TheWaterfall

Vietnam · mai chau

Avana Retreat, Mai Chau Valley, North Vietnam

The waterfall was already here. So were the forest, the rice terraces, and three communities. The Thai, H’mong, and Muong — each with their own unique and yet shared heritage. The founders knew that what they wanted to preserve was here.

BOOK HERE VIA BOOKING.COM

or here directly at AVANA RETREAT

The Building

Avana’s 36 bungalows and villas were built by local craftsmen using traditional techniques — clay walls, thatched roofs, rattan ceilings. The three-tiered swimming pool was designed to mirror the terraced rice fields of the valley, heated year-round, with a panoramic view of the mountains and the Pung Waterfall that cascades through the centre of the property. At the heart of the estate: Pung Waterfall.

The Stay

Villas are spacious, thoughtfully designed, and genuinely connected to the landscape. The activities programme is extraordinary: candle crafting in the herbal room, Vietnamese lessons at the H’mong Cottage, batik painting, yoga over the stream, and a beautifully curated program for the little ones as well . The Cloud Pool Bar serves afternoon snacks and sundowners with valley views. The Stilt House Museum offers a thirty-minute tour of Thai, H’mong, and Muong culture — led by staff from the communities.

The particulars

Complimentary activities — herbal candle making, H’mong batik painting, yoga, breath work, outdoor cinema, sweet potato roasting in winter. Among many other activities for guests of all ages.

Stilt House Museum — 30-minute guided tour of the three local ethnic communities.

Three-tiered heated pool — open year-round, panoramic rice field views, Cloud Pool Bar alongside.

Best season — November to April for dry weather; May to October for emerald green rice terraces.

Who it’s for

For travellers who believe that how a place is built matters as much as how it looks. For those who find resort activities meaningless unless they connect to somewhere real. Not for anyone who needs a beach or a city within reach.

Photography courtesy of Avana Retreat

BOOK HERE VIA BOOKING.COM

or here directly at AVANA RETREAT