A herbal bath in the tribal hills of Vietnam

Located in Northwest Vietnam, Sapa, is known for its picturesque landscape. The place also offers therapeutic herbal baths by the indigenous tribes, Srishti Dangayach, takes us to the hills and recalls her experience of the baths.

Sapa, situated in Northwest Vietnam offers a picture-postcard view of cascading rice terraces surrounded by mist-covered peaks and bucolic villages. I, however, had traveled there not only to enjoy the breathtaking views but also to soak in the highly potent herbal bath prepared by the Red Dao hill tribe. The benefits of this bath, I had learnt, included increased blood circulation, reduced pain, and detoxified and clear skin. The only challenge was locating a genuine place that offers it. My husband and I had taken a bus from Hanoi that morning and reached Sapa by noon. We choose to stay at the Lustig Hostel, which had elegant dorms and private rooms. later that afternoon, we rented a bike and set off towards the Ta Phin Village (12 kilometres from Sapa), home to the Red Dao people.

Guided solely by GPS, we meandered down hilly roads and came to a fork, beyond which there was no proper road. One path led further down towards the valley while the other, a narrower and treacherous one, continued ahead. It was getting dark and we were worried about getting lost. Fortunately, two tribal women appeared behind us riding a two-wheeler and immediately noticed our distress. Their bright red clothes indicated that they were members of the Dao tribe, one of the 54 ethnic minorities of Vietnam. They were returning home after selling their produce in town and without hesitation, started chatting with us. The women blushed upon being told that we were on our honeymoon; one of them asked about my age. When I told her I was 27, she laughed, “I’m 28 and I have had 4 children!”

Soon we were following them across muddy lanes into the village where there were several bathhouses. We got introduced to locals who talked about their land and the unique bath recipes passed from mothers to daughters. At the Ta Phin Stone Garden Homestay, we were ushered into a small room lined with tubs made of cypress wood. The owner informed us that the herbs had been chopped, dried, and boiled for hours to produce the wine-red bath mixture. We opened the taps and hot water gushed out, turning the air steamy and divinely aromatic.

Slipping into a tub, I started to gaze through a small window, and my mind wandered over the green fields and the mountains beyond. Slowly I started noticing a tingling sensation in my limbs and then all over. When I closed my eyes, I could feel my heartbeat. It made me question how often I listened to my body. We are always concerned either with the world outside or in our phones and are rarely attuned to ourselves.

Later the owner showed us some of the herbs used, reminding me of the home remedies my grandmother and mother used to make to address issues of pain, beauty, and wellness. I realized that my bathroom cupboard was teeming with expensive essential oils, bath salts, and the latest beauty hack when all I needed was to look in my backyard. That day I vowed to note all kinds of recipes used by my mother and her mother so that someday, I too, could pass them to my daughter.