Avana Retreat — Bao La, Vietnam

A mountain retreat built around a hidden waterfall in Mai Chau Valley, Vietnam

The waterfall was hidden behind dense foliage. The team trekking the Mai Chau Valley found it only after a persistent search, and Avana, in the retreat's own telling, was born that day. The name comes from "A-yana," meaning a beautiful flower. Pung Waterfall is now what the retreat calls its beating heart. The founders' account has a second thread. "Act first, think later" was what they had in mind when they acquired the 15-hectare site. They had no real vision for it yet. They knew only that they wanted to protect its natural beauty and local heritage from the mass-tourism development that has overrun other spots in Vietnam. The land has since been nurtured and reforested, with 10 hectares replanted, and the waterfalls have been kept in their original state. The operating company, Avana Mai Chau Company Limited, first registered on 20 November 2015. Thirty-six villas now sit on the mountainside above terraced rice fields. Craftsmen from three minority groups in Mai Chau taught the team to build earth walls, weave rattan ceilings and roof with palm leaves. The retreat says this keeps the villas cool in summer and warm in winter. A traditional Thai stilt house, more than 50 years old, stands on the grounds and hosts private dinners among heirlooms handed down through generations. Ninety-eight percent of the staff are local people, many of them former rice farmers who received free training in hospitality. Days here follow the land. The Orchid Spa runs along the waterfall's course, offering Vietnamese herbal and energy-healing treatments. At the uphill H'mong Cottage, complimentary Hatha and Yin yoga, singing bowl meditation and breathwork are held on a weekly schedule. The three-layer Cloud Pool, heated year-round, takes its form from the rice terraces of Mai Chau. Guests can also trek to nearby villages, and dinner can be served by candlelight at the waterfall. The retreat is about four hours by road from Hanoi.

Traditions: Hatha Yoga, Yin Yoga, Singing Bowl Meditation, Breathwork, Vietnamese Energy Healing, Mountain Stone Therapy

Programs: Orchid Spa treatments, H'mong Cottage yoga and meditation sessions, Scented Candle Workshop, Thai Traditional Handicraft Workshop, Half-day Trekking and Village Walk, Dining by the Waterfall, Stilt House Museum Dining, Picnic Lunch