Mai Chau Valley Motorbike Tours

If you’re looking for short motorbike tours from the Hanoi capital, a motorbike tour to Mai Chau Valley must be your best choice! Mai Chau Valley is one of the most fascinating and challenging places in North Vietnam for any motorcycle enthusiasts. In this blog, let Vietnam Motorbike Tour Expert show you how interesting Mai Chau Valley motorbike tours are and give you some useful information about this valley so that you can best prepare for your journey

Mai Chau Valley Overview

Mai Chau Valley is a place in Hoa Binh province. Only about 150km northwest of Hanoi, Mai Chau can bring you a very different experience from the noisy city life.

When coming to Mai Chau Valley, you can learn about the culture of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities. This is the home of the White Thai ethnic group and a small part of the H’Mong. Thai people are famous for their dexterity, so you will enjoy delicious food and admire sophisticated handicrafts. In addition, you can observe indigenous people’s houses and try to immerse themselves in their lives.

It’s easy to choose a good time to join Mai Chau Valley motorbike tours because it’s almost beautiful in all months of a year! In spring, you can see the blossoming flowers covering the forest. In the fall, the valley is full of golden rice fields. However, you need to be careful with the rainy season, especially when the North experiences heavy rains from July to September. The risk of flash floods and landslides can be dangerous for riders.

The peaceful beauty of Mai Chau Valley

Why is riding motorbikes the first choice to explore Mai Chau Valley?

With the short distance and convenient roads, there are many options for you to choose to move to Mai Chau. However, joining one of our Mai Chai valley motorbike tours is always the top choice. One of the main reasons is that riding off the beaten track to Mai Chau valley will give the special experience that others can not imagine.. Some can be mentioned such as the chilly air of the early morning, going on the winding passes and admiring the majestic scenery, or stopping somewhere longer because the life of the people is too interesting. So if you can ride a motorbike, you should not miss to join our Mai Chau valley motorbike tours.

Motorbike is the first choice to enjoy Mai Chau Valley

Overview of Mai Chau Valley Motorcycle Tours

If moving from Hanoi, there will be two routes for you to choose from. Route 1 will move in the direction from Nguyen Trai (Ha Dong) to Xuan Mai, through Hoa Binh, and then to Thung Khe pass. Through Thung Khe, there will be signs leading to Mai Chau. Route 2 goes in the direction of Thang Long Boulevard through Hoa Lac, runs straight along National Highway 6, and then into Mai Chau.

Besides the trip from Hanoi, we also provide short to long-day trips for you. You can choose to go to Mai Chau in Northwest Vietnam Motorbike Tours or Northern Vietnam Motorbike Tours. There are trips with a duration of about 2-3 days, there are also tours lasting up to 13-15 days.

You can even experience a longer day with a North-South trip with Ho Chi Minh Trail Motorbike Tours. Depending on your needs and health conditions, we will support you to have the best memory. In addition, our motorcycle tours in vietnam are not completely fixed but can be flexible according to your schedule.

Overview of Mai Chau Valley Motorcycle Tours

Best times to visit Mai Chau Valley

Embark on an unforgettable journey through the enchanting seasons of Mai Chau Valley, where nature’s palette paints a stunning backdrop for every traveler. Delve into the intricacies of each season, from vibrant blooms to golden harvests and serene winter vistas:

Spring (March to May)

As winter bids farewell, Mai Chau Valley awakens to a symphony of colors and scents. Mild temperatures and lush greenery transform the landscape, with blooming flowers and vibrant foliage adorning the valleys and hillsides.

Spring is the perfect time for outdoor enthusiasts to explore the valley’s network of trails, whether it’s a leisurely hike through the rice fields or an exhilarating cycling adventure along winding paths.

Embrace the rejuvenating spirit of the season as the valley bursts into life, offering a myriad of photo opportunities and cultural encounters with local communities.

Autumn (September to November)

As summer wanes, Mai Chau Valley transitions into a tapestry of golden hues and crisp, clear skies. The terraced rice fields, meticulously carved into the valley’s slopes, become a canvas of shimmering gold during the harvest season.

This picturesque landscape offers breathtaking vistas, drawing photographers and nature enthusiasts alike. Autumn is also a time of celebration, with local festivals highlighting the region’s rich cultural heritage.

Immerse yourself in the festivities, from traditional dances to culinary delights, and gain insight into the timeless traditions of the Thai ethnic minority who call this valley home.

The best season to join Mai Chau Valley Tours for Ban flowers

Avoid the Rainy Season (June to August)

 While Mai Chau Valley retains its natural beauty year-round, the rainy season brings challenges for travelers seeking outdoor adventures.

From June to August, heavy rainfall transforms the trails into muddy paths and obscures the panoramic views that define the valley.

Outdoor activities such as trekking and cycling may be hindered by inclement weather, making it less than ideal for exploration.

Visitors are advised to plan their trips accordingly, opting for alternative destinations or indoor activities during this period.

Embrace the thrill of exploring Mai Chau by motorbike, but remember to prioritize safety at all times

Winter (December to February)

As the year draws to a close, Mai Chau Valley enters a period of tranquility and introspection. While temperatures may drop, the valley exudes a serene charm, with misty mornings and crisp, clear air enveloping the landscape.

Winter offers a quieter pace of life in the valley, making it ideal for travelers seeking solitude and reflection amidst the tranquil surroundings. Take leisurely strolls through the villages, interact with locals by the warmth of crackling fires, or simply revel in the beauty of nature’s subtle winter palette.

The best time to join Mai Chau Valley tours beckons, whether you crave adventure or seek serenity. The valley’s timeless allure invites exploration, promising hidden treasures to uncover in every season.

Criteria for Choosing Your Motorbike Tour

Choosing the right motorbike tour involves considering several criteria to ensure a fulfilling and enjoyable experience. Here are key factors to consider when selecting your motorbike tour:

• Experience Level: Choose a tour that matches your riding skills. Beginners may prefer tours with easy routes and minimal off-road segments, while experienced riders might look for challenging terrains and longer distances.
• Destination and Scenery: Consider the type of scenery you want to enjoy. Are you looking for mountainous terrains, coastal roads, or desert landscapes? The destination will significantly affect your overall experience.
• Duration of the Tour: Decide how long you want to be on the road. Tours can range from a single day to several weeks. Consider your availability and how long you can comfortably spend riding each day.
• Type of Motorbike: Ensure the tour provides a motorbike that you are comfortable riding. Some tours offer various types of bikes, from cruisers to adventure motorcycles. Consider the bike’s size, power, and suitability for the terrain.
• Group Size: Some riders prefer the intimacy of small group tours, while others enjoy larger groups. Smaller groups tend to offer a more personalized experience, whereas larger groups can provide a more social atmosphere.
• Support and Facilities: Check what support and facilities are included in the tour. This includes accommodations, meals, mechanical support, and luggage transport. Knowing what’s included and what’s not can help you prepare accordingly.
• Guide Expertise: A knowledgeable guide can enhance the tour by sharing local insights and ensuring safe and enjoyable routes. Look for tours led by experienced guides who are familiar with the area and the routes.
• Safety Measures: Ensure that the tour operator prioritizes safety by providing necessary gear, a clear itinerary, and support for emergencies.
• Reviews and Recommendations: Read reviews and seek recommendations from other riders who have experienced the tour. Their insights can help you gauge the quality and suitability of the tour.

By carefully considering these factors, you can choose a motorbike tour that best suits your preferences, skills, and expectations, ensuring a memorable and enjoyable adventure.

Vietnam Motorbike Tour Expert for memorable experiences

Choosing the Perfect Motorbike for a Mai Chau Valley Motorbike Tour

Selecting the right motorbike for your Mai Chau Valley tour can significantly enhance your travel experience. Below are key features of three top bikes that are well-suited for exploring this stunning area:

Honda CRF 300L: This bike is perfect for off-road adventures with its slightly lower seat height compared to the CRF250L, making it a great fit for the varied terrains of Mai Chau Valley.

• Seat Height: 34.7 inches.
• Fuel Capacity: 2.1 gallons.

Honda CRF 250L: Known for its versatility and high-performance fuel injection, the CRF 250L excels on various road conditions, ensuring a smooth ride through the scenic routes around Mai Chau Valley.

• Seat Height: 37.4 inches.
• Fuel Capacity: 1.66 gallons.

Honda XR150L: Lightweight and versatile, the XR150L is ideal for both paved paths and dirt trails, offering flexibility for the diverse landscapes you’ll encounter.

• Seat Height: 32.5 inches.
• Fuel Capacity: 3.17 gallons.

Each model provides unique advantages for navigating the picturesque and challenging terrains of Mai Chau Valley, ensuring a safe and enjoyable journey. ​

Prepare for the motorbike tour of Mai Chau Valley

Attractive destinations in a Mai Chau Valley motor tour

Coming to Mai Chau, you will be immersed in the majestic mountain scenery. This place also allows you to experience the unique life of ethnic minorities.

Pom Coong village

The name of the village in Thai means hill of drums, in which “Pom” means “hill” and “Coong” means “drum”. Currently, 7 major families are living in the village. Coming to Pom Coong, you will experience the true life of the mountain people. Thai houses still retain their traditional features along with long-standing festivals that are still held every year. Delicious food and the friendliness of the people will surely make you remember them forever.

Thung Khe pass

Thung Khe Pass (or Da Trang Pass) is in the top of the most beautiful places in Mai Chau with the nickname “where four seasons in a day”. When you wake up early in the morning, you will feel the cool air with rays of sunlight creeping in like a spring day. Then the space became golden because of the ripe rice fields. In the afternoon, breathe in the fresh air and clear clouds. At night, the air becomes as cold as winter weather. In addition, Thung Khe Pass is also likened to the Nordic mountain because it seems covered with white snow.

The majestic beauty of Thung Khe pass

Lac village

Lac village can be considered the most beautiful village in Mai Chau. Although many stilt houses have been built into homestays to serve tourism, the village still retains its traditional character. The village of more than 700 years old can serve visitors delicious specialties and delicate brocade products.

Mai Chau flag pole

If you join Mai Chau Valley motorbike tours, you definitely cannot ignore the Mai Chau flag pole. Standing here, you can see the whole Mai Chau valley hidden under the mist. Please pick up your camera and make memories at this place.

Mai Chau flag pole with magnificent scene

Hai Son mural village

The unremarkable walls are adorned with a new look under the hands of volunteer students. You will be overwhelmed when admiring the 800-m-long painting with funny shapes. The drawings are also colorful, vivid, and imprinted with mountainous culture.

Tasty specialty dishes in Mai Chau Valley

During Mai Chau Valley motorbike tours, you will enjoy unique food that only the Northwest mountainous area has. The dishes that almost use natural ingredients available will make even the most demanding diners satisfied.

Mai Chau sticky rice

Sticky rice is a familiar dish to Vietnamese, but sticky rice in Mai Chau has its special features. When coming to Mai Chau, you should not miss the opportunity to enjoy sticky rice cooked by Thai women. The ingredients for the dish are glutinous rice grown on terraced fields. The preparation and cooking process is also extremely elaborate to have a delicious plate of sticky rice. This dish is often eaten with hill chicken, stream fish, pork, or originally with sesame salt.

Sticky rice during Mai Chau Valley Motorbike Tours

Pa Pinh Top grilled stream fishes

To make Pa Pinh Top, the ingredients used must be fresh fish, neither too big nor too small. Fish will be cleaned and marinated with special spices from the Northwest. Then grill on charcoal until the fish is golden and fragrant, after that sprinkle with a little salt and pack banana leaves to take away. When eating, the fish has an additional aroma of bamboo charcoal and banana leaves that will leave you with an unforgettable impression on Mai Chau Valley motorbike tours.

Grilled meat roll in pomelo leaf

This is a special dish created by the Muong ethnic group. You may be surprised to find out that the dish is prepared with pomelo leaves. But the taste of the dish will surely satisfy you. Grapefruit leaves used must be young and from sour grapefruit to create the typical flavor of the dish. Minced pork belly mixed with nuts to soak up the spices and then wrapped in pomelo leaves. Then they are grilled directly on embers. When baking, pay attention not to burn the leaves until they turn gray. It means the dish is cooked. Dotting with chili salt, you can fully enjoy the Northwestern-prepared dishes.

Unique grilled meat roll in pomelo leaf

Com lam (Bamboo-tube grilled rice)

Com Lam today has become the quintessential culinary symbol of the mountainous people. The food is carefully prepared and sophisticated. The rice used must be glutinous rice washed thoroughly and then put into a tightly closed bamboo tube. Then it will be grilled on a charcoal stove. Until just cooked, it gives off a sweet aroma. You can both enjoy Lam rice on the spot and buy it as a gift for your loved ones after Mai Chau Valley motorbike tours.

Other must-do things in Mai Chau Valley motorbike tours

Besides the trips and enjoying the food, there are things you should not miss when coming to Mai Chau. Here are some suggestions for you to fully immerse yourself in life here.

• Sleep in a homestay: Unlike in the city, you will sleep in traditional houses of ethnic people. Houses made of bamboo or wood will surely impress you.
• Shop for local crafts: As mentioned above, some skilled craftsmen make beautiful crafts. You can choose items as souvenirs or gifts for loved ones after Mai Chau Valley motorbike tours.
• Enjoy the traditional dance of the ethnic people: You can admire and even try to learn Thai dance, especially during the festival season. Boys and girls wearing traditional ethnic clothes, dancing and singing together will surely be a great memory.

Sleeping in local houses is an interesting experience

Note for a safe and memorable trip

Mai Chau Valley motorbike tours are desirable journeys. However, to have a safe trip, there are a few motorcycle touring guides you need to keep in mind. First, bring some basic documents. On the way to Mai Chau, there may be points where the traffic police ask for documents. In addition, when you come to the Mai Chau flagpole, you also need to have an identity document to visit. Besides, when driving a motorbike, you need to pay attention to the speed of the motorbike. Partly because you could be fined for speeding, and partly because you could be in danger on a slippery slope.

Some notes for a safe Mai Chau Valley Motor Tours

Vietnam Motorbike Tour Expert – a conscientious partner for unforgettable tours

Please contact us if you are still wondering how to plan for Mai Chau Valley motorbike tours. Vietnam Motorbike Tour Expert provides a service from A to Z to ensure you have a memorable trip. We have numerous kinds of tours for you to choose from as well as the flexibility to suit your health condition or schedule. Our tour guides are all knowledgeable, so they can best assist you during the trip. Vietnam Motorbike Tour Expert always tries our best to give customers the most wonderful experience.

Vietnam Motorbike Tour Expert – a conscientious partner

Contact Info Vietnam Motorbike Tour Expert:

• Head Office: 264 Nguyen Trai Str, Hanoi
• Bike Shop: 290 Nguyen Trai Str, Hanoi
• Tel/WhatsApp: +84.979884588
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Motorbiketourexpert/

Above is information about Mai Chau Valley motorbike tours. This is a trip worth looking forward to for those who love to explore.

Booking Information at Vietnam Motorbike Tour Expert

TOUR PRICE:

Our tour price is determined by two factors: the NUMBER OF RIDERS (the more people in the group, the lower the cost per rider) and the TYPE OF BIKES (choosing a smaller bike results in a reduced price). For more information and accurate pricing, please contact us. Below, you can find a sample price for our regular North Vietnam motorbike tour using 150cc bikes

• Tour for a group of 1 (solo rider): 210 USD/Day
• Tour for a group of 2 riders: 160 USD/Day/Person
• Tour for a group of 3 riders: 150 USD/Day/Person
• Tour for group of 4 – 10 riders: 140 USD/Day/Person

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• We can tailor a tour to your preferences and desired dates. Just share your expectations with us, and we will create your private tour
• The tour price does not include support vehicle, air tickets, or airport pick-up/drop-off… but we can arrange these services for an additional cost if needed
• We do have other bigger bikes for your tours, Please contact us for more details
• The prices listed above are only for the Northern Vietnam motorcycle tours, Other special motorcycle tours on the Ho Chi Minh trail or crossing the border to Laos or Cambodia… will cost more. Please contact us for more details.
• The tour price can be changed depending on the low/high tourist season or other special requests, Please contact us to get the right price for your tour.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

Tour price includes:

• Experienced English-speaking tour guides (+ mechanic)
• Quality Honda XR150L/CRF250L/CRF300L or other bikes with all fuel
• Quality Helmets/Gloves/Knee, elbow pads/Rain jackets/pants
• All meals on tour (All breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with local Vietnamese food)
• All accommodation on tour (twin share room in a hotel or stay at a homestay as mentioned in itinerary)
• Boat rides on lakes or crossing rivers as mentioned in the itinerary
• All entrance fees / Permits
• Hotel pick up/drop off before and after the tour
• Quality video of the trip
• Souvenirs from our team (Café Cup, Cap…)
• Tour price excludes:
• Medical insurance
• Bike damages
• Personal expense
• Drinks/Tips

BOOKING CONDITIONS:

Reservation Process:

Your booking is confirmed upon receipt of the deposit. To secure your reservation, we request a small deposit, typically ranging from 10% to 30% of the total tour cost

Payment Policies:

When you’re ready to book a tour, we will send you a secure payment link, allowing you to pay the required deposit using your credit cards (3,5% will be surcharged for the bank service fee)

The balance will be paid in full at our shop just before starting the tour. You can pay in cash (USD or Euro) or by credit card (3,5% will be surcharged for the bank fee if you pay by credit card)

Cancellation and Refund Policy

• The deposit was not refundable but you can postpone the booking to another time.
• No refunds in case of bad weather conditions and customers’ reasons. Tour may be delayed by adverse weather conditions, but we take no responsibility in case of tour cancellation
• If your bike has a technical brake down, we will replace it with the same type of bike and our guide/mechanic will attempt to fix your bike within a day. For technical reasons, your tour may be shortened, You will get a refund for the day you can’t finish
• If you need to cancel your booking, you have the option to postpone to another time or transfer it to another person. Please note that you will be responsible for any associated administration costs, and it is your responsibility to ensure that your nominee pays the full amount

Age Limitation and License Requirements:

Although we do not have a specific age limit or license requirement, Vietnam Motorbike Tour Expert do require all participants to be in good health, physically fit, and capable of riding a motorbike