About 160 km from Hanoi, Pu Luong Nature Reserve is home to the Thai and Muong ethnic groups. Nestled in the heart of Thanh Hoa Province, this is a breathtaking destination that offers visitors a perfect blend of majestic mountains, lush green valleys, and rich cultural heritage. If you are looking for an off-the-beaten-path adventure in Vietnam, Pu Luong is the ideal place to immerse yourself in nature and experience authentic local life.
Move
This is a nature reserve located in Ba Thuoc and Quan Hoa districts, Thanh Hoa province. Pu Luong is about 4 hours away from Hanoi by road. The north and northeast of Pu Luong borders Mai Chau, Tan Lac and Lac Son districts of Hoa Binh province. Visitors can get to Pu Luong by motorbike, self-driving car or bus.
From Hanoi, follow Highway 6 through Mai Chau, Hoa Binh, then Highway 15C to Co Luong, Dong Dien to reach Pu Luong or follow Ho Chi Minh trail, through Cuc Phuong, then Cam Thuy, then follow the direction of Na Meo international border gate. If from Thanh Hoa city, visitors also take the Ho Chi Minh trail.
Currently, many accommodations sell combos including round-trip transportation from Hanoi to Pu Luong and accommodations starting at VND800,000 per person per night. In addition, guests traveling in groups can rent a private car or take a passenger car for VND300,000 per person for a round-trip ticket, or a higher-quality car costs about VND500,000.
When coming to Pu Luong, tourists can visit the attractions and villages by motorbike, bicycle or trekking. Many accommodations provide these services with guides.
Accommodation
Currently, homestays, motels, and resorts in Pu Luong are increasing in number, but still ensuring the natural landscape and environment of the nature reserve and developing eco-tourism. For those who love nature and want to learn about local culture, visitors can choose to stay at local houses, homestays on stilts in Kho Muong, Kit, Hieu villages... with prices starting from 100,000 VND per night.
In addition, tourists who like luxury resorts also have many options to stay at resorts such as Pu Luong Retreat, Pu Luong Eco Garden, Pu Luong Natura, Ciel del Puluong, Pu Luong Tree House, Pu Luong Hillside Lodge... with prices ranging from 300,000 to over 1,000,000 VND per night. These places have spacious rooms, infinity pools, lovely landscapes, super beautiful rice field views... Due to being associated with eco-tourism, resorts usually do not have TVs, air conditioners... however, the rooms are always clean, airy, and fully equipped with basic amenities.
A suite with a view of the forest and terraced fields
Where to play
Located on the road from Mai Chau to Pu Luong, Son Ba Muoi is a highland village in Lung Cao commune, Ba Thuoc district, with a temperate climate and temperatures of 18 - 22 degrees Celsius. This place is quite isolated from the outside world, so it still preserves many customs of the ancient Thai people, traditional stilt houses with many characteristics of the local people. Overcoming high and winding slopes, visitors stopping at Son Ba Muoi will enjoy a peaceful life amidst majestic natural scenery.
Going deeper into the core area of Pu Luong Nature Reserve , Hieu village is famous for Hieu waterfall with clear and strong water flowing in many layers, attracting tourists to cool off. At the foot of the waterfall are natural "bathing pools" with clear water, cool in summer and warm in winter. Besides bathing in the waterfall, you should also visit the palm hills, terraced fields, and primeval forests.
About 11km from Hieu Waterfall is the Tom Village or Cham Stream area , where there are giant water wheels and the experience of floating on the river on a bamboo raft. The rafting tour lasts 1 hour, each raft can carry 8-14 people, the price is 50,000 VND per person.
In addition, visitors should not forget to experience hiking through terraced fields, cycling, bamboo rafting on the river... or simply relax, read a book and breathe the fresh air.
Tourists explore Pu Luong terraced fields
Pu Luong Peak is about 1,700 m high, one of the peaks that trekkers love to conquer because the road up the mountain is quite steep with many dangerous and winding sections. It takes about 6 hours in good weather conditions to climb to the top of Pu Luong . Standing on the top of Pu Luong, you can fully admire the poetic scenery of the mountains, forests, fields, and valleys at the foot of the mountain.
Visitors can set up camp on the top to eat and rest overnight or bring lunch and return to Don village in the afternoon to rest for the night. When climbing, you should wear long clothes, hats, climbing shoes, mosquito repellent, leeches, drinking water, food to stave off hunger... If you do not have much experience climbing, resorts also offer private tours for the day or 2 days 1 night.
Ban Don is a place where many Thai people live. In the past 2-3 years, domestic and foreign tourists have come to Ban Don more and more. The village has a peaceful space, pristine natural landscape with many attractive specialties such as: wild bamboo shoots, duck, wild boar, hill chicken, squash, chayote shoots...
Kho Muong village and Bat cave are the most attractive places in Pu Luong that tourists should not miss. Although the road to Kho Muong is difficult to travel because of the winding slopes on the cliffs and deep abysses, when arriving, everyone will be amazed by the hidden beauty of this place. Just looking from afar, you can see the stilt houses, rice fields, corn fields stretching far and wide, along with the undulating mountain ranges surrounding the village.
Walking from the beginning of the village through the large rice fields to the end of the trail is the direction to Bat Cave or Kho Muong Cave. Limestone stalactites formed about 250 million years ago created this cave. This is also the home of many species of bats. The deeper you go into the cave, the more you will see a large space covered by strangely shaped stalactites.
Pho Doan Market takes place every Thursday and Sunday. Coming here, you will not only experience the highland market but also shop for souvenirs, local products and eat specialties. The special thing is that the market still operates by exchanging goods at equal value, rarely seeing bargaining or bargaining.
Eat and drink
Pu Luong's specialty is Co Lung duck. The duck meat is lean, firm and fragrant, grilled over charcoal, priced at 450,000 VND per duck, enough for 3-4 people. In addition, you can order dishes from the homestay owner such as rock snails, hill chicken, grilled stream duck, roasted wild boar, sour bamboo shoots, bitter bamboo shoots, wild spinach soup, bamboo rice, banana flower salad...
