An unforgettable Vietnam adventure travel through villages, paddy fields, mountains and valleys of Hoa Binh (Mai Chau) and onto Ninh Binh (Cuc Phuong National Park, Tam Coc). All is off the beaten track drive and includes some trek in the National Park.
Mai Chau Valley
From Hoa Binh Town to Cun Pass, then Tan Lac District to reach Mai Chau Village. It is 60km from Hoa Binh Town. The beautiful district of Mai Chau spreads out under the eyes of visitors and lies in a green valley of paddy field dotted with rows of stilt houses. The stilt houses are made from wood and stand about 1.50m above the ground. Visitors are invited to clean their feet with water before entering houses. Roofs are often made of palm leaves. The windows are relatively large to allow fresh air to circulate and are decorated with a few baskets of orchids and bird cages hanging outside.
Cuc Phuong National Park
Located only 100km southwest of Ha noi and 70km from the sea, the national park lies between Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces. It covers 25,000ha, three-quarters of which are limestone mountains with altitudes ranging between 300 and 600m above sea level. This tropical forest was discovered in 1960 and was turned into a national park two years later. Cuc Phuong is famous for its dozens of picturesque caves, the most interesting being Ancient Men Cave where pre-historic stone tools were found. The Park is home to some 2,000 species of flora. Some rare trees of the Parashorea and Dracontomelum families reach 1,000 years of age and from 50m to 70m in height. Cuc Phuong grows at least 50 varieties of orchids, most of them fragrant all year round. The National Park is also home to 262 species of animals, birds and reptiles, including elephants, tigers, dears, flying squirrels, flying lizards and boa constrictors.
Itinerary at a Glance:
- Day 1: Ha Noi – Mai Chau (160 Km)
- Day 2: Mai Chau – Cuc Phuong National Park (120 km)
- Day 3: Cuc Phuong - Ninh Binh (~ 60 km)
- Day 4: Ninh Binh - Hanoi. (~ 110km)
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