or village tiny paths. This hike is not very challenging, though there may be a few uphill sections and rough paths, so you will make sure you’re in pretty good health. This means that if you go walking or do any hiking, you should be all set!
To ensure you’re comfortable throughout the trek, here’s a list of essentials to pack for your Mai Chau Tours adventure:
One of the highlights of Mai Chau Trekking at Chien Chau is interacting with the friendly White Thai ethnic community. To ensure we’re respectful visitors, here are some key cultural etiquette tips:
Your safety is our priority during the Mai Chau Trekking at Chien Chau tour. Here are a few important safety tips:
In other words, the Mai Chau Trekking at Chien Chau markedly combines into one package the most fantastic combination of nature, culture, and adventure activities: from cycling through a sea of rice fields to overnighting in a traditionally designed Thai stilt house. This experience immerses you in the beauty and traditions of Mai Chau. With Impress Travel, you’re booking more than a tour you’re taking a once-in-a-lifetime journey perfectly fit for anyone seeking an authentic, immersive adventure. Don’t forget to regularly follow our Impress Travel for more interesting information about traveling to Mai Chau and to book Mai Chau Tours at the best prices.
Inclusion: Transfer, Tour guide, Local lunch & dinner, complimentary waters, luxury stay in Ba Khan Village resort.
AM: Good morning Ninh Binh, then we enjoy breakfast before we move to Tam Coc pier for the boat trip to explore Tam Coc (Three Caves) in Ngo Dong River. We take a 1.5-hour rowing boat along river and wetland water rice fields and beautiful karst formation to create three wetland caves in Ngo Dong River, we will take paddle via the 3 of caves then drop off at Ben Thanh River where we will take walk to visit Thai Vi Temple that is limestone church in the center of Tam Coc Area. The car will pick you up to bring you back to the homestay for lunch
PM: After lunch, we will ride a bicycle to explore the countryside in Tam Coc Area via Thung Nang & Dam Khe Trong village reaching up to the Bich Dong pagoda complex, where we trek up the top of Truong Yen Mountain to observe Truong Yen Commune. We move down the hop in the bike to return to Homestay for an afternoon tea break with some fresh seasonable fruits where the car and driver are awaiting you to transfer to Hoa Lu ancient capital before return to Hanoi.
Inclusion: Transfer, Tour guide, breakfast, lunch on the boat, complimentary waters, entrance fee (s), kayaking, homestay in Ninh Binh
Destination |
Room Type |
HOTEL NAME, ROOM TYPE & WEBSITE |
Ba Khan Village Resort |
Follow your request | www.bakhan.com |
Tam Coc Natural Lodge |
Follow your request | https://tamcocnaturelodge.business.site/ |
We went on a private trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, the whole trip plan was organized for us by the Impress Travel Company from Vietnam, the company did an amazing job, the whole trip was organized in a wonderful way with an amazing match between the various parties, their choices were correct and the quality of the hotels chosen were very high quality and it is important to note that the price was low in comparison To other agencies, thanks to Impress Travel and especially to Daniel who was tolerant and open to changes and organized the route for us.
Impress travel were amazing. Did my bookings with Daniel for our tour of Vietnam and I must say Daniel was very professional and prompt with his services. All the arrangement, plans, pick-up & drop-off services, hotels, vehicles, sightseeing tours and guides were spot on and excellent. Did 4 nights Hanoi, 1 night Hà Long Bay cruise, 3 nights Hoian, 4 nights Saigon and 1 night in Can Tho. It was totally awesome. Every part of the journey was superbly arranged and planned. I will highly recommend Impress Travel for anyone interested in visiting Vietnam. Very organized and reliable!
I booked with Impress Travel in July. My contact person was Tommy Thang. He is an amazing person. He was very helpful. He changed my program twice for me. Very accommodating!
We started our holiday in the north (Sapa)of Vietnam and travelled down to HCMC.
The tour was fantastic, Tommy's arrangements were to the"T".
I will always use them if I have to visit the area again and recommend them to one and all.
Thank you once again Mr.Tommy and the Impress Team.
Sulaiman Pochee
Great value for money with 4 stars hotel accommodation for 4 couples. The tour guide has been very helpful and brought us to amazing places in Sapa. We want to thanks Thuy the tour guide and especially Mark from Impress Travel for his great service and assurance throughout our trip. We’ll definitely use his service for other tour packages in other parts of Vietnam.
This is the second time we travel to Vietnam with IMPRESS Travel. First time, we booked our holiday to Hanoi, Halong Bay & Sapa during Dec 2018 with Impress.
Second time, we travel to Hoi An, Hue & Danang (Central Vietnam) during Jan 2019.
My friends & I are very glad & happy with all the hotels stay in Central Vietnam, the meals provided are delicious. We are greatly appreciated with all the tour arrangement by Tommy & his team (tour guide).
Especially, Mr. NHAT C.V. He is helpful, cheerful, knowledgeable and very professional. He always volunteer to take a nice pictures for six of us (group) .
We enjoyed our holiday with Impress travel. We will definitely come back to Vietnam again with Impress