Venture Into Vietnam 2011: Hanoi to Mai Chau

15 November 2011

Well lucky for us they didn't get us to ride out of the centre of the city. Just on the outskirts where it is not quiteso busy. Here we are getting ourselves organised for the next stage of the ride

Time to turn off into the fuel station

Watch out for the water buffalo, they have a habit of running out in front of you

Was a bit dusty here but I think the main problem is moisture build up at high altitude on the camera lense.

Meaning "peace" in Vietnamese, Hoa Binh province is the gateway to Vietnam's northwest, strapped around the foothills of the mountains that run up from the plains. Well regarded for the trekking centre of Mai Chau, this province and it's capital of the same name, Hoa Binh, is a popular option with Hanoi-based travel agents who don't want to take their passengers too far.

The province is best known for the large reservoir which runs through its centre, and which was formed by the damming of the Song Da river. The river strikes to the northwest of Hoa Binh, well into Lai Chau province. Dammed for hydro-electric purposes, almost 200 workers died during its construction and there's a monument to their memory at the dam site. The dam has been one of the major driving forces behind Vietnam's surge of industrialisation and development in recent years.

Hoa Binh Dam

A stop at the dam

Tunnel under the dam- riding through the tunnel there was a wedding couple having their photos taken

We just rode through these stop signs

What you doing up there Hai

Parking at the restaurant for lunch

A sample of our lunch

And we're off again for he afternoon ride to Mai Chau

Bit of a stop on the side of the road to check out the view and have a little chat

Description:

Mai Chau is in a valley just over the biggest hump, about 10km from the Song Da river and only 150 metres above sea level. The village presents an idyllic rural valley that could easily charm you into staying longer than intended. Nestled between two towering cliffs and surrounded by emerald green paddies, it is an enchanting sight as you wind down the cliff side.

Mai Chau is located in Hoa Binh province, approximately 135 km from Hanoi and 60 km from Hoa Binh. From the top of Cun Mountain, one can admire the superb panorama of Mai Chau surrounded by a green valley and stilt houses. Many minorities, including the Thai ethnic group, live in Mai Chau.

Stilt houses border both sides of the roads. The houses are quite large with palm leaf roofs and polished bamboo-slat floors. The kitchen is located in the center of the house; the cooking as well as the making of the colorful tho cam, the material used by Thai minority to make their clothes, takes place in the kitchen. The windows are large and decorated with patterns. Each house also usually has a pond to breed fish.

The Sunday market brings a lot of people into town. People from different minorities living in the mountains come to Mai Chau market to sell their specific products: honey, bananas, corn, and tho cam made by skilled Thai women. The Sunday market is also an occasion to enjoy traditional Thai dishes and to participate in traditional dances.

Hoa Binh is a mountainous province located just North. It is bordered by Son La in the West, Phu Tho and Ha Tay in the North, Ha Nam and Ninh Binh in the East, and Thanh Hoa in the South. The culture of Hoa Binh combines six minorities with their own languages, traditional literature, and festivals.

drying the rice on the path

Coming into Mai Chau

sometimes they don't leave much room to gert through

Riding into the Village at Mai Chau

Arriving at our White Thai Homestay

Time for aTiger beer

Had a wander around the village where they have all these amazing things for sale, we don't have space to buy stuff, but did buy an oil painting from one of the stalls.