Honoring local culture and preserving nature are the values that form Avana Retreat.

With the idea of creating an idyllic village in the midst of Mai Chau, Avana Retreat has spent years researching and building the resort in order to have a construction that is closely attached to local life. Inspired by the culture of the Hmong and Thai people, the architecture of the resort is based on the Hmong's rammed earth house. Let's explore this traditional house-building technique of the Hmongs and see the resemblance in Avana Retreat’s architecture!

The unique traits in Hmong’s rammed earth house

With a unique building method: entirely hand-crafted earthwork, the Hmong’s home adapts to the environment of the Northwest mountain perfectly: cool in the summer, warm in the winter.

The Hmong's rammed earth house is completely made by hand

The house is made of thick rammed earth with high adhesion, removing impurities such as roots, stones, grass... Before building the walls, workers prepare wooden molds 1.5m long and half a meter wide. They then pour soil into the mold and used cushions to pound them tightly. Such meticulous techniques have helped the Hmong's rammed earth house to be solid against the rain and wind, despite the fact that it is built by manual method, with no use of machines.

The house is air-free all year round, yet is still warm in the winter

The house is always ventilated from the main door, side door to the window made of wood or bamboo. A fun fact is the door always opens inward, not outward.

The inspiration behind Avana Retreat

The Hmong’s rammed earth house, which is composed of natural materials and upholds long-standing traditional values, is the inspiration behind the construction and interior decor of the rooms at Avana Retreat.

Each wall was painstakingly built up with soil by Mai Chau's expert workmen, who then eventually finished building 36 bungalows, suites, and villas.

36 bungalows, suites, and villas at Avana Retreat were built with the help of local artisans

The walls are inspired by the Hmong, yet the roofs are influenced by Thai culture. Palm leaf thatching not only reduces the weight of the roof, but it is also a material that is easy to find and sturdy against the weather.

The walls are built after Hmong people, but the roof is thatched reflecting the style of the Thai people.

Not only preserving the beauty of Northwest architecture, but Avana Retreat is also friendly and close to nature. Bungalows and suites have large balconies, and villas are built with private verandas and infinity pools overlooking the beautiful view of valleys and mountains.

Sennia Hilltop Pool Villa with two bedrooms, an exclusive pool, and porch looking out to the valley

Appreciating local culture and preserving nature are the values that form Avana Retreat, a peaceful resort in Mai Chau.