Activities in Hoa Binh

Hoa Binh's mountainous terrain with lakes, caves and forests is an outdoor lover's dream. Trekking is the most popular activity in Hoa Binh, with guided tours available to take you into tribal villages, along rice fields and up some challenging hills. Mai Chau serves as a base for most of the province's trekking journeys. Among the most popular is an 18-kilometre trek that leads from Lac village in Mai Chau up a mountain pass through White Thai tribal territory to Xa Linh village, where the Hmong people live. The trek is usually done over two days with a one-night's stay at a village. The caves of Hoa Binh are fascinating not only for their stunning geographical features but as historical sites containing many ancient artefacts. Spelunkers and rock-climbers can be amateur archaeologists at the same time, at such sites as Khu Trai mountain cave with thousands of fragments of ancient pottery, rice and stone and a trail that dates back tens of thousands of years. Cho Cave and Muoi Cave also contain ancient relics. The Mai Chau Lodge resort offers half- and full-day kayaking tours of its neighbouring lake, which includes a walk past a waterfall to a Muong style house.