December is a very good month for trekking in Mai Chau. December falls into early winter in the northern Vietnam. During this period, the temperature is cool, at about 22 degree C day time. The temperature can be lower at night, about 13 degree C. When there is a monsoon, the temperature can go to 10 or even lower. It is chilly cold when the temperature goes under ten since it is quite humid in the northern Vietnam. There is a little rain in December. Following the statistics there are about 5 hour sunshine per day. It is cloudy most of the time.
Mai Chau is located in Hoa Binh province, approximately 135 km from Hanoi and 60 km from Hoa Binh. Mai Chau is the name of a district of Hoa Binh province where are located the two villages Lac and Poom Coong are inhabited by the White Thai people. For most of travelers and tourists travelling to Mai Chau is to coming to Lac and Poom Coong villages.
From Hanoi you can hire a car and travel to Mai Chau. The road transfer takes about 3.5 – 4 hours. Those who are on budget can buy a bus ticket at My Dinh station. There are two daily departures from Dinh bus station. You can also take the Son La and Moc Chau public bus that take you through Mai Chau as well. Renting a motorbike is also a good choice for many active adventure travelers. Please note Vietnamese driving license is required since international driving license is not applicable in Vietnam.
Mai Chau offers a wide selection of trekking tours ranging from easy, short walking day tours to multi-day challenging trekking tours. Most of Mai Chau treks start in either Lac or Poom Coong village. You travel through different Thai hamlets, rice fields, hillsides before taking another hiking trail to get back to Mai Chau again where you will be picked up by your vehicle and transferred back to Hanoi. Those who are more adventurous may prefer more active and longer treks getting off of the car in the national road #6, from there they begin their trek hiking through H’mong and Dzao village until they reach Mai Chau where they are picked up again and transferred to back to Hanoi.
There are also some other extension tours which can be combined with Mai Chau trekking tours including Pu Luong Nature Reserve trekking tours, Tam Coc river boat trips, Tam Coc countryside cycle, Pu Luong Nature Reserve trekking tours, Cuc Phuong National Park trekking, birding tours…These optional tours may be ideal for active, adventure travelers seeking a multi-activity holidays in Vietnam.
If you already plan your Mai Chau trekking tour in December, you have many choices. You can do either day tour or multi-day trekking tour. If you book the day tour, we recommend you combining it with other optional extensions such as Tam Coc sampan cruise tour, countryside cycle, Halong bay tour. Otherwise there are different multi-day trekking tours in Mai Chau which take you through Thai and H’mong villages.
If you travel with your kids to Mai Chau in December we recommend some easy hiking tours. You hike on flat trails without much up and downhill walk. If you kids are under 15, you can choose some half day hike around Mai Chau. It is a bit cool in December but the weather of December is very good for active adventure travel activities. This month falls into the high travel season of inbound tourism, especially on the Christmas Day and the New Year Eve. If you already fix your travel plan, try to book the tour and get it confirmed as soon as possible.
At Lotussia Travel most of Mai Chau trekking tours are provided with English-speaking tour guide, private car with driver, accommodation, food, meals, drinking water and travel permit. For more information either mail to travel at lotussia.com or visit www.lotussiatravel.com