Hoa Binh Lake
Scenic reservoir with boat trips and islands
Boat tours
Explore caves, villages and hidden spots
Ethnic villages
Meet Muong communities and traditions
Quiet destination
Less touristy than nearby Mai Chau
Quick answer: Hoa Binh Lake (the reservoir created by Hoa Binh Dam) is one of northern Vietnam’s major artificial lakes, surrounded by mountains, forested hills, and calm waters. It’s a versatile destination — people come to relax on the water, explore by boat, fish from floating cages, or stay in lakeside homestays and resorts.
At a glance:
- 📍 Location: On the Black River in Hoa Binh Province, stretching through several districts.
- 💧 Size: Very large reservoir — covers hundreds of square kilometres.
- 🛶 Activities: Boat rides, kayaking, fishing from floating cages.
- 🐟 Aquaculture: Thousands of fish cages on the lake support a major local fishing economy.
- 🎢 Tourism: The lake is being developed for sustainable tourism, with homestays and resorts on its shores.
- ⏱️ Water levels: Levels change a lot — in dry season the lake can drop significantly, exposing parts of the shoreline.
Last updated in April 2026
Hoa Binh Lake – a worth visit in the Hoa Binh province.
Hoa Binh Lake is one of the places where you can easily travel from Hanoi (by bus from My Dinh and Yen Nghia bus stations). It is really a good place for example, for a short trip, eco-tourism or to try out a typical village homestay by local ethnic minorities (mainly Thai ethnic residents). This place is mainly visited by Vietnamese and it is only about 70 km from Hanoi. Foreign tourists are also slowly starting to arrive, but we should say, this is not a top visited tourist attraction like Ha Long Bay.
Where to stay in the Hoa Binh province?
If you want to visit and explore Hoa Binh Lake, in my opininon, it is good to stay in Hoa Binh town or in Mai Chau. Hoa Binh Lake is right at the town and Mai Chau is about 20 km from the western part of Hoa Binh Lake. Mai Chau offers almost all services for tourists – homestays, tours, trips…In these places you can rent a motorbike or bicycle and go explore on your own. Now it is very easy to book your accommodation online.
🏡 Accommodation in Hoa Binh or in Mai Chau
Villages of the Thai ethnic residents and authentic homestays.
The whole area around the Hoa Binh Lake is surrounded by small ethnic villages of Thai ethnic residents. These people live here for a long time and some of them offer their still houses like an authentic homestays. So you can stay in some villages, some of them are ready for foreign tourists. Please > respect these people, this is their home, not yours, it is very important to keep these cultures and customs, even though the world and especially Vietnam is rapidly changing. If you stay in these villages, it is a good chance for these people to earn some money.
Boat trips or kayaking – all is possible on the Hoa Binh Lake.
It is also possible to take a boat trip on the Hoa Binh Lake. You can take a boat in the Hoa Binh Port (Bến tầu Du lịch Hồ Hòa Bình). These port is about 2 km from the Hoa Binh dam and hydropower plant. Another port is in Thung Nai (Cảng Thung Nai), about 20 km from the Hoa Binh town. According to the reports by some vietnamese media and Ministry of culture, sports and tourism, we can wait, this area will be upgraded in the near future. So the time to visit this nice area is now. Hoa Binh Lake to become national tourism area by 2020 (more information from media). If you want to skip Hoa Binh Lake and want to travel directly to Mai Chau, read this article: How to get from Hanoi to Mai Chau?
Book your accommodation at the Hoa Binh Lake:
Interesting places + activities – Hoa Binh Lake:
• boat trips, kayaking on the Hoa Binh Lake
• Hoa Binh Dam (you can buy tickets and visit this dam)
• Thai and Muong ethnic villages (homestay possible)
• Thung Nai village + port, Giang Mo village
• traditional ethnic festivals or rituals (ancestor worship)
• Can Cave, Tien Phi Cave, Ret and Hoa Tien caves
• Thac Bo temple, Thac Bo cave
• Mai Chau (20 km from the western part of lake)
📍 Hoa Binh Lake – Map
❓ Frequently Asked Questions – Hoa Binh Lake in Vietnam:
1. Where is Hoa Binh Lake?
-
- Hoa Binh Lake in Hoa Binh province is located about 70 km from Hanoi and about 15 km north of Mai Chau town. Mai Chau is a popular tourist small town, inhabited by thai ethnic minority.
2. How to get to Mai Chau and how to book bus tickets?
3. Is there a train from Hanoi to Hoa Binh town?
-
- No, there is no railway between Hoa Binh town and Hanoi, it is not possible to travel by train.
4. Where to rent a motorbike in Hanoi?
-
- You can travel to Hoa Binh on motorbike if you have your IDP. Search and book motorbike online with Bikesbooking. There are various types of motorbikes and scooters and prices are low.
5. Is there an airport in Hoa Binh town?
-
- No, Hoa Binh town has no airport, it is not possible to travel by plane to and from this town to another cities.
6. Are there some homestays in Mai Chau?
-
- Yes, Mai Chau is an ideal site if you want to try homestay. There are a lot of homestays in Mai Chau and nearby villages. There are also some homestays around the Hoa Binh lake.
7. Where you can take a boat tour to Hoa Binh lake?
-
- If you want to explore Hoa Binh lake on the boat, you can take a boat in Hoa Binh port (Bến Tàu Du Lịch Hồ Hòa Bình). Another port is in Thung Nai (Cảng Thung Nai), Thung Nai is about 20 km from Hoa Binh town.
8. How to travel from Mai Chau to Ninh Binh?
-
- There is no railway from Mai Chau to Ninh Binh, so you have to travel by bus, private car or motorbike. Read this article: How to reach Ninh Binh from Mai Chau?. Travel by bus from Mai Chau to Ninh Binh takes about 4.5 hours.
9. What activities can I do at Hoa Binh Lake?
-
- Hoa Binh Lake offers a range of activities for visitors to enjoy. You can take a boat ride on the lake, go fishing, or engage in water sports such as kayaking and jet skiing. The surrounding area is also ideal for hiking and trekking, allowing you to explore the beautiful landscapes and nearby villages.
10. Are there any cultural attractions near Hoa Binh Lake?
-
- Yes, there are several cultural attractions near Hoa Binh Lake that you can visit. One popular site is the Hoa Binh Hydroelectric Power Plant, where you can learn about the history and significance of the dam. You can also explore nearby ethnic minority villages, such as the Muong and Thai villages, to experience their unique culture and traditions.
BOOK a TOUR / ACTIVITY in Vietnam ➜