Pu Luong, which spreads over 17,662 ha in Thanh Hoa Province, 160 km south of Hanoi, includes natural forests, falls, caves, and mountains. Dispersed throughout the area are peaceful Thai and Muong ethnic minority villages.
The best time to visit Pu Luong is during harvest season from May to June or September to October, when the terraced rice fields turn from green to yellow.
Lodging services, including resorts, hotels, hostels and homestays, are widely available in Pu Luong, while nature preservation is still maintained.
Here below are some resorts of choice.
Pu Luong Natura
Pu Luong Natura, located in Ban Don (Don Village), Ba Thuoc District, stands out for its three infinity swimming pools, valley view, heart-shaped miniatures, bird's nests, wooden bridge, and water wheels.
If traveling by group, you can rent a stilt house for VND3 - 5 million ($129-216) a night, accommodating 8 to 20 people (the price depends on the number). If traveling as a couple or separately, book a private room for VND800,000 ($34) a night or a more luxurious room with a terraced field view and swimming pool for VND1.3 - 1.8 million for 2-3 people. On weekends the rates may increase.
Ciel De Puluong
Also located in Ban Don, Ciel De Puluong includes Thai stilt houses, villa-style rooms built with natural materials, and luxurious furniture. There is also a restaurant, a coffee shop, and an infinity pool fed with natural spring water from Pu Luong Mountain.
Visitors here can choose a family room for two adults and two children (VND1.9 million a night), a room with a large double bed (VND1.5 million), or a shared stilt house (VND320,000 per person).
Pu Luong Retreat
Pu Luong Retreat is one of the first resorts built here in the nature-blended style. Although located close to Highway 15C, visitors can still enjoy views of the terraced fields and mountains from the balcony or infinity pool.
Currently, there are three types of rooms at Pu Luong Retreat: stilt house, deluxe bungalow, and suite bungalow. The stilt house offers accommodation for 12-19 guests. The price for a spot in the stilt house is VND350,000 a night, a deluxe room VND2.2 - 2.4 million and a suite VND2.6 - 2.8 million.
Puluong Treehouse
Puluong Treehouse is built in the style of an ecological resort, resting in the heart of Ban Don, overlooking the valley, rice fields, and surrounded by the mountains. Customers can choose to stay in a stilt or tree house, bungalows or family rooms. The resort has a swimming pool, a yoga area, cooking classes, and a courtyard with many hammocks and chairs, where customers can chill and read books.
Rooms are priced from VND800,000 to VND2.3 million a night. It is promoting rooms as part of a 3-day, 2-night package until the end of this year for VND1.5 million a person.
Pu Luong Boutique Garden
Guests at Pu Luong Boutique Garden can enjoy meals at the hillside restaurant, take a dip in the natural spring water swimming pool, view the terraced fields and choose a suitable tour to discover the charming regional beauty.
Accommodation here mainly includes stilt houses and a variety of bungalows with views of the palm hill, bamboo hill, and terraces. All bungalows have large balconies, private bathrooms, and luxurious interiors. The price for a dormitory-style stilt house is VND370,000 a night and a bungalow from VND770,000 (rates may increase dramatically on weekends).
Puluong Glamping
Puluong Glamping is located at the end of Ban Don where you can wake up to a view of the valley right by your window. The resort has a unique design, combining stilt houses and tents with colorful interiors that provide a coarse and cozy feeling. Pu Luong Glamping has a lovely open garden and kitchen for guests to make coffee, cook their own meals, organize a picnic or enjoy the dawn view and golden terraced rice fields.
The price for a room in a stilt house is VND350,000 a night. A deluxe room with a large double bed is VND1 million.
Pu Luong Eco Garden
For lower villages such as Ban Hieu (Hieu Village) and Ban Don (Don Village), rice starts ripening in early October. However, in Pu Luong Eco Garden located at a higher location - Ban Bang (Bang Village), the harvest season starts from mid-October.
However, at any given time, tourists can enjoy the surrounding mountain views, the infinity pool, restaurant, bar or join discovery tours.
The price of a room in a stilt house is VND300,000 a person, a deluxe room VND1.6 million for two people, and a family deluxe room VND2.1 million for up to five people. The resort is currently offering many great deals during the last months of the year including on room rates, meals, and two-way shuttle.
Photos by Shutterstock/Ovu0ng, Hoang Tuan Anh
and the resorts
