PHOTO:
SUMMER 2026 ༠ 45
RED DAO HERBAL BATH
Where: Sapa, Vietnam
The Experience: Handed down from 
generation to generation, this medicinal 
tradition practiced by the Red Dao 
community in the Sapa region of Northern 
Vietnam distils the goodness of the local 
forest into a therapeutic bathing experience. 
A 15-30-minute soak in water containing a 
concentrated infusion of roots, bark, and 
leaves foraged from the forest relaxes 
muscles, improves circulation, and cleanses 
the skin. At the Silk Path Grand Resort  
& Spa in Sapa, this treatment is experienced 
with mist-shrouded views of the Hoàng  
Liên Sơn mountains.
SEAWEED BATHS
Where: South Coast and Sligo, Ireland
The Experience: Dating back to the 
19th century and originally developed in 
Victorian-era bathhouses in towns along 
Ireland’s Atlantic Coast, seaweed baths 
are a popular wellness practice on the 
South Coast and along the Wild Atlantic 
Way. Seaweed soaks are said to help relax 
muscles and support detoxification. The 
Well by the Sea spa at the Cliff House Hotel 
in the fishing village of Ardmore offers this 
soothing bathing therapy that stimulates 
circulation and promotes detoxification. In 
Sligo, a traditional warm seaweed bath is 
followed by a cold plunge in the Atlantic.
ANCIENT SAND BURIAL 
Where: Anakato Nubian Houses, Aswan, 
Egypt
The Experience: Practiced by Nubian tribes 
in Upper Egypt, the Rammal or Dafn sand-
burial ceremony harnesses the curative 
properties of sun and sand to heal the 
body. During the summer months, visitors 
to Anakato Nubian Houses are made to lie 
in shallow pits and covered from neck to 
toe in sun-heated sand for 15-30 minutes 
(with head protection). It is believed that the 
weight, warmth, and mineral composition of 
the sand treat musculoskeletal disorders, 
including arthritis and joint pain.
Sky Lagoon
Sand bath
Red Dao women collecting 
herbs in the forest 
Vinotherapy bath
PHOTOS:AXP PHOTOGRAPHY ON PEXELS (NUBIAN HOUSE), COURTESY ALISON LOVE (SKY LAGOON), 
UGURBAYIR ON PEXELS (HAMAM), COURTESY CLIFF HOUSE HOTEL (SEA WEED BATH),  
KYONNTRA/GETTYIMAGES (SAND BURIAL)
SUMMER 2026 ༠ 45

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