2-DAY ESSENTIAL HANOI MOTORBIKE TOUR TO MAI CHAU WITH HOMESTAY

We begin the tour at about 9 o’clock, after somewhere 40 minutes in the busy streets of Hanoi you will hit Highway No8, from here, the traffic is much better as we head straight to the countryside. Stop for a quick coffee and we keep rolling on some backroads through rice fields to Hoa Binh province where the terrain becomes mountainous, from here the sceneries are much greener and decorated with charismatic karst mountains. After a nice lunch in Ky Son town, we will have chance to do some challenging offroad via local farms in the mountains. In the afternoon, we stop at Thung Khe, a beautiful pass on the way for a nice view down to a peaceful valley. We arrive Mai Chau – our destination at about 4 or 5 o’clock.

Nestled in a peaceful valley, Mai Chau is an ideal escape place for nature lovers. Here, small ethnic minority villages sit among a patchwork of paddy fields surrounded by green mountains. Mai Chau is a village of ethnic Thai people, one of 54 different tribes in Vietnam. The Thai women are masterful weavers who ensure that there is plenty of traditional-style clothing to buy in the village centre.You will see women weaving on looms under or inside their houses in the village, we can buy some souvenirs here such as handmade traditional-style clothings, knife or cross-bow. We spend a night here immersing in Vietnam’s rural culture, dining on delicious home-cooked cuisine, and learning about the traditions of the local Thai people.

Summary:
Distance: 160-190 km
Meals: Lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Homestay

There are two options for the ride back to Hanoi today.

For the first option, we head to National Road 15C to Pu Luong Natural Reserve, then follow Ho Chi Minh trail back to Hanoi via Cam Thuy. Located in Quan Hoa and Ba Thuoc districts in north-western of Thanh Hoa Province. Pu Luong shares the boreder with Mai Chau, Tan Lac and Lac Son districts of Hoa Binh Province to the North-east. With an area of more than 17.600 hectares together with a diverse system of flora and fauna, Pu Luong impresses tourists with the natural beauty of its primary forests, terraces of rice, and the peaceful life of the local ethnic minorities. The distance of this ride is 220 kilometers.

For the second one, we roll on National Road six head to Dong Bang commune, from here we take a turn to Road 450 for a backroad ride to a spectacular view to the majestic Hoa Binh lake, one of the largest man-made lakes in Vietnam, formed when the dam blocked the water to build the Hoa Binh hydroelectric power station. From here we take some backroads back to Cao Phong, Ky Son heading to Hanoi. 30% of the ride will be on the same route of the first day, however, this option provides a shorter ride and more chances of dirt tracks.

 The itinerary above is very brief, and motorcycle tours are always flexible, therefore, depending on your riding experience, your demands and weather conditions, your tour guide will choose the most suitable roads for you. So please don’t hesitate to discuss with the guide about your needs every day on the trip since we want to bring you the best service that we can.

Best regards!