Mai Chau is a seeming easy 150km cruise out of Hanoi. Only a 3-4 hour drive they say! Hmmm well, I'm currently sat in my idyllic stilt house listening to White Thai women sing their folk songs in harmony with the crickets, but it didn’t start out that way. 

Mission to Mai…

Located in Mai Chau District, about 135 km from Hanoi, Mai Chau is a little valley surrounded by green mountains and dotted with lakes, paddy fields, rivers and houses on stilts of the Thai people.

Tourists can take a car following National Highway No6 from Hanoi to Hoa Binh City and then continue going about 60km to the first intersection behind the…

It was an a bit late departure than our schedule from Hanoi, it promised that it would be very hot as of the high and white cloud in the sky. My dearest colleagues and I were excited to start North West inspection, a short biking in Mai Chau and a short trek in Mu Cang Chai and Sapa, well known for its clean air, beautiful scenery and minority people. Leaving the city behind, we travelled along the major highway for about 2 hours, watching the scenery change from busy streets into lush green…

Writing as an expat, we all love the hustle and bustle of Hanoi, but occasionally we yearn for a little bit of peace and quiet. Not to mention this time of year it’s a bit…. bleak, isn’t it? So instead of heading down to the local beer hơi this weekend, why not head somewhere quiet outside the city to see what Vietnam…