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Lisa Cam

Standing in a protected heritage landscape in the remote, mist-shrouded mountains of northern Vietnam, the Garrya Mu Cang Chai resort features a main building that is believed to be the largest bamboo structure in the country.
Part of the Singapore-based hospitality company Banyan Group, the resort is well worth the winding, six-hour drive from Hanoi to Pu Nhu Village, in Yen Bai province’s mountainous rural district of Mu Cang Chai.
Mu Cang Chai’s layered rice terraces, sculpted over 400 years by generations of Hmong people, have long been recognised as one of Southeast Asia’s most remarkable landscapes. In 2007, the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism designated this district a national heritage site.
Yet until now, this terrain – located roughly 200km (125 miles) northwest of Hanoi – has remained largely the preserve of hardcore trekkers and seasonal photographers drawn by the changing colour of the harvest.

There is a particular kind of silence that descends when you rise above the clouds. In Yen Bai, located some 1,500 metres (4,900ft) above sea level, that calm is only interrupted by the sound of cicadas and the chirping of birds.
Garrya Mu Cang Chai prides itself on its integration with the culture that surrounds it. The 110 rooms, suites and villas range from 30-154 square metres (320-1,660 sq ft), and all offer panoramic views of rice terraces and mountains. The rooms’ decor features brocade motifs inspired by the Hmong people, and some rooms also have bamboo accents.
More than 90 per cent of the population of Pu Nhu Village is Hmong, and more than half of the resort’s staff are from the village.
The Hmong originated in China’s Yellow River basin and migrated into the rugged highlands of Vietnam from the late 17th century onwards to escape conflict with the Han Chinese. With a population of more than 1.3 million, they are one of Vietnam’s largest ethnic minority groups.
The Hmong have a unique linguistic heritage and uphold traditions such as costume-making, flute music, beeswax-painting and other handicrafts. Despite this rich heritage, many Hmong communities face profound economic and social challenges and often rank among the most impoverished in Vietnam.

Factors such as limited access to education and high poverty rates have created persistent disadvantages. But due to their geographic isolation, the Hmong have one of the best-preserved cultural histories of any minority group in Asia.
The resort also partners with local tour operators who guide visitors on treks through the surrounding villages, where Hmong people lead beeswax painting classes and tell stories about their lives and history.
Tran Van Phu, the executive chef of the resort, has incorporated Hmong culinary heritage into his dishes using indigenous ingredients such as wild forest honey, mach khen pepper, Nam Khat shiitake mushrooms, and Shan Tuyet tea.
Charcoal-grilled salmon from the nearby Khau Pha Pass and bamboo shoots reflect smoky mountain cooking techniques passed down through generations.

The architecture, by LG Architects, extends the bamboo theme into the 8lements Spa, which offers various treatments as well as a 13-step hydrotherapy circuit.
This circuit combines hot and cold therapies, including thermal pools, salt rooms, an infrared sauna and a rain mist shower with settings from storm-level downpour to rainforest mist. The circuit is designed to improve circulation and aid detoxification. It ends in the calm of the bamboo dome that houses the pool. The circuit is free for guests with advance booking.
The mixed-gender nature of the spa takes some getting used to. A steady stream of people using the water-based therapy area requires the use of a considerable amount of chlorine for health and safety purposes, producing a smell at odds with the calming nature of the experience.
As part of the wellness programme, guests are required to fill out a digital assessment that evaluates lifestyle patterns, stress levels and physiological condition, which a well-being trainer uses to prescribe treatments and lifestyle adjustments to suit guests’ individual goals.

Rather than suggesting a slew of treatments at the resort, the trainers give practical lifestyle advice that encourages small steps towards change, such as increased movement throughout the day rather than a rigid exercise regimen.
There are also gentle exercise classes – such as aqua yoga and pelvic stretching – in the mornings, which are very easy and require no prior experience.
Garrya Mu Cang Chai should be on travellers’ must-visit list, even if the six-hour car ride from Hanoi airport seems quite daunting.
That has recently changed with the introduction of helicopter transit, which shortens the journey to one hour and 15 minutes. The journey costs 37 million Vietnamese dong (US$1,400) per person one way, with a minimum of eight people required per ride.
While the price tag for a shorter transit to the resort is not cheap, the architectural marvel, the unforgettable landscape and community immersion with the Hmong make a visit to Garrya Mu Cang Chai a one-of-a-kind experience.
Garrya Mu Cang Chai is located in Pu Nhu Village, La Pan Tan Commune, Yen Bai, Vietnam.


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At this stunning Vietnamese mountain resort, luxury meets local culture

Garrya Mu Cang Chai is nestled in a protected heritage landscape of terraced rice paddies in the northern Vietnamese mountains. As well as breathtaking scenery, the luxury resort offers wellness treatments, and food and activities intertwined with the traditions of the local Hmong people. Photo: Garrya Mu Cang Chai 

The lobby area of Garrya Mu Cang Chai highlights the main resort building’s bamboo structure. Photo: Garrya Mu Cang Chai

The resort partners with local tour guides who take guests through nearby villages, where Hmong people lead classes on beeswax painting and other traditional handicrafts. Photo: Lisa Cam

Wok-fried buffalo in a bamboo tube at Garrya Mu Cang Cai. The resort’s executive chef Tran Van Phu incorporates Hmong culinary heritage into his dishes by using indigenous ingredients. Photo: Garrya Mu Cang Cai

The vitality pool in the resort’s 8lements Spa. Photo: Garrya Mu Cang Chai

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Travel & Leisure

Nestled among protected terraced rice paddies 200km from Hanoi, Garrya Mu Cang Chai blends bamboo, wellness and local Hmong tradition


Nestled among protected terraced rice paddies 200km from Hanoi, Garrya Mu Cang Chai blends bamboo, wellness and local Hmong tradition.


At this stunning Vietnamese mountain resort, luxury meets local culture

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Nestled among protected terraced rice paddies 200km from Hanoi, Garrya Mu Cang Chai blends bamboo, wellness and local Hmong tradition

Nestled among protected terraced rice paddies 200km from Hanoi, Garrya Mu Cang Chai blends bamboo, wellness and local Hmong tradition