Mai Chau Lodge

A community-minded gem set among rice fields, misty mountains and fascinating hill tribe people

Most visitors to Hanoi spend a day or two dodging the motorbikes and commercial mayhem in the city’s old quarter before heading out on one of two sidetrips - east to Halong Bay or west to Sapa. But thanks to the Mai Chau Lodge, located just a 4-hour drive south of the city, visitors now have an equally memorable, less-touristy option.

The lodge lies like a raft of civility in a sea of rice paddies on a mountain-hemmed valley floor. Immaculately maintained, it has 24 rooms and all modern conveniences - including a lovely pool, air con and flat-screen TVs. Yet a 5-minute walk down the rural road next to the lodge brings you to a White Thai village. Here, people live in stilt houses, graze their water buffaloes in the rice fields, and weave beautiful fabrics on simple looms. Near-nightly cultural dances, well-designed tours led by charming and informative guides, and plentiful offerings at mealtimes round out the offerings at this unique lodge, which brings you up-close with some of Vietnam’s earliest and most colourful inhabitants.

Highs

• Location, location. As you descend the steep mountain slopes to the valley floor, you feel like you’re truly arriving at a secret haven
• Appealing choice of rustic hut lily-pond rooms, or more posh and traditional rooms in the main house
• The idyllic pool, capacious hot tub and sauna helps you chill out after a day touring the countryside
• Sunset walks in the surrounding rice fields can’t be beat
• Sustainable tourism principles very evident (100% of staff are local; profound respect for and promotion of local culture)

Lows

• The secluded nature of the property means no pubs, restaurants or karaoke bars nearby. Of course, that’s not necessarily a low
• Dividing walls in the huts are super-thin so be prepared to really get to know your neighbours
• An overall lack of proficiency with English can make some transactions with the staff tricky, but always full of smiles
• The transfer from Hanoi is on a group shuttle bus that leaves at 8am sharp - you're out of luck if your plane gets in any later. It's also a bumpy, loud, jerky ride and the landscape doesn’t get really pretty until you’re about an hour from the hotel.
• Some mixed reports about the food, but we found it excellent