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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A mountainside retreat that’s won renown for its natural splendor, a picturesque cascade at the heart of the property and its embrace of local traditions, is rolling out  a new two-night stay package that takes in highlights both in and out of the property. Avana Retreat’s new ‘Avana Immersion’ package was designed to take the fuss out of pre-trip planning and celebrate Mai Chau’s stunning natural landscapes and the rich culture of local ethnic groups. From local craft workshops and nature treks to exploration in a classic open-top military-style jeep, Avana has positioned itself at the helm of an unforgettable guest experience. The package includes: Round-trip limousine shuttle bus transfer (a private car is available at additional cost) Two nights in Bauhinia Mountain Suite, with interiors inspired by local design Full breakfast daily, two 3-course lunches, and two 4-course dinners at Green Chili Afternoon snack at Cloud Pool, a tiered pool with a shape that mimics tiered rice fields A three-hour guided nature trek A jeep tour of the local villages A 60-minute body massage at Orchid Spa set by a jungle cascade A craft and cultural workshop led by a local artisan A tour of the on-site museum, housed in a 50-year-old Thai style stilt house Daily yoga classes in the H’mong Cottage, overlooking rolling hills dressed in tiered rice paddies, bamboo groves and lush forest. At the Green Chili restaurant, perched beside a koi pond at the base of the rice fields, the culinary team infuses its dishes with local herbs, spices and vegetables, many of which come from their own organic garden. Guests can further customize their dining plan, choosing to upgrade the four-course dining experience to Private Dining at the Waterfall or Private Dining at the Hidden Spring Lagoon. Avana Immersion is available for bookings year-round. Depending on the time of week, visitors can take part in several complimentary activities most evenings, including movies under the stars at the outdoor cinema (Sunday to Friday), a traditional Thai dance performance ( Saturday), and sweet potato and corn roasting by the fire at the Stilt House Museum (Friday). The Stilt House, thought of as the soul of Avana, was transformed into a museum so visitors could learn about the lives, culture and traditions of the local Thai, Muong, and Hmong ethnic groups, through exploration of the displays and listening to the stories behind them, as well as with hands-on activities with local artisans who still ply traditional trades, such as rattan weaving. Another highlight of the offering is the spa. Designed to give guests a sense of peace and immersion in the natural world, the Orchid Spa weaves its way around the beginnings of the retreat’s landmark cascade, which acts as the soundtrack for spa therapies. Package guests can choose from a Deep Tissue Release, Vietnamese Energy Healing or Thai Stress Relieving massage as part of their stay. The 36-villa retreat is spread over 15 hectares of land that includes picturesque terraced fields and verdant mountainside, much of which was planted by the Avana team. Though the Avana Immersion package is available indefinitely, the resort is offering an introductory offer of 25% off all packages until December 22, 2023. Prices are based on a minimum of two people sharing with rates beginning at USD 625 per person for two nights. A two day one night package is also available from USD 256 per person. For more information visit: https://page.avanaretreat.com/full-board-packages-promotion

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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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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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