Hanoi to Mai Chau: Definite Guide

Mai Chau is a poetic valley in Hoa Binh province. The distance from Hanoi to Mai Chau is about 150km and takes about 3.5 hours drive. In recent years, Mai Chau is considered a favorite destination for many domestic and foreign tourists. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you will have the opportunity to be close to nature, access the cultural beauty of mountainous ethnic minorities, especially the Thai people.

You can consider among bus (local bus/ tourist bus), motorbike or private car/taxi to travel from Hanoi to Mai Chau. Let’s get the details in my article below.

1. Travel from Hanoi to Mai Chau by motorbike

Some adventure tourists prefer to travel to Mai Chau by motorbike because this valley is only 150km from Hanoi and 60km from Hoa Binh to the Northwest and it is a really beautiful ride if you choose this type of transfer.

There are 2 motorbike routes from Hanoi to Mai Chau for you:

• Route 1: From the center of Hanoi - Thang Long Avenue - Hoa Binh City - Thung Khe Pass - Mai Chau Town - Ban Lac. This is the fastest route to Mai Chau with just over 3 hours of driving.
• Route 2: Pass the old Highway 6, the road is smaller and more crowded, and also further away (4 hours) but the landscape has more beautiful hills and mountains.

On the whole route, you will pass some dangerous slopes like "Cun Slope", which are quite long and adventurous so pay attention to the steering wheel. One the way, you will pass Thung Khe Pass, also known as White Stone Pass, the beautiful scenery, you can stop to check and take pictures. However, if you go early in the morning or early evening, a foggy appearance can hide a beautiful view.

2. Travel from Hanoi to Mai Chau by private car

The private car is a good choice for those who want to travel in safe & convenient ways. And it will take less transfer time only about 3 hours. Current this is popular option because there are not many bus options to transfer for this route.

Cost for private car depends on car type, duration, you can have referred detail below:

Renting a private car you might meet some inconvenience because the driver could not speak English very well, they could not understand if you want to stop and take photos along the way. You should provide pick up & drop off address & time carefully when process booking.  If you are looking for a private transfer let's contact BestPrice Travel, our professional travel consultant will help you with that.

3. Travel from Hanoi to Mai Chau by bus

There are 2 bus types you can choose to travel from Hanoi to Mai Chau: local bus or tourist bus.

Local bus: You can easily catch a bus from My Dinh, Giap Bat, or Yen Nghia bus station to Mai Chau. Bus prices are also relatively cheap, only from 80,000 to 120,000 VND, depending on each type of bus. There are many cars to Mai Chau and drop off at Ban Lac for your choice. Some buses specialize in running Hanoi - Mai Chau routes: Ha Loan, Hoang Thao… The bus will go straight without stopping along the way. On the weekends, the traffic demand increases so the buses are often quite crowded, you should go early to avoid running out of space.

Tourist bus: is a better option for your choice. The bus is well equipped with AC, soft seats, free water, and a professional tour guide will go with you along the way.

In my personal experience, the tourist bus is much cleaner and it will not stop to pick up more people. Let’s check out the pickup time and ticket fee as below.

There are several options itinerary from Hanoi to Mai Chau from 1 day, 2 days or 3 days. If you are first time travel to Mai Chau, we do recommend you 2 days 1-night Mai Chau Light trek program with detail below:

Day 1: Transfer to Mai Chau & discover the village

You will be picked up at the hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter and transfer to Mai Chau. We stop at a local market to visit and you can enjoy the beautiful view of Thung Khe Pass, one of the most beautiful passes in Vietnam. We will arrive Mai Chau about noon for lunch then start our trip to explore the traditional villages of Thai People. You will ride a bike with the tour guide through the villages and rice paddy fields. We stop at a local stilt house for a tea break and learn more about the culture and life of local people.

16:00 You check in the homestay and then you have free time for swimming or walk around to explore the village

Day 2: Trekking & Transfer back to Hanoi

Today we will do trekking through the terrace rice fields and cross the stream to visit the local village in Pu Luong. Then, if the weather is good enough, we will explore the Bat Cave, the biggest cave in Pu Luong.

12:00 We come back to the homestay and check out the room then have lunch before getting back to Hanoi.

Choose a good partner: Reserve a bus/ tour with a good travel agency to help you save time and money. Besides, they are in charge of dealing with your problems or complaints.

Stay more than 24 hours: Mai Chau does not have a lot of places to visit as Sapa but it is only 4 hours from Hanoi to Mai Chau that will attract the people who do not have spare time. You can join a trip to Mai Chau to explore the local area and I strongly recommend you to join a 2 days 1-night trip, which can help you go further and enjoy the fresh air and wonderful atmosphere here. Mai Chau still reserves its nature well so if you choose to go, I am sure that it is one of the highlights in Vietnam.

Book in advance: The tourist bus from Hanoi to Mai Chau is always available on the weekdays, however, the tickets are easily sold out on the weekends. Therefore, you should reserve your ticket as soon as possible.

Inform your tour guide about food allergies: The traditional food and cuisine in Mai Chau will be served at your lunch and dinner. The local people will add many natural herbs to increase the flavors. If you would like to enjoy everything, it’s perfect. However, you would not like to eat or are allergic to some kinds of food, let’s tell your tour guide so that he will inform the hosts to prepare other dishes instead.

Choose the tourist bus for your best comfort: At the weekends, the local buses are easily full of people and they will add as many people as they can. Although it is more expensive to travel by tourist buses, it is worth the money for your comfort and you are supported along the way by the tour guide.

Hope you enjoy your time with my article. I love Mai Chau and I think you will fall in love with her when you visit this place. Do not hesitate to contact BestPrice Travel for further travel guides and get a good price for Mai Chau Tour on your next trip.

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