Herbal foraging traditions

Half-day tour with a Red Dao specialist

Take a basket and follow a Red Dao specialist into the bamboo forests and wild jungles of Nam Cang to learn how to identify the most important medicinal herbs. Help prepare your herbal bath remedy before sinking into our large traditional tub along the riverside back at the Lodge.  

From 2 people: 750,000. VND /person

Trip Type: Culture | Activity Level: Easy | Service Level: Standard

Product code: SRV2

Highlights

  • Learning about Red Dao herbal medicine and generational knowledge
  • Exploring a bamboo forest while distinguishing between different kinds of herbs
  • Indulging in a traditional therapeutic herbal bath

This tour is perfect for

  • Cultural encounters
  • Educational purposes and relaxation
  • Photography lovers and anthropologists

Itinerary

Topas Riverside Lodge - Bamboo forest - Red Dao Bathhouse

Follow Ms. Phu into the bamboo forests behind Topas Riverside Lodge for an interesting lesson on the herbal foraging techniques used by the Red Dao for hundreds of years.

Observe how she works quickly and without hesitation, able to recognize each plant and herb instantaneously, and try your luck at identifying the flora, with a little help from your guide. Every gatherer in the tribe can recognize a minimum of 50 different herbs and plant species, with some able to name at least 200!

Afterwards, head back to the Red Dao Bathhouse at Topas Riverside Lodge and see how the herbs are prepared for traditional baths. The baths are known for their therapeutic benefits – such as aiding in recovery after childbirth, helping with circulation issues and skin conditions, and relieving symptoms such as migraines and fevers.

Finish off the afternoon’s activities by hopping into one of the baths and letting the sounds of the river soothe you as you sip a complimentary herbal iced tea.

Meals: N/A

Departure: 15:00 – 16:00   

Activities: 1h foraging class – 30 – 45′ herbal bath  

Tour Inclusions

  • All entrance tickets to local villages and Hoang Lien National Park
  • 1 x bilingual (ENG and VN) speaking local tour guide 
  • 1 x Red Dzao specialist
  • 1 x 45′ herbal bath with complimentary iced tea
  • Government Value Added Tax

Not included

  • Other drinks 
  • Personal travel items (Please visit our Vietnam weather page for more information)

Important Notes

  • Prices are quoted in Vietnamese Dong and valid until Dec 31st, 2020
  • Price based on minimum group size of 2 people, with a supplement applied for solo travelers
  • Prices calculated with Value Added Tax

Rates and Special Offers

Looking for something else? We have many other packages available, whether you are looking to hike, bike, learn about ethnic minority cultures, do photography, or simply relax at Topas Ecolodge.