Further away than the popular tourist spots Lac Village and Pom Coong Village, Van Village lies off the beaten track amidst magnificent North Vietnamese mountain scenery, and is famous for its authenticity and peaceful beauty. Visit this secluded spot for a true taste of ethnic Mai Chau life.
Pu Luong Nature Reserve is a haven of nationally preserved land which stretches from Mai Chau to Cuc Phuong National Park in the southeast. It is located in the Quan Hoa and Ba Thuoc districts of north-western Thanh Hoa Province, about 17km from Mai Chau. This large nature park is famous for its gorgeous scenery, featuring dense, rich forest, limestone ridges and beautiful flowing rice terraces. Home to the Muong people, a notoriously warm and friendly ethnicity, a visit to Pu Luong’s emerald green mountain passes and winding valleys is ideal for an immersion into authentic North Vietnamese way of life.
Surrounding Mai Chau is a wonderland of green. Journey on foot through wafting fields of yellow, and trek to Thung Khe Pass for a taste of true mountain grandeur. The gorgeous scenery, seclusion and fresh air of this lofty spot are well worth the climb. The Pass is also known for its striking weather changes throughout the day, which the locals compare to a day of changing seasons. Mornings are cool and hazy like the rain in a Vietnamese spring, the afternoon brings an autumn wind but the warmth of a bright summer sun, and winter beckons with fingers of ice in the evening.
