Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Asialife HCMC

The Mai Chau Valley is best known for cultural
tourism, but with more outdoor activities now on
tap, it could soon become the domain of adventure-seekers.
Words and photos by Dave Lemke.
Located 135km southwest of Hanoi,
the Mai Chau Valley is fast
becoming a favourite weekend
getaway amongst Hanoians.
The quaint villages and sublime
landscapes are immediately
captivating, but scratch beneath
this quaint exterior and you will
discover a hotspot for adventure
activities, including mountain
and valley trekking, kayaking
on the Da River, off-road cycling
and caving.
Most who stay in Mai Chau
choose to make their base at the
homestays at Pom Coong or Lac
villages. There are also many
of backpacker guesthouses, but
for those who wish to relax in a
bit more comfort, the Mai Chau
Lodge offers luxury accommodation,
as well as adventure
tours throughout the area. After
a succession of visits to the area,
I have experienced the many
facets of Mai Chau, the latest
being kayaking on the Son Da
Reservoir.
Kayaking
Kayaking on the Son La, which
happens to be the largest
reservoir in Vietnam, is quite
an experience. It took about 30
minutes to make the 15km trip
from the town centre, and the
going was a little rough in spots
along the newly laid mountain
track. The final kilometre, however,
entailed a pleasant forest
walk through a small village on
a mountain outcrop. Descending
to the water’s edge, we reached
a single homestay by the lake,
a magical spot with numerous
wild-growing fruit trees and a
commanding view of the surrounding
area.
Much like sea kayaking, the
difficulty can range from easy to
hard, so it is up to you to decide
what sort of trip you want. If
you simply paddle out into the
vast expanse of blue, among the
rolling hills and mountains that
ring the lake, you quickly lose
all sense of direction, as worldly
worries drift away. Along the
banks, there are small villages
and fjords to check out. You can
also visit small islands, but this
requires a few hours out on the
water and a lot of paddling.
Caving
On dry land there are a number
of famous caves to investigate,
although getting to most of
them requires a bit of a hike.
However, within Pu Kha Mountain,
Soldier Cave (Mo Luong)
lies right off of the main road
that runs through the town,
conveniently located across the
street from the Mai Chau Lodge.
Soldier Cave has quite a
colourful history; it served as
the storage space for more than
1,000 tonnes of explosives during
the American War. The cave
is made up of four caverns and
requires a minimum of 40 minutes
to get from the entrance
to the subterranean river at the
end. Recently the Mai Chau
Lodge has made the cave more
accessible to visitors by stringing
up lights (which thankfully
adds to the experience as opposed
to making it tacky.)
Do not believe for a second
that it’s an easy trek though—
quite the opposite. We had
to essentially crawl through
some passages, and navigating
the myriad of stalagmites
(some have become flattened
footstools) became an adventure
in itself. Clothes you don't mind
getting very dirty and proper
footwear are a must if you
wish to explore the cave in its
entirety.
Cycling
If you enjoy getting a little muddy,
then Mai Chau is almost
a haven for off-road cycling.
Away from the main thoroughfares,
we cruised through dusty
little villages, cycled between
lush green rice paddy fields,
crisscrossed rickety old suspension
bridges and splashed our
way through some fairly epic
puddles. A short distance away
from Lac village, we even came
across a natural mountain bike
obstacle course, complete with
lips, jumps and small drops.
On the way to Lac, make the
first left before the village starts
proper, then just stay left until
you see the course lying beside
a mountain outcropping on the
right. Just be aware of “uncle,”
a wiry Vietnamese man in his
70s who has tennis balls for
biceps. He owns this part of the
land and loves watching cyclists
perform tricks; it may be a little
difficult to leave once he gets
your attention.
The biking is probably my
favourite activity in Mai Chau.
It allows you to get off the
beaten path and have some truly
authentic moments. Zooming
along dirt tracks, around bends,
over boulders and by ethnic minority
children screaming, “Hello!”
is just wonderful. When the
sun comes out, the colours of the
valley are set ablaze—a veritable
neon pastiche. This, more than
anything, gives Vietnam that
postcard feel.
So although it is the beauty
that entices most people to visit
this part of the country, if you
are looking for a little more excitement
in your life, know that
you have more than your fair
share of choices in Mai Chau.
Information:
Various homestays in the area and tour operators in Hanoi offer
trekking and cycling adventures. To see Soldier Cave and for
kayaking, the Mai Chau Lodge can be contacted in Hanoi at
their office: 9B Hang Muoi, Hoan Kiem District, 04 3926 3125.
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