Papaya, which grows like a charm around La ferme du Colvert, is a very effective massage ingredient
Photo: An Tran

VNA 11. Walks/rides and Nature Spa

Well-being at La Ferme du Colvert. 4 or 6 days

1. Welcome in Hanoi. Transfer to our eco-village in the Luong Son Valley. Site visit, then relax by the pool. Hair and facial treatments, using fresh, local products (depending on the season and subject to availability): cucumber, papaya, coconut, aromatic herbs....Welcome dinner of a house speciality. Night in a beautiful stilt house bordering the Dap Dom Lake.

2. Leave for a bicycle ride with a snack to eat along the water’s edge. Pass through villages, farms and hamlets, meeting locals from the Muong tribe. Lively, colourful Luong Son morning market. AM: First Spa treatment with one of our Muong masseurs. Body massage using fresh, natural ingredients (depending on the season and subject to availability), sandalwood, lemongrass oil and honey with ginger alcohol, star anise and cinnamon....

First look at the Thai weaving. Dinner and night.

3. Early the next morning, walk around the neighbouring hills, which surround La Ferme du Colvert.... see Suoi Co and Xom Sang Mountain, with an altitude of some 800m. Awe-inspiring scenery of high mountains with ricefields, rivers and colourful villages....Return to La ferme. Relax near our (springwater) swimming pool, which originates from the Hang Nang Mountain.

A good Lunch, then a little siesta (lie-down)....

Afternoon: Follow with a weaving and embroidery lesson.

Then off to our traditional perfumed hamman, where we celebrate Tet and the arrival of Spring each year. Bamboo leaves, lemongrass and grapefruit, Bo Ket and Coriander grains (Tre, Buoi, Sa, Mui, Huong Nhu, Cuc Tan....), will ensure a deep and restful sleep. Dinner and night.

4. A half an hour of car (or bicycle, if you prefer..) is all that’s necessary to get to the 600m high Vien Nam Mountain. Little walk towards the Yen Binh River. Continue throughout the morning walking in the heart of ricefields and market garden plantations. Return for lunch at La ferme.

AM: Hair, face and manicure treatments, Vietnamese-style (depending on the season and subject to availability), Bo Ket with leaves from the garden. Tropical fruit mask with passionflower. Infusion of Sa and Che (Lemongrass and Green Tea), with a house snack.

Return to Hanoi by car at the end of the day (4 day program).

Cooking lesson: Nem preparation. Dinner of house specialities. Night in a stilt house.

5. In the land where water reigns master, we’ll go for a ride in a traditional sampan fishing boat. Along the Bui River with it’s cultivated riverbanks, deserted creeks and traditional stilt house villages.

Xuan Mai market where fish are sold straight from the fishing boats.

AM: Foot and hand massage with an aromatic mud scrub. Then off to the Vietnamese hamman.

Bamboo, lemongrass, grapefruit leaves with coriander grains and orange blossom, aromatic herbs and Bo Ket.

Dinner of house specialities. Xoe Dance performance (Thai ethnic fan dance) to the rhythm of Muong gongs.

6. Perfume Pagoda

It takes roughly 1 hour to get to Chua Huong -The Perfume Pagoda, one of the most hidden, protected sites in the Quan Son Park Reserve. Within the park you will discover a beautifully tranquil lake with an area of some 300ha, as well as a splendid forest....by sampan, you will discover this beautiful forest and it’s succession of little creeks, where the lotus flower is queen for the summer.

Return to Hanoi at the end of the day.

Departure days: Saturdays and Mondays.

Practicalities:

• 2 x 30min treatments/ session / day (Hair and face / full body / perfumed hammam ). See program.
• Full-board.
• Accommodation in a traditional stilt house, bordering the lake.
• Free access to the recreation area: swimming pool, Children’s corner with games, swing, bicycle rides, walking, fishing, swimming, sampan, weaving and cookery courses...
• Transfer (car, boat or motorbike, bicycle….) for scheduled excursions. La ferme Vietnamese/Muong-speaking guides.
• Welcome + Hanoi transfer / Hanoi.
• Performances (Extension).
• From 6P upwards (extra charge below this number).