Mai Chau Vietnam listed as one of 10 fresh destinations in the world

HA NOI (VNS)- Mai Chau, a small town in the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh, was named one of the top ten "fresh" Asian destinations by hotel booking site Agoda.com.
The annual list was compiled by Agoda.com's editorial team, who studied booking patterns, read thousands of customer reviews and spoke with local experts.

These destinations all had high growth rates and attracted many foreign travellers as well as increasing amounts of vacationing locals.

Mai Chau was described as "a semi-isolated village in Viet Nam...surrounded by limestone cliffs and green rice paddies, populated largely by members of the ethnic White Thai tribe...Vibrant, verdant green rice paddies surround the town on all sides, and dramatic hills rise up on either side of the valley. The town itself isn't particularly stunning, but it's when one gets out into the countryside or head up into the hills that the

breathtaking views get better around every corner. There are also several interesting markets to check out, as well as some nearby caves."

This year's list also includes Tana Toraja in Indonesia, Nantou in Chinese Taiwan, Ella in Sri Lanka, Ipoh in Malaysia, Hakone in Japan, Damyang County in South Korea, Phonsavan in Laos, Kep in Cambodia and Khanom in Thailand. -- VNS

Mai Chau Vietnam became one of 10 best awesome cultural tours in the world

Mai Chau, located in northern Hoa Binh province, has been included in the US-based Business Insider’s top 10 incredible places for cultural tours.

The magazine described Mai Chau as a wonderful destination if visitors are interested in a deeper experience of Vietnam with a warm and welcoming population and unspoiled natural beauty.
Tourists can hike the mountains of Sa Pa in the north or sand-surf in the province’s central resort town of Mui Ne.
But Mai Chau in Hoa Binh province can be a good choice.
Just three hours outside of the capital Hanoi, Mai Chau is a mountainous region dotted with traditional stilt houses. Two ethnic minority groups—the White Thai and Black Thai—make up the majority of the population, Business Insider reported.
The magazine suggested the best way to immerse yourself in the region is through a homestay with local families. It said visitors can spend two days cycling across mountain trails and through rice fields, visit local villages, and watch a cultural performance by Thai villagers.
Other destinations recommended by Business Insider’s list include Santiago in Chile, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Marrakech in Morocco, Shanghai in China, Trani in Italy, Budapest in Hungary, Lisbon in Portugal, Bordeaux in France, and Old Delhi in India.

Rice field in Mai Chau valley Vietnam

Mai Chau is not only known as the place of beautiful nature, it is also famous for the beauty of rice field through the time.  

From top of mountain, you can see a green valley of Mai Chau where wet rice is growing

In order to have good rice harvest, land must be dig and crushed, mixed in the water with fertilizer

The young rice field after two months growing, it will be green beautiful, and Vietnamese often compare it with the girl in the age of 17.

The rice field will change from green to yellow. it is the sign of rice harvest is coming soon

Rice in the harvest time

Farmers harvest wet rice on the field

Mai Chau Vietnam reviews

Trip report by David Nguyen
Have you stayed overnight in a homestay with the locals? I would like to introduce to you to Northwest of Vietnam. It was Mai Chau which was lovely the green mountain area, the rice paddies where all of the locals worked, very hard.
This is a diary of my trip to Mai Chau. I caught a motorbike taxi from home to bus station. From city centre, the bus picked up some more people. We was on national high way number 6th. From Hanoi to Hoa Binh, the road was quite good. Passing by Hoa Binh, we was driving up and down the mountain.
Finally, after 3,5 hours we saw Mai Chau a small rural town known for its natural beauty. I got off the bus at Mai Chau town. A couple of motor bike taxi driver invited me to Lac village with 20,000d. I just smiles and said "No thanks" to them. I made a phone call to a homestay' s owner whom I would be staying with them in Lac 2 village. 10 mininutes later, I got a pick up to the village. I took a short rest before having lunch.
The first impression was warm hospitality from the local people by offering me some tea as well as a warm smile. The house I stayed in has several long tables with chairs beneath the rooms where I sat down together and had lunch with them. Our room had a bamboo slatted floor, our mattress was 1/2 an inch think, our pillow a small cushion but it did have a mosquito net for the bed .This is after all, a home stay. I was offer so much good food but I couldn't eat them all. In the afternoon, It took me 2 hours to walk myself to some villages nearby.I saw a brick factory where people were working very hard, some children herding water buffalo which made me think of best memories in my child hood, people carrying woods on their shoulder basket, some tourists cycling along the path. My last visit was Lac 1 village one where I saw a lot of tranditional clothes on the side of the road.
 Getting back to the house, I had a chat with local people. It was such an interesting chat we had. They told me how to recozgnized white Thai and Black Thai, how the locals built house on stilt and how responsible travel developed in Mai Chau. After having a shower, I had a  nice dinner.
 Then walking around, I saw Thuan Hoa humanity centre which is a small one with a few handicaps. I talked to ower of a centre who was the locals here. She said that she built this centre in order to creat job oppotunities for the disabled in Mai Chau. Most of the disabled were from poor families and couldn't afford to live. They made tranditional clothes to be sold  in Hanoi.She emphasized "the most difficult thing  is to find customers. I travel to Hanoi every month  to find companies who help us purchase these product. In recently, there is an NGOS from Japan set up a project  to help our centre. They do marketing for us". I took a look around her centre and her house as well. It was a nice house. I heard music somewhere so I asked her. She said that there would be tranditional dance in the house next door. I was so excited so I said goodbye to her and thanked to her explaination. I went to other house to watch the performance which I really enjoyed it. They did a couple of styles from different ethnic groups. I was invited to join their dances together with other tourists in the house. At the end of the show, I drunk "Can" wine all togethers. I slept very comfortablely at the best of times.
 The next morning, I had a nice breaksfast of fresh eggs, fresh baguettes, sweet jam and coffee. After breakfast, I rided a bike to the local market. I saw meat, fish, vegetables, clothes everything was under this roof. My gosh it was sooo hot. The idea was to go before it was too hot but it was already really hot. When we returned to the house I had farewell lunch with the locals, settle my drink bills before saying goodbye to them. I enjoyed our drive back by local bus through the country. It was a lifetime experience. I went back to nature. Travel tips : Staying in Lac 2 village which is very peaceful. Lac 1 village is a bit touristy and noisy.  

Duong Lam Vietnam travel tips

Here are some useful information and money savings  tips for travellers to  Duong Lam acient village, which helps you get greater enjoyment during the trip to Duong Lam Vietnam.
Tip 1 : Safety 

Duong Lam is  safe for travellers. The only real hazard in this part of the world is your own misfortune. Be careful as you ride a bike in a tiny alleys. It's better to check brakes and types before cycling.
Tip 2 : Say hello to locals & Ask permission before taking photos Before paying a visit to any acient house, you should ask permission of homestay owner and  and say "hello" to them to show respect. You should donate some money on the altars (VND 30,000 - VND 50,000, about US$1.5-3). Small gifts from foreign visitors are welcome too. You shouldn't face against family altar.  . If you want to take any pictures, please ask the locals before hand.
 Tip 3 :  How to get there By bus : Bus is available in bus station. It costs approximately $1 Kim Ma bus station - Son Tay (number 70) Ha Dong bus station - Son Tay (number 77) My Dinh bus station - Son Tay (number 71) Upon arrival Son Tay, you should take Son Tay taxi (04 3362 6262) to the village, it costs around $3.5. By public bus From My Dinh bus station, you can take the bus My Dinh - Phu Pho and get off at Duong Lam village entrance gate.
  Tip 4 : Accomodation in Duong Lam village Homestay : Its facilities are basic : air-conditioning, western toilet and hot shower. Private rooms are available upon request. It's available in Mr Kieu Anh Ban, Mr Giang Van Luu, Mrs Duong Thi Lan, Mr Ta Quang Tam . Homestay start at about $15.
  Tip 5 : Eat & Drink Drinks are available at the homestay : beer, coca- cola, water... The best drink is a cup of green tea and have chat with locals. You’d better order food with house owner to enjoy the best authentic Vietnamese food. There’s no menu. classic country cuisine is served up from a fixed menu for lunch. The food is simple but great. Vegetarians should be inform before your arrival.
  Specialities Local people in this village do farming work and make "tương" soy sauce to sell as major income. The sauce is made of water, rice, soy bean and corn and it's cooked with fish or eaten with tofu and rice cake (bánh đúc)
  Tip 6 : What to do Enjoy hands-on experiences  such as walking tour, cycling, chatting with locals living in the ancient houses, great local foods supply in an local acient house, visting pagoda and seeing rural market . You will see their daily routines surrounded by breathtaking scenery in a peaceful area. It’s great to go with a tour guide. They are able to  help you understand what you’re seeing because the locals aren't able to speak English.
  Tip 7 : Tourist attractions
  Mong Phu Commune house
 The communal house is a worshipping place of the god – founder of the village. . The god Tan Vien Son was dedicated in Mong Phu communal house. So far, Mong Phu communal house is a gathering place of the villagers for cultural activities. The communal house was made carefully with sophisticated decoration details. It is considered as a flower of unique sculptural architecture.
  Mia Pagoda
 The pagoda is built in 15 th century and admire 287 statues of all sizes, among with are famous sculpture such as the statue of Buddha in the Himalayas and the statues of the Eight Vajra Deities. Highlights of the pagoda is Mia Tong Quan Âm Tu (0.76 m high), often called the Ba ocular. This subject described a woman modest, with grace, of boring but at very lenient. Road features engraved soft, machine sliding.
  Church
 There is a church inside Mong Phu hamlet, like many those seen in many regions of Vietnam. A Vietnamese parish priest designed and hired carpenters of other villages to build this church in 1953. Most of the Christians in the village contributed time and effort to build this church. During the French colonial period, there were about 100 households of believers. Today, many followers still go to the church every Wednesday to attend the service. The soaring bell tower serves as a landmark of the village.
  Tip 8 : Support Most of homestay owner have a basic spoken English but are able to unsderstand you. For local villager, they coundn't speak English at all so that it's a bit difficult to communicate with thems.
  Tip 9 : What to bring Passport, sun-glasses & hat, suncream, sun-block, insect repellent, good shoes, personal first aid kit & medicines,  VND for personal expenses.
  Tip 10 : Best time to travel  September, Octorber, November and early December. Other time, it's also good but summer time is a bit hot.  

Duong Lam village Vietnam

Duong Lam acient village is on the outskirts of Hanoi, about 60 km west of Hanoi  and also known as a museum of laterite, home to many houses dating back up to 400 years. One special thing about the village is that most of the buildings here are made of laterite and mud, two materials that are abundant in the area. The village has also been described as the last stronghold of wet rice farming culture in northern Vietnam. Acient house' architecture The ancient houses are run by families who have lived on and worked the land for generations. Coming to an acient housestay, you will stay amongst the locals and see their daily routines surrounded by breathtaking scenery in a peaceful setting. The folk houses in Duong Lam village are seft-contained, emcompassed by walls. The entrance and exit can be made only through the gate facing the lane. In the middle of house's precinct is the yard. The main house faces the yeard and does not face the lane directly. On one side of the yeard is a well. The precinct of the house is generally rectangular in shape, and the gate is usually placed at eh side of precinct instead of directly facing the main house The wooden house mainly has 5 or 7 spans with 2 wings. It has 5 rows of columns, sometime 1 row disappears. The house has specialized by sophisticatedly carved details in the form of flowers, leaves, clouds. A system of wooden doors is very firm. Each span has 4 leaves of the door with upper and lower joints. Thresholds were made of firm wood above 40-50cm from the ground and 10cm from the floor. This distance helps to ventilate well, avoid humidity for the thresholds. The whole system of the thresholds is the tie system linking all spans together. Tourist attrations Mong Phu Commune house The communal house is a worshipping place of the god – founder of the village. . The god Tan Vien Son was dedicated in Mong Phu communal house. So far, Mong Phu communal house is a gathering place of the villagers for cultural activities. The communal house was made carefully with sophisticated decoration details. It is considered as a flower of unique sculptural architecture. Mia Pagoda The pagoda is built in 15 th century and admire 287 statues of all sizes, among with are famous sculpture such as the statue of Buddha in the Himalayas and the statues of the Eight Vajra Deities. Highlights of the pagoda is Mia Tong Quan Âm Tu (0.76 m high), often called the Ba ocular. This subject described a woman modest, with grace, of boring but at very lenient. Road features engraved soft, machine sliding. What to do Enjoy hands-on experiences  such as walking tour, cycling, chatting with locals living in the ancient houses, great local foods supply in an local acient house, visting pagoda and seeing rural market . You will see their daily routines surrounded by breathtaking scenery in a peaceful area. Soybean souce "Tuong" No one in Duong Lam has any idea when the first soy sauce was made in the village. "Before I was born," you might hear. But it's been around for many generations. Soy sauce is made from glutinous rice, soybeans, corn and salt. It's made using stone mortars, copper pans, steamers, frying pans, baskets and jars. Soy sauce makers choose their materials very carefully. They make soy sauce mostly in May and June because this is optimum soy sauce making weather. Duong Lam villagers continue to make soy sauce by hand and for them rainwater is a necessary ingredient. Soy sauce is used with almost every meal eaten in Duong Lam village. People dip their boiled water morning-glory, meat and just about every kind of food in it. It's also brushed on fish when they are fried. Soy sauce is a necessary ingredient of many traditional Duong Lam dishes. The villagers are proud of their soy sauce and they love making it so much. A difference If Ha Noi’s old quarter and Hoi An’s ancient town are relics of an ancient urban lifestyle, then Duong Lam’s old village is a valuable relic of rural village life, said the keeper of the Mong Phu communal house.  

Rural Market in Vietnam

The word "chợ" (market) is frequently encountered in Vietnamese proverbs and folk songs. A girl looking for a man of her heart will wonder: “I’m like a length of rose silk Waiting in the market for the right buyer.” A young wife unsure of herhusband’s feeling will complain “A wife’s love for her husband is like a market at its busiest, A husband’s love for his wife is like the market about to close.” The phrase "chợ đã về chiều" (afternoon market) expresses the sadness accompanying the end of a meery-making party of old age. Parochialism is best expressed by the proverb “A market has its regulations , a village has its customs”. All this shows how important “the rural market” is to the life of farmers, the more so in the old days when, as a result of the self-sufficient character of the rural economy, each hamlet was provided with its own little market. A hamlet market is held in the open early in the morning, for people to buy and sell in a hurry fish, crabs or prawns, groundnuts, taros and other farm produce in season, or even some sewing theread ora needle. A village market isa bigger thing. Often it is held at a large place where several roads meet, or close to a river. Goods are available in greater quantity and variety, disappeared in permanent or temporary stalls. Rural markets are held everyday but are the busiest on principal days, often the second, sixth, 12^th, 16^th , 22th and 26^th of the lunar month. The crowd is made up of mostly by housewives. Mountain markets are veritable fairs where people of different ethnic groups will come for romance or a drinking about. Fish market, held on the beach, last just long enough for fishermen to dispose of their night catch. In the Mekong River Delta, people sell and buy rice, fruit, chickens, and fish right on the many canals that crisscross the region. And Tet Market Day is a wonderful experience. At Gia Lac, a village near Hue, Tet market used to falll on the last day of the lunar year, with people gathering in the dark, hence the name of “Market of Shadows”. Now, Gia Lac inhabitants go to Tet market in the afternoon. Now Gia Luan inhabitants go to Tet market in the afternoon, but the goods trade in have always been the same – luck, which ever-bodyneeds in the life Source : Wandering through Vietnamese Culture (Author : Huu Ngoc)

Insight into fishing life in Halong Bay

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”  Amazing Halong Bay. Fascinating panoramas of limestone karsts often covered with lush green vegetation. Adding to this backdrop was the ever present fishermen who live on waters. We were never completely alone. The put-put of their engines was the first indicator. A single boat with all family members passing by our junk. Oftentimes boats were rafted together. This was their home and a way of life dating back generations We saw a boy  in his boat tied to this grey ragged landscape collecting crustaceans. It is food for their meal and to sell as well. Floating house is on the water. The fishing net were displayed in the floating house A cultural  highlight on our cruise was visiting a floating village tucked along the jagged edge of karsts in a somewhat protected area from the winds. There are about 50 families in the village and the population is between 200 and 300 residents, including nearly 100 children.. They have some job to earn living is to row boats for tourist, fish with net and do fish-farms. There are three other such floating villages scattered throughout Halong Bay and some quite large. Collectively, these fishermen supply seafood to all over Vietnam, particularly Hanoi. In addition, they are developing markets for farm-raised sea pearl, sea shell and shrimp. Houses were painted in cheerful colors and each appeared to have a dog to watch the house. Generators provide electricity for the floating village and fresh water is brought in from the mainland and stored in tanks. We were taken to the floating village  to meet the student and play with them. The structure also serves as a school while efforts are being made to replace the one that was destroyed in a typhoon. The government provides a teacher, but he or she needs to be married, which reflects the cultural morays. Older children who wish to further their education often live on the mainland with a relative. Health care is provided sporadically and women go to the mainland to give birth. Managing tourism is of importance. This village has a partnership with several touring companies. Instead of selling us trinkets or local crafts, we were taken on small boat excursions. There were a one couple in our group tried to  row boat made from a woven reed basket. Our rower was a 20 year old girl named Hanh who was shy and had such a lovely smile. By tipping these rowers, we brought them a better life. These women worked hard at what they were doing. Laughing at each other in our conical hats was a reminder that we were acting the tourist part. There was one particular area that our tour guide David wanted us to see, but the lead rower could not get her boat through because of the current. We were so suprised. The beauty around us was worth this experience of being rowed in a basket. Once back on the junk, the long term sustainability of these floating villages was discussed. There is a balance between the fishermen, tourism, and the fragile eco-system which can change because of industrial run off, storms affecting fishing and increasing pollution. Halong Bay is a beautiful natural wonder. Protection of these waters while preserving a cultural way of life is an ongoing challenge.

A day in the life of Vietnamese farmers

Vietnamese farmer's life is extremely hard. They must wake up before the sun comes up to get started on their work. Vietnamese farmer have a break in the middle of the heat of the day, and then return to the fields. Each family member has certain jobs to perform. Men do heavy labor like plowing and digging. Women work around the house, and help with the harvest, planing and weeding. The old do light labor. Girls clean, cook, and work in the vegetable garden; while boys carry water, and help the men in the field. The entire family helps out during planting and harvest. Typical clothing worn by farmers is lose pants and shirts (or skirts for some women) that can be easily rolled up and kept out of water an mud. Most people wear sandals or go barefoot. All over Vietnam, people wear conical shaped hats called nonla to protect them from the scalding sun and heavy rains. The day ends up with a family meal together. It's a great time for all family members to share their stories and get closer each other.

What do Vietnamese people eat everyday?

  Rice is served at virtually every meal, including breakfast. Fish is almost as important, since Vietnam is a country that has abundant water with vast resources of fish. Fish and other fresh and salt water life is eaten fresh, but is also frequently dried. Fowl, such as chicken, ducks, and geese, along with eels and eggs, provide additional protein. Beef and pork are enjoyed only by the wealthy or on special occasions such as at weddings or festivals. A common traditional food of Vietnam is nuoc mam , a liquid sauce made from fermented fish. Characterized by an extremely strong smell, nuoc mam is frequently used in Vietnamese dishes. The typical Vietnamese meal consists of a bowl of rice and vegetables cooked in fermented sauce. Vegetables are mainly grown at home and include bamboo shoots, soybeans, sweet potatoes, corn, greens of various kinds, onions, and other root crops. Fruit includes bananas, coconuts, mangos, mangosteens, and pineapple. Noodle dishes are also popular. A distinctive Vietnamese dish is pho , a hot soup containing any variety of noodles in sauce with vegetables, onions, and meat or fish. Many Vietnamese drink tea at every meal and other times throughout the day and evening. On special occasions or when guests are visiting, the Vietnamese serve rice wine, beer, soft drinks, or coffee. Breakfast is usually eaten shortly after awakening. The large meal of the day is eaten around noon, after the morning's work, before the lighter work of the late afternoon, and during the hottest portion of the day. A lighter meal follows the day's work. The Vietnamese eat with chopsticks, and typically dine while sitting on a mat on the floor. Vietnamese eat loudly, slurping, sucking, chomping. Such table noises are not considered bad manners; they are considered evidence that people are enjoying their food.

Tranditional Customs of Chewing Betel, Areca Nuts

  Chewing Betel and Areca Nuts According to legends, chewing quid of betel and areca has been a custom since the Hung King period and connected with the antique legend of betel and areca. A quid of betel is called "trau" consists of 4 elements: an areca leaf (sweet taste), betel bark (hot taste), a chay root (bitter taste), and hydrated lime (pungent taste). The custom of chewing betel nut is exclusive to Vietnam. Previous health books claim that "chewing betel and areca nut makes the mouth fragrant, decreases unhealthy tempers, and makes digesting food easy". A quid of betel makes people get closer and be openhearted. At any wedding, there should be a dish of betel and areca nut, which people can share as they get pleasure from the happy day. During  Tet Holidays, betel and areca nut is employed for inviting guests and creating acquaintances. Sharing a quid of betel with an old friend is like expressing gratitude for the connection. A quid of betel and areca nut makes people feel warm on cold winters days, and through funerals it relieves disappointment. Betel and areca nuts are utilized in offerings. When Vietnamese people worship their ancestors, betel and areca nut must be presented at the altar. Nowadays, the custom of chewing betel remains well-liked in some Vietnamese villages and among the old. Smoking tobacco rustic Don't forget to say thuoc lao or tobacco rustic. For women, betel can initiate varied female conversation, except for men, thuoc lao is expounded to their joyfulness together with the disappointment in their lives. Peasants always carry their dieu cay (pipe for smoking while ploughing the rice fields).

Tranquil life in rural areas of Vietnam

To escape from the bustle and hustle of the city life, many visitors travelling to Vietnam prefer going to the rural areas where they can find a peaceful atmosphere and enjoy their holidays. Vietnam rural life  is totally different from the city life. Coming to rural areas, tourists will admire the natural beauty of lush rice paddy field where water buffaloes swallow the grass and see elegant women who are wearing traditional Vietnamese conical hat, cycle along dusty paths. Vietnam’s remarkable geography, from the remote Sapa valleys in the north to the lush Mekong Delta in the south, demonstrates a traditional way of life.

About Hanoi Eco Tours

Who we are

Hanoi Eco-tour is the first travel company operating ecotourism in Hanoi and its suburban areas. We are a group of tour guides who  love our jobs and  are keen on  promoting green travel in Vietnam. We love to show tourists an insight into the Vietnamese countryside.

Why Hanoi Eco-tour was born

We are here to make a difference. Our main goal is to allow customers to experience the authentic way of life for the indigenous population an for local villagers to share in the economic benefits tourism provides.

What we provide

We are the experts in organizing eco-tours in and around Hanoi. We will provide you with  the opportunity to retreat from the daily grind to the peace of the Vietnamese countryside. We do this by engaging the idigenous population who will provide you with a close-up and an intimate exposure to the countryside, show us how to farm, fish and cook, give you hands-on experiences.

Our vision

Our vision is to provide our guests with a once in a lifetime experience. We will have a positive  impact on the environment conservation, help local communities to generate future employment and economic advantage for local people and promote Vietnamese culture.

Our mission

Our mission is to promote sustainable tourism through the development and growth of Hanoi Eco-tour throughout the region.

We are committed to recruiting villagers and other disadvantaged people to educate and train in hospitality, while at the same time respecting their cultural uniqueness. We will also  implement good environmental practices in their daily tasks and provide a better quality of life for future generations.