If you're overloaded with work and stressed out from life in the big city, one way to unwind and recover a sense of calm is to head for Zen Spa - a veritable oasis in an over crowded city, says Duc Hanh

Ambling down towards the thatched cottages, home to Zen Spa, like a snug hamlet nestled on the side of West Lake below a natural canopy of green leaves, I feel I have been plucked right out of the noise and congestion of the city.

Suddenly the concerns of work are behind me. I haven't even stepped in the door and already I'm relaxing. Not bad at all.

Zen Spa certainly lives up to its name - it is a tranquility space where the beauty of nature and the spa merge seamlessly.

But it gets better, once I step in from the cold damp weather, inside the doors I happily reel in a warm atmosphere filled with sweet herbal fragrances and attentive staff. Sipping a hot cup of flower tea while immersing myself in these pure aromas, I feel my stress seep away.

The silence is only inter­rupted by the sounds of a gentle buffeting wind and the sound of small birds singing. Vietnamese people believe that bathing within nature will make the soul purer and stronger, and help wipe out the toxic chemicals in body. If that doesn't do the trick, when you soak your body in a wooden bathtub full of herbs and daisy petals, you will truly feel adrift of yourself.

Thousands years ago, Vietnamese people already knew about herbal baths, for beauty as well as health care. Using leaves, fruit and flowers from the garden, Vietnamese women taught themselves how to make their long hair shimmer and shine as well as their skin smooth and soft.

"With the experiences of tra­ditional herbal treatment and body massage learnt from my grandmother and my mother, I want to maintain the traditional methods and combine them with the present ones," says Nguyen Huong, owner of Zen Spa.

There are numerous pack­ages on offer (including the Reborn Package, Relax Package, even the Honeymoon Package) so if you're feeling spoilt for choice, let Huong or one of her staff create a special package   especially   for   you based on your age and skin type. Zen Spa prides itself on continually researching tradi­tional and modern methods to help individuals completely relax away from the hectic rigours outside.

There is no rush in Zen Spa. If you are not ready for your mas­sage or treatment, just relax in the serene environment, having a cup of tea or enjoying Vietnamese dishes of candied lotus seeds or roasted peanuts with coconut milk. There is a variety of aro­matic herbal teas, from jasmine to artichoke, on offer.

It's guaranteed that you will realise what true relaxation is after visiting Zen Spa. You'll hardly remember the hustle and bustle of the world outside.