Mai Chau Village

For me personally, visiting the Mai Chau village and sleeping overnight in a local guesthouse, was by far the highlight of our field trip.  While Hanoi was nice, escaping the loud motorbikes and noisy street sounds the countryside with rolling bright green rice patties, local people and real Vietnamese flavor was unparalleled.

  

Viet Nam Propaganda Posters in Mai Chau

Of course, my interest in the village is linked closely to my thesis – in promoting “pro-poor tourism” in which the local people administer and host visitors.  By doing this, one can ensure that profits from tourism remain in local hands, and that the tourism is friendly, environmentally safe, and peaceful in not disturbing the local way of life.  Mai Chau village is an excellent example of a successful pro-poor tourism project.  We stayed in a local guesthouse, owned and operated by a White Thai Vietnamese family who had been renting the property (in Vietnam, you cannot “own” land – it belongs to the people collectively) for over one-hundred years, the food was all grown and prepared locally on farms in the village, and the souvenirs we purchased were made right there in the village.  We drank local rice wine instead of imported beer, and supported the local arts by attending a dance performance by the village dance group.

Oi and I walking around the rice patties in Mai Chau

Going to bed at 9pm after dinner because there was no light was a reminder to me to be thankful for the things I have, and to never take anything for granted.  Waking up to a gorgeous sunrise peeking over the green lush rice covered mountains was an acknowledgement towards nature and its overwhelming beauty.  And wandering around the village and seeing children running, skipping and squealing barefoot with dogs barking close in tow reminded me that regardless of your political, economic or social background, giggles are just as cute (if not cuter) 10,000 miles away from home as they are back in California.