Self-Drive Phu Tho: Hung Temple, Tam Dao and Mai Chau in 2–3 Days

The new Phu Tho province, formed on 1 July 2025 from Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc and Hoa Binh, lets one self-drive trip link three very different places: the Hung Kings Temple complex, the hill station of Tam Dao and the Mai Chau valley. This is a day-by-day plan for anyone renting a self-drive car from Hanoi or Viet Tri: what order to go in, how far each leg is, which stretches need care, and how to prepare for a visit to the Hung Temple.

Updated 21 October 2026. Written by the Car Rental Vietnam operations team from day-to-day dispatch experience and checked against current regulations. Traffic rules can change; check again before you travel.

Three places, three directions

The Hung Temple lies north of Viet Tri, Tam Dao to the north-east and Mai Chau to the south-west. They are not on one line, so the order decides the total distance.

Distances are for the usual roads and may differ by map app. With two days, drop one of the three; with three days, see all.

Day 1: Hung Temple in the morning, Tam Dao in the afternoon

Collect the car early and take the expressway to Viet Tri. Visit the Hung Temple complex in the cool of the morning. From the gate, stone steps climb Nghia Linh mountain past the Lower, Middle and Upper temples; older visitors should go slowly, and there are places to rest.

Dress modestly, keep your voice down and offer incense only where indicated. Buy offerings at the official service area. This is a place of worship, so respect comes before photographs.

Lunch in Viet Tri, then drive via Vinh Yen and climb to Tam Dao in the early afternoon so the mountain road is driven in daylight. Stay overnight in Tam Dao town, which is cool in the evening even in summer.

Day 2: down from Tam Dao, on to Mai Chau

Walk the town in the morning, see the stone church, and go up to the TV tower if the road is open. Leave before 10:00 to avoid weekend traffic coming up.

Tam Dao to Mai Chau is the longest leg. Go around Hanoi or by the western ring roads to Hoa Binh, then climb the Thung Khe pass. Lunch near Hoa Binh. Expect to reach Mai Chau in the late afternoon and check into a homestay in Lac or Pom Coong village.

Thung Khe is often misty early and late in the day in winter. If you are not used to mountain driving, leave earlier so you are over the pass before dark.

Day 3: Mai Chau and the drive back

Cycle or walk the rice fields and villages in the morning. Leave the car at the homestay's parking rather than driving into narrow village lanes. After lunch, drive about 138 km back to Hanoi, allowing time for the pass and city traffic.

If you only have two days

• Temple and hills: day 1 Hung Temple then up to Tam Dao; day 2 down the mountain and back to Hanoi by midday.
• Mountains and villages: day 1 Hanoi to Mai Chau, overnight in a village; day 2 back via Hoa Binh, with the reservoir if time allows.

The Hung Kings festival in 2027

The Hung Kings Commemoration falls on the 10th day of the third lunar month; in 2027 that is Friday 16 April. Around the festival the temple is very crowded, traffic is diverted, private cars park far out and visitors walk or take shuttles.

• Leave very early and follow traffic marshals.
• Do not stop or park along the approach roads.
• Bring water, an umbrella and walking shoes.
• Large groups may prefer a car with driver so nobody has to find parking.

Driving the passes

Tam Dao and the Thung Khe pass are the two stretches new self-drivers worry about most. Simple rules keep it safe:

• Low gear downhill: in an automatic, use L or manual mode so engine braking helps; avoid riding the brakes until they overheat.
• Slow in, accelerate out: brake before the bend, not in the middle of it.
• No overtaking on blind bends: trucks and coaches use these roads; pass only on clear straights.
• Lights in fog: dipped beams and fog lights if fitted; no high beams with oncoming traffic.
• Stop only where it is safe: never park on a bend for a photo.

If nobody in the group is used to mountain roads, consider a driver for the passes, or for the whole trip.

Where to stay and eat

Viet Tri: city hotels, handy for an early visit to the Hung Temple. Try banh tai, sour pork and ca thinh fish.

Tam Dao: many small hotels in town; summer weekends fill fast. Hill chicken, stir-fried chayote, stream fish. Parking is tight, so ask whether the hotel has its own.

Mai Chau: stilt-house homestays in Lac and Pom Coong, with shared or private rooms. Bamboo-tube rice, hill chicken, grilled stream fish. Homestays usually have parking at the village entrance.

Hoa Binh: if Tam Dao to Mai Chau feels too long, stay a night in Hoa Binh city and split the leg.

When to go

For families visiting the temple

Many families from Hanoi and nearby provinces visit the Hung Temple early in the year to offer incense. For a day trip:

1. Leave Hanoi around 06:00 to arrive before 08:00.
2. Park in the designated car park and photograph its location.
3. Older relatives can use the site's electric shuttle if one is running; ask at the gate.
4. Climb to the Upper Temple before the sun is high, then come down to the Well Temple.
5. Head back to Hanoi before the afternoon rush.

Outside the festival, a morning is enough, and the afternoon is free for Tam Dao or the drive home.

Collecting and returning the car

Most people collect in Hanoi. To collect in Viet Tri or return elsewhere, agree it before booking; any one-way delivery charge is shown in the quote. Return with the same fuel level you received, and give the car a basic clean if village roads were muddy. Check for wallets, phones and chargers before you hand it back.

Driving a VinFast EV around Phu Tho

Hanoi – Hung Temple – Tam Dao is within one charge for many EV models, while Tam Dao to Mai Chau is longer and hillier. With an EV, plan charging in Viet Tri, Vinh Yen or Hoa Binh, check stations in the app before you go, and ask your Mai Chau homestay whether it has a suitable socket. Climbing uses more energy, but regenerative braking recovers some on the way down.

Before you drive

The driver needs a licence valid for the vehicle class under Vietnamese law. Foreign visitors should check whether their licence is recognised in Vietnam before booking; rules can change. At pick-up, photograph all four sides of the car and check tyres, brakes and fuel level.

• 4–5 seat car: 2–4 people, about 3 suitcases.
• 7-seat car: families, about 4 suitcases, higher ground clearance is more comfortable on passes.

Self-drive prices do not include fuel; every quote gets 10% off and an 8% VAT invoice is available. The fleet runs model years 2022–2025 with VinFast EVs; if you choose an EV, check charging points in Tam Dao and Mai Chau first. See self-drive car rental in Phu Tho. If you would rather not drive the passes, book a car with driver from Hanoi to Mai Chau or up to Tam Dao.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do I need?

Three days for all three; with two, pair the Hung Temple with Tam Dao, or do Mai Chau alone.

When is the Hung Kings festival in 2027?

Friday 16 April 2027 (10th day of the third lunar month). Traffic is diverted around the date, so go early.

Is the Tam Dao road difficult?

It is a winding mountain road; drive in daylight and use a low gear downhill.

Does the self-drive price include fuel?

No. Self-drive prices exclude fuel; every quote gets 10% off.

Can I rent an electric car?

Yes, VinFast EVs; check charging on your route before you go.

Can foreigners self-drive?

You need a licence recognised in Vietnam; check before booking as rules can change.

Should I split the Tam Dao – Mai Chau leg?

If you are not used to long drives, yes: stay a night in Hoa Binh.

If you are planning a nearby route, Self-Drive Car Rental in Hung Yen: Pickup and Return has more details to help you prepare.

Related details are covered in Visiting temples on Tết 2027 New Year's Eve and Day by private car in Ho Chi Minh City.