Trekking in Mai Chau is not very popular, but you can take long walks on the narrow paths between the villages. However, many travelers who visit this region choose to do this by bicycle. In the nearby Pu Luong Nature Reserve you can make treks through the mountains and terraced rice fields.
How to arrange your trekking in Mai Chau
As mentioned, trekking in Mai Chau is not the first choice of most travelers. There are a lot better places to go trekking in Vietnam. That being said, there are some options. You can arrange a guide at your accommodation in Mai Chau that can show you around. You can also choose to go trekking yourself between the villages in the valley. The roads are small and besides of a buffalo on the road or a villager passing by with his scooter, there is no traffic. While walking you can enjoy great views over the rice fields and explore the villages of the Thai etnic minorities that live in stilt houses.
Trekking in Pu Luong Nature Reserve
If you want to go trekking close to Mai Chau, your best option is in Pu Luong Nature Reserve. It is here where you can find stunning rice field terraces, with mountains on the background and small villages dotted along the valley floor. There are only 2 roads through Pu Luong that you can drive on with a car or motorcycle. For this reason, it is not only the perfect place for a trekking, but also the best way and one of the only ways to explore this area.
During the trekking in Pu Luong you walk between some of the best rice fields in Vietnam and visit some local villages where you can learn more about the life of the Thai Ethnic minorities, who live in stilt houses. Get closer to the river where you can the water wheels that collect water from the river to irrigate the higher lying rice fields.
Tip! How to arrange your trekking in Pu Luong
If you want to go trekking in Pu Luong Nature Reserve, you can arrange this at your accommodation in Mai Chau or in Pu Luong. But, because Pu Luong is hard to reach, it is best to book this in a package starting from Hanoi. This include your transfer to Pu Luong (you can combine it with a visit to Mai Chau), your accommodation and a trekking tour. Local Vietnam has a unique Mai Chau & Pu Luong Nature Reserve the lodge experience, start from Hanoi and the option to do this in either 3 or 4 days.
What to bring
Unlike trekking in Sapa, you usually don’t walk for more than a day or half day and return to your accommodation after the hike. When you go with a guide, they will provide lunch and drinks. However, it is useful to bring some extra drinks and possibly a snack.
In addition, you make sure you have good walking shoes and light clothing. In winter it can be a bit colder, but never wear warm clothes when you go for a walk. It is better to wear thin clothing with extra layers that you can easily take off if it gets too hot from walking. Also a rain jacket can be wise to bring with you.
Best time to go trekking
The best time to go trekking in Mai Chau is when the rice fields are nice and green, from April untill the end of june. These months are also before the rainy season. The the rice will be sown again in July and harvested in October. So, from August to October, it is also a good time to walk through the rice fields of Mai Chau.
The best time to go trekking in Pu Luong is from September to November or February until May. This time, the plantations are green and the weather is nice.
Alternatives for trekking
If you are not interested to go trekking in Mai Chau or Pu Luong, you can enjoy some great alternatives.
Mai Chau
The most popular way to discover the area is to go cycling in Mai Chau. The roads are flat and there is hardly any traffic when you are biking through the rice fields. Because Mai Chau is one of the top cycling spots in Vietnam, almost any resort and homestay has free bicycles to rent.
If you want to go further, to the nearby waterfall and the Thung Khe pass with the macnificent viewpoint of the Mai Chau valley, it is best to rent a motorbike / scooter. You can rent one from 100,000 VND a day. As an alternative you can also go by car with private driver.
Pu Luong
Trekking in Pu Luong is highly recommended, but if you prefer not to, you can also choose to go by motorbike. The roads are not too bad, but if you don’t have any experience or confidence, it is not smart to drive yourself. Most local homestays offer you to go on the back of a motorbike with a guide. You can also co by car with driver, but because the area is not that big, you might want to consider another destination if you don;t want to go trekking in Pu Luong Nature Reserve. Better destinations to discover by car are Sapa, Cao Bang and Ha Giang.
