Mai Chau district:
From the town of Hoa Binh you have to travel a further 60km to get to Mai Chau district. In the second stage of the journey, you will pass a 15km pass called "Doc Koon" which has very steep slopes on each side. Visitors often stop at the peak of the pass for sightseeing. The beautiful district town of Mai Chau spreads out under the eyes of visitors: The whole district lies in a green valley of paddy fields dotted with rows of houses on stilts.

The stilted houses are very clean. They are made from hard wood and stand about 1.5m above the ground. When visitors arrive, they are invited to clean their feet with water before entering the house. The house roof is often made of palm leaves. The windows are relatively large to allow fresh air to circulate, and are decorated with a few baskets of orchids and cages of birds hanging outside.
A handloom to weave brocades is often seen by a window. This is the workplace of a young girl. A young man wishing to ask for her hands simply looks at the blankest and mattresses full of colourful decorative designs placed on a nearby shelf and would quickly evaluate how diligent and house-proud his future bride will be. On the contrary, a young girl could judge the working ability of her future husband by seeing the number of large fish scales and tails stuck to the wooden pillars. The more trophies on the pillars the more evidence the bride to be has of her husband's ability to work hard.
Welcoming his guests the host will spread a mat with a floral decoration on the floor and invite them to sit on and drink homebrewed ruou can alcohol. Meanwhile his wife makes fire to steam hilly glutinous rice for the guests. There is often a fish tank close to the house, and the host often offers his guests the right to choose whatever fish in the tank they desire for their soup, to be served later at the house.
An overnight stay at one of the stilted houses in Mai Chau will be enlivened by folk dances and songs, accompanied by gong music.

Kim Boi Hot Spring:
A 30-km drive from Hoa Binh town will lead to a rest house named after a Muong hamlet: Kim Boi. The house was built near a large mineral water deposit. Visitors sitting inside the house can hear the water, which is at a constant temperature of 36^oC, spouting out continually. Scientific tests show that the mineral water at Kim Boi is suitable for drinking, bathing and using in treatment of rheumatism, intestinal diseases, stomachache, high blood pressure, as well as a number of other ailments.
The Kim Boi mineral water is bottled for refreshment. It has almost the same composition as certain wellknown foreign brands of mineral water.
The Hoa Binh Hydro-electric Power Plant on the Da River is the largest of its kind in Vietnam. Its construction began in November 1979 with assistance from the fromer Soviet Union. The electric generating section was built inside a mountain. The plant has eight generators with a designed capacity of 240,000 kW each.
The plant's reservoir has become an attractive tourist site along the Da River.

Mai Chau Valley :
Mai Chau is located in Hoa Binh province, approximately 135 km from Hanoi and 60 km from Hoa Binh. From the top of Cun Mountain, one can admire the superb panorama of Mai Chau surrounded by a green valley and stilt houses. Many minorities, including the Thai ethnic group, live in Mai Chau.

Stilt houses border both sides of the roads. The houses are quite large with palm leaf roofs and polished bamboo-slat floors. The kitchen is located in the center of the house; the cooking as well as the making of the colorful tho cam, the material used by Thai minority to make their clothes, takes place in the kitchen. The windows are large and decorated with patterns. Each house also has a pond to breed fish.

The Sunday market brings a lot of people into town. People from different minorities living in the mountains come to Mai Chau market to sell their specific products: honey, bananas, corn, and tho cam made by skilled Thai women. The Sunday market is also an occasion to enjoy traditional Thai dishes and to participate in traditional dances.

Kim Boi Hot Spring :
A 30 km drive from Hoa Binh will lead to a rest house named Kim Boi. The house was built near a large mineral water pool. Visitors sitting inside the house can hear the water, which is at a constant temperature of 36° C, continuously spouting out. Scientific tests have shown that the mineral water at Kim Boi is suitable to drink, bathe, and use in the treatment of rheumatism, intestinal diseases, stomachache, and high-blood pressure.

Kim Boi mineral water is bottled for drinking. It has almost the same composition as certain well-known foreign brands of mineral water.