1. Thung khe pass (also known as Da Trang pass-means white stone): with its height of 1,000m above sea level, the pass is on the way from Hoa Binh city to Mai Chau province. From top of the pass, tourists can panoramic the scenic of the whole valley, and here is one of the most beautiful sightseeing of Hoa Binh. One day here is 4 seasons: spring in early morning, when the sun is just rising up; noon when the sun shining its light and this is the warm time of the day; in the afternoon is autumn, when the air getting cool and pleasant air; and at night the air getting cold, sometime pedestrians can’t see clearly their hands in font. Tourists could also some local snacks which are sell by small vendors selling throughout the pass like bamboo tube rice or boiled sugarcane.
2. Lac village: this 700 years old village is one of the most famous destinations for tourists because of its rustic nature landscape, peacefully, closely and friendly of the local citizens here. The main people here are mainly black- Thai, who live from generation to generation here throughout 700 years old, and still go on. The main occupations of this land are rice cultivation and brocade waving. For those who love peace & quiet, green of forest or rice fields, Lac village is perfectly satisfied.
3. Pom cọong Village: the word Pom Coong means big hills lie on big drum-refers to the fields. This land, like the other Muong or Thai villages, citizens are mainly living nearby the lake or stream; usually behind the house is the mountains or hills, in-front is the vast field.
4. Mo Luong cave: belong to Pu Kha mountain range system, Mo Luong located just 2km away from Lac Village. For those who love exploring and looking for new and strange feeling, here is an ideal tourist destination. Mo Luong cave, also known as Bo Luong cave in white Thai- language, means big water mine. The cave included 4 mains small caves, famous because of its stalactites forming lot of unique shapes; and go deep more than 500m into the mountain, with the width from 1m-30m and height of 10m, the highest place more than 30m.
5. Chieu cave: the word Chieu means afternoon, because in every afternoon, the sun drops its light and shinning the whole cave, creating a beauty scene like in heaven. This nation relic is located on top of Pu Kha limestone mountain range; and to get here tourists have to pass through 1,200 stone steps, with the height more than 700m; inside the cave is wide, divided into 2 separated floors, the passageway is relatively flat and airy, and we could see countless stalactites presented from all sides, left to right, from ceiling arches hanging down. The deeper you go inside, the more you will be surprised because of the monumental that natural has endue for the land.
6. Go Lao waterfall: this waterfall located 15km away from town center, and one of the most beauty scenic in Hoa Binh. Road to this waterfall is quite hard and arduous, but this place will give you a majestic and poetic natural scenery. Tourists have to go through small and winding road, with some small and fast sections. 2 side of the road leading to waterfall is extremely beautiful, peaceful and lively. You could observe the little and beauty houses of Muong’s ethnic people, great scenic of Ba Khan lake and forests of green and straight bamboo tube. The waterfall splits into 3 different streams on step clips, in a primeval jungle; and perfectly fit for people are looking for adventurous journeys.
What to eat in Mai Chau
1. Man pork- the must try cuisine of this land: Man pig is the breed of wild-pig, raised naturally by people here, its meat is black & thick skin, more meat and just little fat, the weight only 10-12kg/pig, but the meat is firmed and more delicious than industrial farming pig; and price is 2-3 times more expensive than domestic pork. Many special dishes are made from this pig: skewered grilled, boiled, or pickled pork. And this dish often eat with Mai Chau sticky rice or bamboo tube rice- another 2 cuisine of the land.
2. Mai Chau sticky rice &bamboo tube rice: the rice is raised direct from the terrace field that Thai’s people grow on the mountainside of this land, and cook typically in Thai’ ethnic way, so tourist can the taste the flavor of this dish differently from any other places.
3. Grilled stream fish: Nature has endowed place with plenty of natural ingredients like mountains, forests, streams, waterfalls, valleys; so foods made from “wild” here have also become special cuisines, and very delicious. Stream fish, a very easy to cook and delicious dish that tourists coming to Mai Chau love a lot. Fishes were caught directly from the streams can be cook into many different ways like: grilled (aka Pa Pinh Top) or fried.
4. Wild bee stir fried with bitterness bamboo-shots: another special and top cuisine for many tourists when visiting Mai Chau; however, this dish is only cooked in end of summer time, at the seasonal of wild-bee. After finding and bringing back, only young bee will be processed into dishes, while the beehives and the old one will be soaked into wine. The bamboo-shots are also one of the specialties of this land and always available in the homes of people here, since they often go into forest for bamboo-shots, pickle or dried them to eat gradually.
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