Mai Chau is not only Ban Lac

If before when mentioning Mai Chau you often think of Ban Lac, the endless rice fields or the unique culture of the Thai ethnic group... then let's experience exploring Mai Chau in a different way with Travellive.

Mai Chau is a district of Hoa Binh province, about 140 km from the center of Hanoi. Known as the "Northwest muse", Mai Chau has a peaceful natural picture and the impressive cultural identity of the Thai people. Possessing its existing potential and strengths, Mai Chau is currently an attractive destination for many domestic and international visitors to explore.

Sharing with the press on June 12 in Mai Chau, Mr. Bui Xuan Truong - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hoa Binh province said: "Mai Chau has many diverse tourism products such as homestay, village visits, trekking, rowing on streams, cave exploration, organizing parties in Mo Luong cave (with license)... We are constantly developing new types of tourism to attract domestic and foreign tourists to Mai Chau. To enhance the tourism experience, the locality has invested in hundreds of electric cars to serve visitors to visit villages and neighboring tourist attractions more conveniently and safely."

Mr. Tran Trong Kien - Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Thien Minh Group, a business currently investing and developing tourism products in Mai Chau, also shared about the tourism development orientation for this area.

"To attract tourists to Mai Chau, it is necessary to ensure that tourism products are suitable for the target customer group. In addition to accommodation experiences, tourists are also interested in local cuisine, landscapes and culture. Therefore, tourism development needs to focus on diversifying experiences for tourists. In addition to the already famous community tourism, Mai Chau also has the advantage of developing experiential tourism. This type of tourism is aimed at tourists who love to explore, adventure and experience local culture in a genuine way. With its available potential, Mai Chau tourism promises to increasingly attract more domestic and international tourists in the coming time," Mr. Kien added.

Unique culture of Thai people

When mentioning Mai Chau, Hoa Binh, people not only think of poetic villages, green fields but also are impressed by the vibrant Thai dances. Each dance is a story or message about life, love and belief of the Thai people. All are expressed through traditional dances: Sap dance, Thai Xoe dance, Keeng Loong dance, Thai singing & Khen typical of the Thai people in Mai Chau district...

The dances of the Thai people in Mai Chau are not only beautiful and passionate but also have profound cultural values. For example, Keeng Loong is a unique traditional musical performance about the working life of the Thai people in Mai Chau by the rhythmic beating of wooden boards and drums, accompanied by singing and dancing.

Loong in Thai means trough or long mortar, people choose big and straight wood to make Loong. Keeng Loong is inspired by the work of pounding rice to show the diligence and industriousness of the Thai people as well as the collective effort and sharing spirit of the community. Keeng Loong dance is also recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

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In addition, many tourists enjoy participating in traditional games such as stilt walking, throwing balls, spinning tops, etc. These games are not only entertainment activities but also contain many indigenous cultural values ​​and the spirit of the local people.

Luxury camping through glamping

If before coming to Mai Chau, tourists mainly chose to stay in homestays or stilt houses, the glamping model (high-class camping) located near Mo Luong lake and cave of Mai Chau Lodge is like a breath of fresh air, helping tourists have more choices when traveling to this Northwestern region.

Glamping is no longer strange to many tourists. Unlike traditional camping, with this model, guests will stay in high-class tents, fully equipped with amenities not inferior to any 5-star hotel but still enjoy and be surrounded by the surrounding nature.

At Mai Chau Lodge, the glamping area has a total of 8 domes built in the shape of colorful bubbles with an open space opposite Mo Luong Lake. Nestled between rice fields and majestic mountain ranges, this place offers visitors an unforgettable camping adventure.

3-story hot spring bath

Bo Am hot spring is located in Chieng Yen commune, Van Ho district, Son La province, 30 km from Moc Chau town, surrounded by mountains and green rice fields. Water flows from the rocky mountains and is divided into 3 natural baths with levels: hot water with an average temperature of 35-40 degrees Celsius, gradually decreasing to warm and cold streams - suitable for relaxation in the summer.

To enter Bo Am stream, visitors only need to spend 30,000 VND to be able to freely play and relax in this area without time limit. The combination of different water temperatures, layered structure, and natural water sources has turned this place into an attractive destination for many local tourists as well as visitors from other provinces and cities, although the service here is still primitive.

Coming to Bo Am stream, immerse yourself in the warm stream to relax and gaze at the majestic nature around. In addition to the peaceful atmosphere, the hot spring here also brings many health benefits such as reducing joint pain, improving blood circulation and strengthening the immune system...

Highland cuisine

Mai Chau cuisine is an indispensable part of the unique cultural picture of the highlands. With the bold flavor of the Northwest mountains and forests, dishes in Mai Chau are not only delicious and beautiful but also contain many cultural and spiritual values ​​of the local people.

The flavor of Mai Chau's mountains and forests is prepared with famous dishes such as: wild bamboo shoots, stream fish, wild vegetables, wild boar meat, hill chicken, sticky rice... with the typical flavor of the Northwest mountains and forests, creating attraction and stimulating the taste buds of diners.

"Mai Chau season, you fragrant sticky rice", it is not by chance that this image appears in the poem "Tay Tien" by poet Quang Dung. Simple dishes cooked from rice and sticky rice grown by local people have become specialties here. Enjoying it, you will know how skillful Thai girls are when cooking sticky rice, the fragrant smell of sticky rice is unmistakable.

Bamboo rice is also considered an indispensable dish on the Mai Chau banquet table. The dish is made from sticky rice grilled in bamboo tubes, creating a delicious, characteristic flavor. Bamboo rice is often eaten with peanut salt, grilled wild boar and wild vegetables.

Colorful brocade paintings in Ban Lac

Coming to Mai Chau, you definitely cannot miss Ban Lac - a miniature picture of the village life of the Thai ethnic people. Coming here, you can admire the wooden stilt houses in the traditional design of the Thai people with 9 steps leading up to the house.

Arriving at Ban Lac, visitors feel like they are lost in a colorful world. Traditional stilt houses are decorated with colorful brocade hanging on the porch and walls. The art of brocade weaving is not only a cultural beauty but also the main source of income for the people of Ban Lac. Visitors can buy exquisite brocade products as souvenirs for friends and family.

In recent years, Ban Lac has implemented a form of community tourism, which means that local people will prepare the living and experience needs of everyone such as places to rest, eat, travel and visit. With this form, when coming to Ban Lac, tourists will have the opportunity to experience daily life, enjoy rustic dishes just like real locals.

Phuong Thao is the Editor of Travellive Magazine. She is passionate about traveling and loves to capture moments with her camera in every land she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are her favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao