Western tourists enjoy carrying baskets on their backs and wearing banana leaf hats as they head into the forest to gather 'miracle herbs' in Sa Pa.

At Ms. May Kim's family-run accommodation business, each herbal bath-picking tour costs approximately $35 (nearly 900,000 VND) for 1-2 guests.

During the tour, foreign tourists will be guided into the forest by a local guide who will help them pick leaves and introduce them to different types of leaves used for bathing. "Tourists can directly pick fresh leaves or learn more about wild vegetables," she said.

Western tourists enjoy carrying baskets on their backs, wearing banana leaf hats, and going into the forest to pick "miracle" leaves in Sa Pa.

The woman also said that the majority of visitors who come here to experience picking leaves for bathing in the forest are from countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland.

They were surprised to find that Sa Pa still preserves natural herbs that are good for health – which are rare or little known in the West.

According to Ms. May Kim, to participate in the herbal bath, tourists will travel 6-7km to the forest. Sometimes, they even have to travel to more distant hills and mountains to gather rare and precious herbs for bathing.

"Many Western tourists who go into the forest to pick leaves for bathing get bitten by leeches and cry loudly. However, they still enjoy going and learning about the types of leaves that are good for their health," Ms. May Kim recounted.

She revealed that tourists can experience picking leaves for bathing in Ta Phin all year round. The types of leaves that visitors pick mainly help treat bone and joint pain, and some types also have the effect of treating coughs, helping to reduce fatigue and stress.

After going into the forest to gather leaves, they will be instructed on how to boil the leaves to make bathwater, which they can then use directly.

Ms. May Kim added that the traditional herbal bath of the Red Dao people often uses more than 10 types of medicinal leaves, and sometimes even more than 30 different types.

After boiling, the bathwater is poured into a wooden tub. Visitors will then soak in it for about 15-20 minutes.

Besides picking leaves for bathing, Western tourists also get to learn about and receive guidance on harvesting various wild vegetables and organic produce for cooking.

According to her, this type of herbal bath smells fragrant, and tourists can feel the noticeable effects after the first experience. However, many first-time visitors may get dizzy from the herbal bath water.

"Even the strongest person can only soak in the herbal bath for about 15-30 minutes before getting out, because bathing for too long can easily cause dizziness," she said.

In Ta Phin, besides experiencing the forest with herbal baths, visitors can also learn embroidery and cooking like the locals.

Kayla, a tourist from England, said she was very impressed with the herbal bath of the Red Dao people in Ta Phin village. She tried this bath twice and was surprised because "her body was restored in an amazing way."

"After a long motorbike ride to Ta Phin village and soaking in the herbal bath, I felt truly refreshed, and my body felt less sore and achy."

The bathwater also smelled very nice. I even bought some dried leaves to take home as gifts for friends and relatives,” the female tourist shared.

Photos and videos : May Kim Dao (Red)

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