Mai Chau is a rural district of Hoa Binh province in the northwestern region of Vietnam. The district is located at about 160 km from Ha Noi. The scenery of Mai Chau attracts many tourists. The Mai Chau area is well known for its stilt houses, also called Thai stilt houses, and are made of bamboo and timber. These houses are elevated 10–12 feet off the ground in order to avoid water damage and shelter animals.