Over a decade ago Avana Retreat’s founder discovered a majestic waterfall while trekking in the mountainous region of Mai Chau in Northwestern Vietnam. This encounter was the spark that fuelled the creation of the property. Understanding the importance of being in nature and with a desire to share the rich local heritage with those who ventured into the verdant countryside, the team at Avana, inspired by the owner’s first trip, have crafted trekking experiences that offer the same sense of awe and discovery that he first experienced there. Tucked away in a relatively untouched area of Mai Chau, the roads stop when they reach Avana Retreat. From here mountain paths traversed by the ethnic Hmong people who have made their home in the hills, weave through the landscape and form the core of the ‘Adventure Trek – View from the Top’ experience. This 8.5 hour journey, ideal for more confident trekkers, takes in more than just incomparable views of the undulating mountains, terraced fields, misty valleys and grasslands. There are visits to local villages including that of the ethnic Hmong, indigenous to the region and whose earthen walls in their traditional homes influenced the design of the villas. The local Hmong are also connected to the property. They cultivate the rice fields that give the property its iconic design and local Hmong artisans, among other artists from different ethnic groups, lead cultural classes at the property’s Stilt House Museum. After summiting the peak, climbers make their way downhill to get another taste of local life with stops in ethnic Thai villages, one of the country’s more than 50 recognised ethnic groups that each have their own distinct culture, traditions, and language. There’s also a gourmet picnic lunch included in the package ensuring guests are well-nourished for the full-day trip. More suitable for intermediate hikers is Avana’s ‘Hmong Village Trek.’ The full-day journey includes the rich cultural elements of the Adventure Trek but covers less challenging terrain. The trip starts away from the property in the village of the Muong people, who live in the valley areas of Mai Chau. The walk takes in meadows dotted with Hmong houses, follows winding red dirt roads frequented by buffalo, and native forest. Like the Adventure Trek a picnic lunch, served amid nature is part of the experience. Adventure Trek prices start from VND1,350,000 (approx USD57) for one guest with pricing dropping down for each additional participant. A group of 5-10 guests would be from VND780,000 (approx USD33) per person. The Hmong Village Trek is from VND1,500,000 (approx USD63) for one guest and drops down to rates from VND780,000 (approx USD33) per person when 5-10 people join. Avana Retreat provides local guides with basic English skills for all treks with guides more experienced in speaking English available for an additional fee. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance for each Trek. For more information visit: https://avanaretreat.com/

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Avana Retreat in Vietnam is broadening its sustainability efforts past flora to fauna with the introduction of the Bamboo Forest, a nature sanctuary for animals amid their verdant landscape. The Bamboo Forest features a stone-lined stream, towering bamboo, lush grass, and, most importantly, a broad mix of animals living harmoniously within the space. “The Bamboo Forest is one of the most promising projects to contribute to our vision of sustainability,” said Mr. Vu Huy, founder of Avana Retreat. “Making use of our abundant land, we are encouraging biodiversity, a healthy ecosystem, and positive conservation practices. Avana Retreat worked with a specialist to integrate the current animals, which include deer, goats, rabbits, pigs, chickens, ducks and peacocks. In-house guests are invited to have hands-on experiences so they can learn about animal welfare, and be more aware of the environment, especially wildlife. “We have our own animal ‘whisperer’ on-site,” said Huy. “He’s here first, leaves last, and has already built a strong connection with them – feeding them, communicating with them, learning their names, and showing them how to be around humans.” While the animals are all free to roam and interact with each other during the day they also have their own shelters they can return to in the evening. The Bamboo Forest is one of many long-term eco-projects at the property. The resort has a formidable ongoing tree planting project (10,000 trees and counting), cultural initiatives to maintain ethnic minority traditions, organic farming, neighborhood trash collecting partnerships with youth groups, and a no-plastic policy with water being purified and bottled on site. The Bamboo Forest is open from 9 AM – 11 AM and 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM daily. AVANA RETREAT Nestled in the Mai Chau valley, Hoa Binh, Avana Retreat has a moderate plateau environment and beautifully integrates the cultures and lifestyles of three Northwest ethnic groups—the Thai, the Muong, and the H’mong. Peaceful and tranquil, the retreat resides among the mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and terraced farmland. https://avanaretreat.com

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As eco-initiatives evolve, going plastic-free is the minimum a resort can do to lighten its environmental impact. Avana Retreat, situated amid the mountains of Vietnam’s Mai Chau province, has been making sure its footprint is featherweight since debuting in the pandemic. Through extreme tree planting projects, cultural initiatives to maintain ethnic minority traditions, organic farming, neighbourhood trash collecting partnerships with youth groups, and turning one of its star attractions – terraced rice fields – into a source of income for the community, Avana is working in unison with the environment. As for plastic, you won’t find a bottle or single-use bag in sight. The property even has its own purifying and bottling facility on-site, which uses fresh mountain water and cuts CO2 emissions. Reforestation and building biodiversity “There is a Vietnamese saying ‘Where there is good land, the birds will come and settle’,” said Mr. Vu Huy, founder of Avana Retreat. “We have planted over 10,000 trees in the area since we started developing this land and the bird life, well, we’re seeing more and more return. In fact, the wildlife has flourished.” Avana Retreat has prioritised re-foresting and working with the existing landscape. Raised pathways weave a way to both the spa and waterfall in an attempt to limit existing tree-cutting. The electric buggy and walking paths are purposefully narrow so that the impact on the vegetation is minimised. The terraced rice paddies, within the resort grounds, are also not just for decoration. For generations, the Hmong people have been cultivating the land to grow rice. Avana Retreat’s rice terraces are maintained by local ethnic groups who keep all the rice they harvest at Avana to eat or sell as they wish. This method of rice farming is a long-standing tradition, a cultural practice that has endured over time, and is one of the many aspects of the ethnic groups of the region that Avana Retreat shares with guests. Helping local culture and economic livelihoods flourish The property’s museum, housed in a more than 50-year-old Thai style stilt house, is the hub for cultural activities. Inside guests can learn about the various ethnic groups that live in the area, their traditions, clothes, and customs. Underneath the raised house, there are hands-on opportunities to experience the culture from rattan weaving workshops to Batik art classes, where textiles are created with symbols of significance for the Hmong people. “The traditions and culture of the ethnic minority groups of this area are shared orally,” explained Huy. “We want to play our part in keeping those traditions and stories alive through our museum, experiences, and through classes with local artisans who are just as passionate about what they do as we are.” Avana does more than work with just local artists though. More than 90% of staff are from Thai, Hmong, and Muong villages. Most of the current team lacked education beyond high school and were provided with hospitality training, sustainable development education, and English lessons, as well as given health insurance, professional working conditions, promotion prospects, and additional job training for continual development. The property’s design was created with direct input from local people. Hmong techniques were used to make the earth walls and the Thai people weaved the roofs of the villas, restaurants, and spa, in their traditional style. The artistic traditions of the region are ever present throughout Avana, from the hundreds of individually crafted lanterns lining pathways and within the rooms and public spaces, to the Batik artwork adorning the walls. Going organic inside and out Earlier this year Avana launched their own natural, pesticide-free garden, where they grow a vast selection of herbs and vegetables that appear on guests’ plates. From chayote to coriander many typical Vietnamese flavours can be found in the new vegetable patch. Also on site is a free-range chicken farm where around 300 chickens enjoy a spacious home, while supplying the kitchen with an abundance of eggs. Organic essential oils and natural ingredients are used for the soap, shampoo, and conditioner found in the refillable bottles in-room. At the spa, nature is also tapped for the products used with organic extracts from herbs, flowers, and fruit used in massages and facials, as well as in the candle-making workshop available for guests. “At each stage of developing Avana, we’ve asked ourselves, ‘how can we offer the best to our guests and the community while making sure that we’re doing the best we can for the environment?’,” added Huy. “As we continue to grow in the experiences we offer and the property itself, this idea remains our guiding philosophy.”

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Feast this Easter on the Beach at Koh Samui The idyllic beachfront resort of Banyan Tree Samui is hosting a plethora of Easter dining specials this year, starting with a “Shorts & Barefoot Beach BBQ” at Sands Restaurant from 7pm – 10pm on 5th April. The price of 2,300 THB nett per person includes local draft beers and drinks, plus a fire show. This will be followed on 7th April with a “Good Friday Fish & Seafood Buffet”, also at Sands from 7pm to 10pm, which will be accompanied by live music from the Mango Bongo Band. Price is 3,200 THB nett per person. Finally, an “Easter Sunday BBQ Buffet Dinner” will be the highlight at Sands from 7pm to 10pm on 9th April, featuring live music and a fire show. Price is 2,950 THB nett per person. For all reservations and inquiries, write to: sands-samui@banyantree.com or telephone: +66 077 915 333. High Tea in Krabi Set in a tranquil corner of Tubkaek Beach in Krabi overlooking the limestone cliffs of the Andaman Sea, Banyan Tree Krabi will host a High Tea Buffet this Easter Sunday, April 9, from 1pm – 4pm at The Naga Kitchen restaurant. Costing 750 THB nett per person, the high tea will consist of savoury canapés such as sandwiches, tortilla wraps and quiche lorraine, plus a tantalising selection of sweet pastries including chocolate truffle tarts, cheesecake, macarons, and a special espresso martini affogato. For inquiries and reservations, call +66 75 811 888 or visit: https://www.banyantree.com/thailand/krabi A Mountain Immersion with a Full Board Offer in Mai Chau The mountainside getaway, Avana Retreat, is offering guests 25% of their new full board packages that allow visitors to take in all the highlights of this secluded location. Over Easter and beyond visitors can book a two-night, three-day stay that includes a round-trip limousine transfer, two nights in Bauhinia Mountain Suite, a full breakfast daily, two 3-course lunches, and two 4-course dinners at Green Chili Restaurant; an afternoon snack each day at the Cloud Pool; a trekking and jeep tour; a 60-minute full body massage at Orchid Spa; and a craft & cultural workshop at the Stilt House Museum. Prices start at VND 13,982,000 ++ (approx $600++) per two people, inclusive of the current 25% off promotion. The property is located in Vietnam’s north, an area that has become famous for stunning terraced rice paddies and the rich culture of local ethnic groups. For more information visit: https://page.avanaretreat.com/full-board-packages-details Easter Brunch, Egg Hunts and More in Cambodia At Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh, diners will enjoy an extraordinary brunch featuring lamb roast, a premium seafood bar, and an exquisite chocolate and pastry station in the hotel’s iconic lobby (priced at $75++ per person or $105++ with free flow Champagne). In Siem Reap, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor will celebrate Easter with an elegant Sunday brunch in addition to a complimentary Easter egg hunt for kids on the lush grounds of the hotel (priced at $55++ per person; $65++ with free flow house wine and mimosas; $75++ with free flow Champagne Brut). For more visit https://www.raffles.com/phnom-penh/ or https://www.raffles.com/siem-reap/. Celebrate Easter Sunday in Style in the Vietnamese Capital Sofitel Legend MetropoleHanoi is marking Easter with a host of exclusive meals and family-friendly activities, including an Easter egg hunt in the hotel garden with special prizes. A family brunch will be served in Spices Garden from 11:30am to 2:30pm, while an extravagant Sunday Brunch will be available in the award-winning and recently renovated Le Beaulieu. A chocolate buffet from 3pm to 5:30pm in the bright and airy Le Club Bar will serve up an assortment of delectable bonbons, scones, petits four, cakes and more – as well as a chocolate fountain. For more information or to make a booking, please contact 0243 826 6919 (ext. 8200) or h1555-fb3@sofitel.com. Easter Buffet, Spa Pampering and Activities on Ho Tram Beach Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort will bring family and friends together over a buffet featuring fresh seafood, hand-carved roasted meats, traditional favorites, delectable desserts and more to a backdrop of live music. “Easter Special Buffet” on April 8 from 6.30-9.30pm is priced at VND 999,000++ for kids aged four to 11, and from VND 1,599,000++ per adult. During the buffet, a “Fun Kids Corner” will host easter egg decoration, a kids movie, balloon twisting and other exciting kids activities. From April 7-9, bunny jumping, bunny facial painting, egg decoration and egg hunting will be held at the beach garden and kids club Kidsdom. To mark World Health Day and Easter, from April 3-8 YHI Spa offers a 60-minute body wrap, sugar scrub or sea salt scrub for VND 690,000++ per guest. Visit melia.com, email info@meliahotram.com or call +84 254 378 9000. Getaway Packed with Easter Fun on Cam Ranh Peninsula Alma Resort is offering an Easter package replete with an Easter pastry class for the kids, bonfire with roasted marshmallows, movie nights at Alma Cinema and under the stars, egg hunting, egg painting, card making, face painting and more. Anchored by a minimum one-night stay on April 8 and/or April 9 in a one bedroom suite or pavilion for two adults and two kids under 12, the package includes a daily international breakfast, F&B credit for VND 500,000, kids mini golf, kite competitions on the lawn, giant bubbles, fun with Alma’s mascot teddy and clown, a garden discovery tour, use of the outdoor sports courts, and access to Splash Waterpark with a lazy river, wave pool, kids pool and water slides, as well as the kids club and youth club. The American Lounge & Bar will craft Easter-themed cocktails and the French Bakery will offer treats including chocolate rabbits and hot cross buns. Visit alma-resort.com/rooms/easter-day-fun-package

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While hotels often serve up a unique dining opportunity or two for guests, few can compete with Avana Retreat, a resort in Vietnam that evolved around a once hidden waterfall deep in the mountains of Mai Chau. This month the hillside resort is rolling out a selection of new menus to be enjoyed by this one-of-a-kind waterside perch. The towering limestone cliffs, where the waterfall reaches its peak height, form the backdrop for intimate meals set to the sounds of nature at its most raw. The setting has been left as untouched as possible. A raised walkway weaves through the old growth trees to a wooden platform at the waterfall’s base. Bookable for private dinners and intimate group parties, the deck features a kitchen, where chef and server work in unison to deliver multi-course meals, and an elevated platform area where a small band could share a performance. The whole scene is lit by the warm glow of dozens of handcrafted lanterns that are peppered throughout the space. The experience is private with only one small group, family, friends or couples able to book the waterfall dining experience each evening. Guests have the choice of four five-course menus, two of which have just been launched. The Vietnamese Signature menu is abundant in seafood with dishes such as grilled catfish served with rice noodles and local herbs and Vietnamese spicy & sour seafood soup. A plant-based option has been added with creative fare including a burrata and tomato salad with asparagus saffron dressing and mushroom tortellini with a carrot puree and almond foam. The Chef’s Special and a Sense of Romance, have a European touch with courses like Beef Wellington, a popular British dish, and Lobster Cognac Flambe. Local elements include a Cao Phong Orange Mousse, made from the Cao Phong oranges that are a specialty of the province, and smoked duck breast. As an avid explorer, Avana Retreat’s founder Mr. Vu Huy, was hiking in the region over a decade ago when he had a gut feeling there was a waterfall hidden amid the forest. Locals couldn’t confirm his hunch so he set out to follow the stream and was rewarded for his efforts. The majestic cascade inspired him to develop the property to share his find, but to do so in a way that would protect the surrounding environment while giving travelers a chance to experience the awe he felt. “Our waterfall is the heart of the retreat,” said Mr. Vu Huy. “We also realise that the way to a person’s heart is often through their stomach. We wanted to combine stellar food with an incomparable backdrop to touch their hearts and help our guests create a lifelong memory of their time in Vietnam.” Course menus start at 4,500,000 VND ++ / pax or 9,000,000 VND ++ for two people, exclusive of wine. Reservations are essential with a recommendation to book well in advance as there is only one seating per evening. The waterfall area is also bookable for small group celebrations with the capacity to cater for up to 30 guests. For more information visit: https://avanaretreat.com/cuisine

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Time-honoured techniques and rich visual storytelling form the core of new Batik (traditional painting and dyeing) classes at Avana Retreat, a resort set amid the homelands of the Hmong community. Led by a local Hmong artist, the complimentary and deeper-dive paid options are held at the property’s Stilt House, an on-site museum, to help guests connect with the local customs and traditions. “If the waterfall is our property’s heartbeat and the spa is the soul, then our Stilt House is the spirit,” said Mr. Vu Huy, founder of Avana Retreat. The same visual designer whose work graces the resort’s suites will lead sessions that introduce a beeswax art and indigo dyeing technique that has been used for generations in the surrounding highlands. Complimentary 60-minute sessions are held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with guests learning about the beeswax painting process. Each participant, under the guidance of the teacher, uses beeswax to create their own unique patterns or they can use traditional Hmong designs on a 30 x 30cm cotton cloth. The paid 2-2.5 hour class is a deeper and more hands-on experience that is available by reservation-only. It’s a more comprehensive introduction to the history, the patterns, the tools, and the technique. In addition guests usher their work through each step of the process, from melting the beeswax to creating the patterns on the cloth, to learning how to use the indigo dye and dyeing the fabric themselves. Each participant keeps the 45 x 45cm cloth that is created. “While art is core to any culture among a community without a written language for generations, art becomes so much more,” said Huy. “Stories, dreams, myths, are all expressed through Batik in a way that words cannot capture.” The location of the classes also inspires cultural exploration. The 50-year-old Stilt House, which was standing on the land now occupied by the retreat, was dismantled and rebuilt in a new location on the resort’s grounds. It was then transformed into a museum to introduce the lives, culture and traditions of the local Thai, Muong, and Hmong ethnic groups. Walls and glass cases filled with tools, clothing, art and jewellery, tell the story of the people who live in the region. The Batik session takes place in the airy space beneath the museum. Avana Retreat also offers a tour of a nearby Hmong craft village where guests can watch this intricate art being created with a deeper knowledge of the story behind it. Private workshops cost from USD50 to USD75 per person and are only available to in-house guests. For more information visit: https://avanaretreat.com/

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An untouched waterfall, terraces of rice fields and a jungled mountainside setting form the underpinnings of a spectacular 15-hectare resort in Vietnam’s Mai Chau Province, a 3.5-hour drive from Hanoi. Opened quietly during the pandemic, the 36-villa property features spacious, indigenous design, a spa built on a stream and one of the most majestic dining opportunities to be found in Southeast Asia. “It’s one thing to build a resort near the wonders of nature but to build in the midst of all this natural splendor, with a footprint as light and retractable as we have, makes for an immersive experience that can be overwhelming,” said Mr. Vu Huy, founder of Avana Retreat. With architecture that leverages local Hmong and Thai building techniques and aesthetics, the resort’s 36 villas range in size from 98-square-meters (1,054-square-feet) to 229-square-meters (2,465-square-feet). Some of the villas optimize outdoor opportunities with balconies as large as 35-square-meters (377-square-feet). One villa perches on top of a terrace of rice fields. Three of the villas boast private pools, and the most exclusive villa features an 89-square-meter (958-square-feet) private heated pool that climbs in tiers like a visual echo of the rice terraces. The roofs of the bungalow villas are thatched, like the local stilt houses and the walls are made of earth as is common with Hmong homes. The rattan ceilings are made using a Thai weaving technique. The warm wood interiors feature local arts and crafts, including hand-drawn beeswax paintings of intricate ethnic patterns. The lantern-lined pathways and bridges that wind through the jungle of the property highlight the location, without tampering with it. The private waterfall, which inspired the development when discovered by the founders a decade ago, is the backdrop for private dinners and intimate parties with a terraced deck overlooking the cascade. The resort’s open-air yoga studio pavilion juts over the stream. The property’s eight-treatment-room Orchid Spa is built along the stream, which courses through the site, and immerses guests in nature through both the therapies on offer and the lush landscape that surrounds. Spa treatments look to the landscape with local healing herbs and oils used in therapies that range from facials and body wraps through to comprehensive pampering packages like the Wild Reconnection. This signature 3-3.5 hour transformative experience  includes a body exfoliation using local products, a toning and firming wrap, a relaxing facial, and a signature body massage that uses firm pressure and the stimulation of acupressure points, as well as warm Vietnamese herbal packs. The property features four heated infinity pools with views of the sunset or cloud ceiling. The aptly-called Cloud Pool Bar, is named after this phenomenon, where the fluffy cloud cover settles just below the property for an almost other-worldly view. At this dining destination guests can enjoy a tipple,  light snacks or lunch with a menu featuring local specialities, like a banana flower salad, and western-style fare like pizza, pasta, and sandwiches. Avana’s all-day dining restaurant, Green Chili, offers an impressive selection of dishes from pho and Australian Wagyu Beef to a line-up of vegetarian and vegan options. As much as possible the team uses local herbs, spices and vegetables. They source organic eggs from a chicken farm on property. Leveraging what’s local is a priority across the board. More than 90% of the staff are from the surrounding area. “We want as much of the experience of accommodation here to be as singular to this part of Mai Chau as possible, from the sights you see, to the food you eat, to the people you meet,” said Huy. To stay in harmony with the area, Avana is also a plastic- free retreat. Trash bags are made from corn starch, organic materials are composted, and they have their own Avana bottle plant to produce purified drinking water. They use an electric buggy service, to take guests around the resort, and continue to add to the diversity of the region through their tree-planting program. Room rates start at USD 432. For more information visit https://avanaretreat.com

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