Forage & Feast: A Plant-Based Culinary Journey with the Dao 

(One Day)

Forage & Feast: A Plant-Based Culinary Journey with the Red Dao People

“Often, the freshest and most delicious flavours come straight from nature itself.”
— Phil Hoolihan

Duration: Full day
Departure time: 8.30am for briefing at the ETHOS Community Centre.
Physical activity: Moderate 
Location: Rural Red Dao Villages, woodland and rice terraces.
Travel Style: Immersive culture and family learning.
Connectivity: Wifi - None, Mobile coverage - good.

Maximum: 4 people

Red Dao woman and traveller cooking traditional plant-based meal together in a Vietnamese village home.

Discover Vietnam’s Red Dao Culture Through Food and Foraging

From Forest to Table – Cooking, Sharing and Connecting with Nature

This is a slow, sensory journey into the culinary heart of Dao culture. Guided by a local Hmong or Dao guide, the day begins with a gentle walk through forest trails and hillside paths, tailored to your pace and interest. Along the way, you’ll forage for seasonal wild foods: herbs, shoots, roots, edible flowers and greens that have long been part of traditional diets in this region.

Your destination is a Dao family home, nestled in a quiet valley and surrounded by vegetable gardens and forest. Here, you’ll help gather fresh ingredients from the garden and prepare a traditional meal in the family’s kitchen. Together over an open fire, you’ll learn to create nourishing vegetarian dishes, with the option for fully vegan cooking if preferred.

This isn’t a class in the conventional sense, it’s a conversation with food, culture and place. You’ll cook together, taste as you go, and sit down to share a meal that connects you to the rhythms of the land and the lives of those who tend it.

After lunch, you can opt for a peaceful stroll through the village or simply relax. An optional traditional Dao herbal bath may also be arranged before returning to Sapa in the late afternoon.

This experience is available from April to October and is suitable for all ages. This is experience is private and group sizes are limited to five to ensure intimacy and meaningful connection.

Included:

• Home style vegan, or vegetarian lunch and refreshments.

• English speaking Dao guide.

• Return transportation.

Red Dao villager foraging wild herbs in the forest as part of a cultural plant-based culinary journey in Vietnam.

Prices - Live Like a Local: Family Culture Day

1 person - $89 per person

2 people - $65 per person

3 people - $55 per person

4 people - $50 per person

Community based tourism (CBT) is a form of tourism where local communities are directly involved in developing, managing, and benefiting from tourism activities within their area. It emphasises community ownership, cultural preservation, and sustainable practices, offering visitors authentic experiences and fostering economic opportunities for residents. 

“There is not a single human being on this planet that does not depend on plants for life itself. You see, herbalism is all around us. We as humans share a symbiotic relationship with the plant world.”
— Marlene Adelmann
Horizontal banner with text and icons representing values: 'We Like' with thumbs-up icon, investing locally, saving energy and water, protecting wildlife, respecting culture, and promoting ethics.
Green terraced rice fields in a valley with mountains in the background and a partly cloudy sky, overlaid with the words 'Terms and Conditions'.

Please travel with respect. Dress modestly, support local crafts, protect nature, be patient, and stay safe. Connect, learn, and contribute positively during your ETHOS journey. Please refer to our terms for booking conditions for all ETHOS experiences.

We also offer a one day culture experience with a different ethnic community in Sapa. For more information about our “ The Wild Table “ experience, please click here.

These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community
These images highlight a culinary journey rooted in the traditions of the Dao people. From foraging for fresh herbs and wild plants to preparing colourful plant-based dishes, the photos capture both the connection to nature and the sense of community