Witness the lush green hills and stunning mountains at Northwestern Vietnam: Hoa Binh. The meaning of the city’s name is ‘peace’ and this place will be a relaxing escape from the bustling capital city. Hoa Binh is home to a lot of hill-tribes such as the H’mong, Thai and Zao. The areas where they live is a great way to experience hiking or trekking activities. The town is also good as a rest place if you are on the way to Mai Chau.
Points of interest:
If you depart from Hanoi, Hoa Binh is approximately 70 km away from the capital city. There are not that many transportation options as the destination can only be reached by land.
It takes about two hours traveling by bus and is the easiest way getting to Hoa Binh. The price for a one-way ticket is around $5. Gia Lam Station, Luong Yen Station and My Dinh Station are the places where busses depart anytime. Make sure to buy tickets inside at the counter instead of outside as they might charge higher.
For saving time and going straight to your place of stay, $25 is the cost for a taxi drive. This is considered the most expensive way.
Real adventurers who enjoy an exciting ride can travel by motorbike. You can rent a motorbike at some travel companies inside the Hanoi Old Quarter. The renting price is about $10 per day, with a deposit up to $500. Traveling along the National Highway No.6 is the route that gets you to Hoa Binh.
An attractive feature of Hoa Binh is also its diverse and unique cuisine. All of the dining can be done at local houses or in small restaurants. There are a few places serving Western food, but many foreign travelers enjoy the minority specialties more. The most popular dish is rice cooked in a bamboo served together with grilled meat. Seafood such as crab, fish and prawns are also a favorite. Try the local rice wine which is drank from pipes placed into a shared pot.
In the village markets you can find many textiles, crafts and traditional arts. Explore the Sunday market in Mai Chau, where tribes come together selling their ‘Tho Cam’ embroidery. Besides, the arts and crafts consists of ‘Go Lua’ figures, hand-made bamboo baskets or hats and brocade fabrics made into a mixture of materials.
Every once in a while, there are dance and music performances by the ethnic minorities in the evening. However, the locals prefer to go for an early rest in the night hours. You can still enjoy the nightlife’s peacefulness or admire the stars.
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