Promoting valuable herbal traditions of Red Dao people in Lao Cai

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Tan May Liu, a member of the Red Dao Community Cooperative, collects medicinal leaves in the forest. Photo: Huong Thu – VNA
Preparing a Fokienia wooden tub for a herbal bath. Photo: Huong Thu – VNA
The medicinal leaves are boiled continuously for 3–4 hours to produce the bathwater, which carries the distinctive fragrance of various herbs. Photo: Huong Thu – VNA
Members of the Red Dao Community Cooperative preprocess and chop herbal ingredients before boiling them for the bath. Photo: Huong Thu – VNA
Promoting valuable herbal traditions of Red Dao people in Lao Cai
Ta Phin commune in Lao Cai attracts visitors with its natural scenery and the distinctive traditional culture of local ethnic communities. The area is also well known nationwide for the Red Dao herbal bath service. Currently, around 40 households offer the herbal bath service, creating jobs for hundreds of ethnic minority women and contributing to the development of community-based tourism. Photo: Huong Thu – VNA