Vietnam and Japan 2017 Part 1
We flew from London Heathrow with Vietnam Airlines non-stop in premium economy class, the flying time was 12 hours. The food and service onboard were very good, and we relaxed with drinks and a choice of movies.
We arrived at Ho Chi Minh city airport the next day and I had booked a return transfer to our destination Phan Thiet which took five hours with a refreshment stop. This is a long transfer time, but we did pass through some lovely villages and scenery en route. When we arrived at our hotel, Pandanus, we were greeted by friendly reception staff and although our room wasn’t ready, it wasn’t a problem as we had a look around the resort and had lunch.
After lunch we checked into our room at the normal check in time of 14.00 hrs. We had beach bungalow room number 102 and we were so happy as our room had direct beach access. I would advise anyone staying at this resort to request bungalow room number 102 or 104 as they both have direct access to the beach. The room was lovely with a king size bed, outside bathroom with shower and bath plus mini bar and TV with lots of channels. Plus, air conditioning, coffee/tea making facilities and free safety deposit box.
There are six different room types at this hotel and with our package we had dinner and daily spa included which was brilliant fun. We managed to sample different spa treatments and my favourite was the hot stone massage. The staff were very friendly - we got to know all the staff before we left the hotel.
We loved the a la carte menu for dinner as there was a great choice of both Vietnamese and Western options. Barbecue buffets are offered once a week while we were there, and up to four times a week in the high season. Breakfast was a buffet with hot and cold choices. The hotel offers an all-inclusive option, but I would suggest bed and breakfast basis only as meals are so cheap in Vietnam.
The hotel offers many other facilities which include: Complimentary shuttles to Mui Ne, Ham Tien Complimentary bicycles Fitness room Karaoke room Games room with table tennis and fussball Outdoor swimming pool with Jacuzzi Beach and poolside parasols and lounge chairs Sports including tennis courts, badminton courts, football field, beach and lawn volleyball and basketball Yoga and Tai Chi classes Wine and cheese welcome reception
We were lucky to sample a complimentary Mui Ne walking tour which was good as it included seeing the local fisherman catch the fish from the night before, then a visit to the local market which was an eye opener!
We also sampled a complimentary ‘The Fairy Stream’ (Suoi Tien) trip which traverses a small canyon that has been created over the centuries by a stream that cuts through bamboo groves, boulders and the multi-coloured dunes. Visitors take off their shoes and trek through the mostly ankle-deep water of the stream while taking pictures of the surreal-shaped colourful canyon walls.
One evening we went to the Red Sand Dunes (Doi Cat) located adjacent to the Pandanus Resort which covers an area of about 50 hectares. They are the smaller of the two Phan Thiet area sand dunes. A visit to the Red Sand Dunes is most popular at sunset, as people gather to watch the sun setting into the ocean from the top of the sand hills. Don't forget to take a bottle of water! I suggest getting to the Red Sand Dunes early for sunset and sunrise as it gets very busy.
The hotel offers a daily wine and cheese reception where you get the chance to meet the general manager and other hotel guests. We thought this was a great idea.
Our eight days at Pandanus were enjoyable. A few tips to mention - watch out for sand flies and mosquitoes so make sure you take repellent with you. The beach is not great, but the hotel pool would be a good alternative. This hotel we would recommend for families and couples.
Soon it was time to head back to the airport for our next part of the trip to Japan.