MAI CHAU & PU LUONG, HAVEN OF PEACE

We pick you up from your hotel and depart for Duong Lam Village which is about 60 km west of Hanoi. This village has been known as a museum of laterite with ancient houses aged up to 400 years old. It is also the only place in Vietnam where the two kings came from. King Phung Hung and Ngo Quyen - the two heroes who led resistance wars against China's Sung and Southern Han troops to recover national independence. Walk around the village, you will explore the special architecture, traditional culture and traditions of countryside of Vietnam which is still well preserved today. Then, head to Mia Pagoda, built during the Tran Dynasty before 1632 and still preserves many ancient artifacts. Mong Phu is the biggest and the most famous commune of Duong Lam Village. Here, you also can admire ancient houses made of laterite and mud, two materials that are abundant in the area, stroll in small lanes, and watch local people in their daily activities. A visit to Duong Lam fore sure will help you understand much about the origin of Vietnam.
Depart at 2h00 pm from Hanoi to Mai Chau, a picturesque valley, predominantly inhabited by the White Thai ethnic group. Arrive in Mai Chau around noon and transfer to your homestay.

After breakfast, transfer by car to reach the Cum village where you will have a short walk through the very authentic Thai villages seeing their stilt houses, their rice fields and their fish ponds. Meet the locals who are very friendly and welcoming. Your guide will tell you about Thai culture, the main ethnic groups in the region. The ride ends at the Hich suspension bridge where you will go on bamboo rafts. Descent of the Xia river follows a very gentle current. Discovery of the daily life of the Thai ethnic group. Return to Ban Van. In the afternoon, take a bicycle on the small peaceful paths of the Mai Chau countryside to explore the Chieng Sai, Cha, Cha Long, Na Tang, Tong Dau villages. This ecological mean of transport will allow you to go inland, discovering an authentic countryside. You will be charmed by the warm welcome of the Thai people who make their smiling faces go beyond their traditional dwellings on stilts, or by the surrounding landscapes made of vegetable gardens and bamboo forests. In the evening, after a delicious dinner of traditional dishes, enjoy a dance and folk music show. Try a straw tasting of a variety of typical Thai rice alcohol.

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up and transferred to Pu Luong. You enter Pu Luong Nature Reserve  via a breathtaking mountain pass giving you a panoramic view of the whole valley. You arrive at your accommodation in time for a delicious lunch, followed by some free time to explore the beautiful retreat, with its captivating panoramic views and tranquil setting. In the afternoon, walk in the Ban Don village to discover the daily life of the Thai ethnic group.

Start early to descend into the beautiful valley facing the Retreat where you walk around tumbling rice terraces. Trek through small paths shrouded in vegetation to slowly reveal a picturesque village sitting at the base of a towering mountain. Your camera will not be able to sit still !
Continuing to the base of the valley, you weave between roads and farmland, villages and wild fields, ponds and rivers, mountains and open land. Savour the ever-changing scenery as you trek to a beautiful spot. Arrival at Ban Hieu village in the late afternoon. Overnight at the homestay.

After having a local breakfast prepared by your host, transfer by car to Hanoi. End of our services.