4/29/13 -- Idyllic Vietnamese Mountain Countryside

Mai Chau - A village of bamboo huts amongst
the ride paddies.

Today's ride brings me to the stunning village of Mai Chau. I won't pretend that the last three days haven't had their ups and downs, but this destination has made it all worth while. While certainly touristy, this small village managed to bring together all of the charm and beauty of the Vietnamese countryside, and make it accessible to guests. I've been staying in semi-OK hotels for the last couple of nights, but have not-so-secretly been wanting to stay in one of the many raised bamboo huts you see scattered throughout the countryside. Mai Chau is where this happens! The main town is much like any other mountain village, but the secret is the "Lake City" - a village of huts on a small island surrounded by hundreds of acres of vibrant green rice paddies, and a steep ring of mountains beyond that. Idyllic does not even begin to do it justice!

 Mai Chau from above

I quickly found myself drawn to the western edge of the island, following the quickly setting
sun. The late-spring evening rays illuminated the rice paddies with a brilliant hue of sapphire, and turned the wooden huts into golden temples. Asking around, I found that most of these primo-location rentals were already booked to the max, and those that were left were expensive (300k D), and crowded. I continued to wander until I ended back up and the entrance, where I asked an Aussie couple what their experience was. They mentioned 150k D as a pretty standard rate. Just then I was approached by a small man on a Honda Win. His grin was infectious as he beckoned me to his own family's home - 80K D was all he requested, and the room has it's own window with a blessed breeze coming in off the paddies. Good things come to those who wait! Dinner with the family is to come later this evening. 

Yesterday's ride from Than Uyen to Son La was rural, high altitude, and at times terrifying. It's hard to know what to expect when referencing Google Maps in this part of the world. There's little differentiation between a densely populated strip of road, and and area with absolutely NO services for miles. This particular stretch of highway certainly leaned towards the latter. Starting the morning out with a curious bent, I decided to deviate from the marked trail a bit.  (No more time to write…. :-(   )

Update: Made it safely back to Hanoi on the evening of 4/30/13. What a great loop of the mountains!