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Nestled in the beautiful Mai Chau Valley surrounded by emerald green paddies, Ban Lac is the ideal destination if you are looking for a trip in outskirt area of Vietnam. Although Mai Chau has become an increasingly popular tourist destination, it has retained its welcoming and laidback ambience.

Where is Ban Lac?

Located in Hoa Binh province, about 140km from Hanoi, Ban Lac is the ideal destination for a short weekend trip. Traveling to Ban Lac, you will be able to immerse into nature in the midst of the mountains, between the beautiful ethnic cultural features of the people of Mai Chau.

How to get to Ban Lac Mai Chau?

To get to Ban Lac, you can choose to move by private car/motorbike or shuttle bus.

• By private car/motorbike: traveling by motorbike is the more popular choice with foreigners. Driving route: Hanoi – Xuan Mai – Luong Son – Hoa Binh – Muong Khen – Mai Chau.

• By shuttle bus: this is the safest and most convenient way to get to Ban Lac. However, if you choose this way, you may not have a chance to admire the majestic nature along the roads of the north west area. You can take a shuttle bus in bus stations such as My Dinh, Giap Bat or Nuoc Ngam from Hanoi to Mai Chau. The price range is from 100,000 to 200,000 VND/person/one way depending on the type of bus.

The best time to visit Ban Lac Mai Chau

Ban Lac is beautiful all year round. However, the two most beautiful times you should visit it is from September to October when the landscape is covered by golden rice paddies or from March to April – the plum blossom season. In December, January and sometimes February too, the weather can get pretty chilly.

See and Do in Ban Lac Mai Chau

Experience and discover more about the daily life of ethnic people and cultures

Ban Lac is exploited as a kind of short-day tour by the distinct cultural features of locals here. All visitors will enjoy the experience of helping out their house owner with his/her field work. The people are very friendly.

The majority of visitors to Mai Chau will stay in one of the traditional bamboo stilt houses. This is the perfect cultural discovery as you will not only get to experience the charm of sleeping in a beautifully crafted traditional house, but you will also get to experience the warmth of the families that live there. Here you can enjoy a hearty dinner of local produce with the homestay family, followed by a bonding session over the local rice wine. The sleeping areas in these wooden structures are spacious and open giving a pure and simple atmosphere to them. The nights in Mai Chau are still and peaceful and just what is needed after a day of exploring.

Furthermore, with only 10,000 to 15,000VND, you can rent beautiful ethnic clothes to comfortably take hundreds of nice photos.

Explore Chieu Cave and Mo Luong Cave

Chieu Cave is a national monument with 1200 stone steps and heights up to 700m. Ticket price to the Chieu Cave is only from 10,000 VND/person.

Come to Chieu Cave on a sunny day, you will surely be overwhelmed by the mysterious and magical beauty of the nature that will be displayed perfectly, when the sun shines into the cave.

Mo Luong Cave is one kilometer away from Ban Lac Mai Chau. Not as high as Chieu Cave but there are many beautiful and unique stalactites here.

Mo Luong Cave is managed by Mai Chau Lodge Hotel. In order to visit this cave, you will have to pay for an entrance fee from 40,000 VND/person. Guests choose to stay at Mai Chau Lodge will be free of charge when visiting Mo Luong Cave.

Visit Van village, Pom Coong village and Nhot village in Ban Lac Mai Chau

If you have been to Ban Lac Mai Chau, you should also visit the villages nearby such as Van village, Pom Coong and Nhot village. These small villages are still not popular with tourists but they are really attractive and must-see places. Besides admiring the unspoiled pristine nature, lush green rice paddies on the way to the villages, watch the beautiful sunset and sunrise right on your head, you will have an opportunity to experience the cultural highlights of the ethnic people such as dances, festivals or weaving brocade, etc.

With the information provided above, you can totally plan a perfect trip for 2 days and 1 night in Ban Lac – Mai Chau. Hope you can enjoy your relaxing trip when choosing Mai Chau as one of your destinations to visit in Vietnam.