First Visit to Vietnam
We finally arrived at Saigon after a 16 hour flight to be greeted by 38 degrees heat! From here we had a 1.5 hour transfer to the first resort in Ho Tram.
Not many people have heard of this resort but in a few years, this will be the place to be! With its stunning and peaceful beaches this is definitely a place to relax if you have had a busy schedule of touring or simply just want to get you head in a book and soak the rays up. We stayed at The Sanctuary villas and the beachfront villa with private pool was incredible. The beach is not over crowded with tourists and water sports so you can relax and enjoy the breath taking views.
I would recommend having the famous “Vietnamese Pho” (pronounced “fur”) for breakfast which is a noodle dish with either chicken or beef cooked in a broth which takes over 8 hours to perfect! I’m not a coffee lover, however I was assured by my travelling companions that the “Café Su Da” which is an iced coffee with condensed milk, is a must. High in caffeine and sweet! Ideal for that early morning wakeup call!
The resort does offer little at the moment as it’s still very much a resort being built up however a short 5 minute drive offers an 18 course golf course and “The Grand” hotel which offers a casino and night-club for those party goers! Our second resort was a 2 hour transfer to Mia Mui Ne! A small boutique hotel, set on the beachfront and surrounded by lush tropical gardens. This offers personalised service, lovely accommodation and has the added bonus of being set in the heart of the resort surrounded by restaurants and a short walk to several beach side bars (highly recommend Jo’s Bar). Relax on the beach, by the pool or take advantage of the spa treatments offered in the lovely grounds of the hotel. You can also venture out and explore the local sight-seeing such as the fairy river walk, fisherman’s village and a must do……..quad-biking on the sand dunes! All these can be booked locally! Now off to the final resort and a 4.5 hour transfer to Mia Nha Trang. This isn’t a necessary transfer as there is a short 45 minute flight available from Saigon – Nha Trang which is then a 20 minute drive from the airport. This is a stunning resort - I would recommend this to anybody who is looking for a bit of luxury and defiantly the “Cliff Villas”. I stayed in this which offered panoramic views over the beach & ocean and with your own private and secluded pool! I managed to drag myself out of bed at 5:30 to see the sunrise (see pics below). If you go, this is a must!
If you stay at Mia, a spa treatment is a must! They offer everything from full body massage to facials. I personally had a facial which is one of the best I’ve had. The resort is around 15 minutes from the centre of Nha Trang and highly recommend the famous “Sailing Club” which offers food, drinks and of course dancing on the beach! Our trip consisted of South Vietnam and the beach destinations but briefly had a few hours in Saigon, which we briefly explored the market. TIP! Don’t pay any more than 60%.
South Vietnam is perfect for a relaxing break after touring the north or simply as a twin or stand-alone beach break. I am already planning my own holiday back here. Go on give Vietnam a try, you will fall in love…. I did!
Top tips! • Buy your Visa before you arrive! It will save you lots of queuing time upon arrival (cost is around £50) • The currency is Dong which can only be exchanged locally, so take dollars as this is widely accepted • Visit Vietnam before everyone else does!