Visiting Pu Luong: An Useful Guideline

Pho Doan Market held on Sundays

Participating in the Pho Doan market, held on Thursday and Sunday mornings, and discovering exotic products grown in the region. There are not too many tourists. Don’t miss it if you are in the area on a Thursday or Sunday!

What to do in Pulong Reserve

Meeting Thai ethnic minorities

Pu Luong is populated by the Thai ethnic group who live in stilt houses with thatched or palm roofs. The daily life of the Thai is out of modern time for the most part. Meeting these people is a beautiful experience!

Thai hospitality is real, and sharing a meal with the Thai also means preparing the meal with them!

As for hiking, which is the only activity to practice, you will do it in the company of the host who knows the places better than anyone! You will discover very pretty villages, isolated in the middle of rice fields: Ban Hang, Ban Kho Muong, Ban Cao Hoong, Ban Eo Ken, Ban Uoi, Ban Chieng Lau…

In the village of Hieu, you will discover what waterwheels are. A system that collects water, pours it into buckets and pipes, and redistributes it in the rice fields.

Immerse yourself in nature

The mountains of Pu Luong are covered with humid tropical forests, while the valley is a series of cultivated terraced rice fields.

Take a walk along the valley floor or foothills to get closer to the flora and fauna of the region. Listen to the sounds of hydraulic wheels and the forest, meet residents busy with their daily tasks in the rice fields, and take photos of the greenery and fauna. Or simply stay at your hotel and enjoy fresh air.

Hiking to the Summit of Mount Pu Luong

In the language of the Thai ethnic group, Pu Luong means the highest mountain in the region. If you are an avid hiker, conquering the summit of Pu Luong at an altitude of 1700m is an unforgettable experience. It takes 5-6 hours of walking to climb it and enjoy a splendid view of the entire valley.

Swimming at Hieu waterfall

A short hike through the rice fields leads you to Hieu Waterfall. The waterfall, nestled in lush tropical vegetation, forms beautiful pools of clear water suitable for swimming.

Kayaking on the river

For adventure enthusiasts, kayaking on the Pu Luong River is a very interesting option, especially during the rainy season. Paddle through a breathtaking river landscape, passing traditional stilt houses, impressive waterwheels, and farmland.

Discovering the local market of Pho Doan

The Pho Doan market takes place every Thursday and Sunday morning. Kinh, Thai, and Muong ethnic groups gather there to sell their products, including peasant agriculture and handicrafts. There aren’t too many tourists here. Don’t miss it if you are in the area on a Thursday or Sunday!

Staying with the locals

Homestay is currently a popular formula in Pu Luong, and it has proven successful in other regions. With the help of the state, the Thai people undertake housing development work that provides a minimalist level of comfort but offers nature-loving and peaceful tourists adequate food and sleeping arrangements. The income they receive directly, without intermediaries, thus significantly improves their living conditions

When to visit Pu Luong nature reserve

In Pu Luong, there are 2 rice harvests per year

• Rice planted from late February to early March
• Green rice fields in April until the end of June
• June is the date of the first harvest and also the time for the second rice planting.
• Green rice fields in September and harvest in October.

How many days are suggested to visit the Pu Luong nature reserve?

Considering the distance of 180 km from Hanoi and the driving time, a minimum stay of 2 days/1 night is suggested for a perfect discovery of the Pu Luong nature reserve.

It is possible to combine it with Mai Chau, the terrestrial Ha Long Bay, and an extension to the maritime Ha Long Bay with a cruise.

2 days/1 night minimum to visit the Pu Luong nature reserve

A possible extension of 3 or 4 days in Pu Luong

Day 1: Hanoi – Pu Luong – 180km

• Private car departure from Hanoi to Pu Luong. 180 km – 5 hours drive.
• Meeting these populations is a beautiful experience to live!
• As for the hikes, which are the only activity to practice, you will do them with the host who knows the place better than anyone! You will discover very pretty villages isolated in the middle of rice fields: Ban Hang, Ban Kho Muong, Ban Cao Hoong. If you are a great hiker, Mount Pu Luong is at 1700m, and it takes 5 hours to climb and enjoy a splendid view of the entire valley.
• In the village of Hieu, you discover what norias are. A system that collects water, pours it into buckets and pipes, and redistributes it to the rice fields.

Day 2: Discovery of Pu Luong then return to Hanoi

• Hiking in Pu Luong and meeting these populations is a beautiful experience! Return to Hanoi. End of the stay.

Puluong Reserve combined with Mai Chau 3 days/2 nights

Day 1: Hanoi – Mai Chau

• Early departure for Mai Chau via Duong Lam. The village of Mong Phu or Duong Lam with its authentic character offers red laterite and rammed earth houses. The village gate, the communal well, the temple courtyard, reflect a peaceful and authentic life. The change of scenery is total.
• Short bike ride in the small alleys to meet and communicate with the villagers.
• Mai Chau is an authentic village, the birthplace of Thai minorities, with stilt houses in the heart of beautiful rice fields surrounded by mountains. Many meetings with the villagers busy with their daily activities. Thai women weave and dye fabrics themselves. They will offer you traditional style costumes they make as well as the embroidery that adorns them.
• We suggest you experience spending a night in a Thai stilt house with thatched roof in the heart of a splendid rice valley.
• The kindness of the Thai people will also give you the opportunity, if you wish, to participate in preparing dinner with the host family.
• In the evening: traditional Thai dance show and tasting of Ruou Can alcohol – a local alcohol made from rice.

Day 2: Mai Chau – Pu Luong

• Meeting these communities is a beautiful experience to live! The hospitality of the Thai people is genuine, and sharing a meal with them also means preparing the meal with them!
• As for the hikes, which are the only activity to practice, you will do them in the company of the host who knows the places better than anyone! You will discover very pretty villages isolated in the middle of rice fields: Ban Hang, Ban Kho Muong, Ban Cao Hoong. If you are a great hiker, Mount Pu Luong is at 1700m, and it takes 5 hours of walking to climb it and enjoy a splendid view of the entire valley.
• In the village of Hieu, you will discover what the norias are. This system collects water, pours it into buckets and pipes, and redistributes it in the rice fields.

Day 3: Discovery of Pu Luong and return to Hanoi

• Hiking in Pu Luong and meeting these communities is a beautiful experience to live! Return to Hanoi. End of the trip.

Where to stay in Pu Luong

Pu Luong Natura

Located in the most pristine reserve in the North, with a unique impression in every architecture, Pu Luong Natura is an ideal resort for a return to nature. Located in Ban Don, Ba Thuoc district, Thanh Hoa province, the complex has an area of over 1800m2, the most unique pool in Vietnam, and bungalows right next to the edge of terraced fields. Visitors will be immersed in the setting of the island, rustic but pure nature, close yet.

Pu Luong Retreat

Located in the Pu Luong region, this hotel offers a charming and serene setting for travelers seeking authenticity and tranquility. From the rooms, a magnificent panorama of rice fields and mountains unfolds before your eyes.