It's all about wellness, exploration in Vietnam
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Sometimes you need a place to escape it all and focus on your well-being.
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Located in Da Nang and nestled along a beautiful clear beach is the TIA Wellness Resort (tiawellnessresort.com), a haven away from home that focuses on relaxation and wellness.
Total wellness is the focus of TIA, which caters to guests with personalized programs and spa treatments. Boasting a 22-room treatment wellness centre, tropical gardens and modern villas to stay in.
TIA offers many programs, including yoga, breathing exercises, and massage treatments for example. The resort’s general manager, Ramon Imper, said a reiki — a healing technique where therapists channel energy through touch — is one of most popular treatments for guests.
“We do master reiki. We do have three master reikis here on property,” said Imper. “That is really something that we have a lot of emotional reactions from guests afterwards. There’s a lot of release.”
Imper said TIA also offers a private retreat that incorporates reiki, breath and creativity.
“For that you have daily reiki sessions,” he said. “We have guests who four nights later felt a big change. They are grateful to have that release. And we don’t do a lot. Our therapists just use their own energy to heal their client, and we combine it with breathing exercises and creative expressions.”
Guests of TIA can also practice their wellness exercises off-site. The resort offers a signature wellness tour, which brings them to Lady Buddha, a 67-metre-tall statue that overlooks the city.
It’s here where guests can relax their mind, body and soul through breathing exercises and meditation. A perfect thing to do at sunrise.
HISTORY IN HANOI
“Oh people of the shelters what a gift you’ve given me. To smile at me and quietly let me share your agony.”
Those lyrics from Joan Baez’s song “Where Are You My Son?” perfectly encapsulate the emotions felt while hiding out in a bunker during the Vietnam War.
Baez wrote that song based on her experiences while seeking refuge in a bomb shelter at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi hotel. The song is a unique part of the hotel’s history, which is something that guests can experience upon stepping into the bomb shelter.
Between 1964 and 1973, Metropole’s underground bomb shelter became a safe place for guests when Vietnam was at the height of war.
Among the famous guests that used the shelter were Baez and famed actor and activist Jane Fonda.
After the Vietnam War ended, the bomb shelter was sealed and largely forgotten until it was discovered again in 2011 when the the Metropole underwent renovations.
Hotel historian Huyen Han gives an extremely detailed tour of the shelter, making note of what life was like while bunkered down underground.
“There’s guests that come here that don’t know the bunker is here or that it may not be important. It’s important to share information about it,” said Han.
Guests can visit the bunker as part of the Path of History tour, which teaches the history of the Metropole. After a walk through a corridor which documents the storied history, guests are led down a flight of stairs by the hotel pool to a deep underground shelter that’s four metres underground. The shelter features a series of cement-walled rooms that are short and narrow that are reinforced by thick steel doors.
“The bunker could only hold 50 people at a time,” said Han.
Guests can’t help but feel claustrophobic while piling into each room to get a sense of what survival was like during the war. Baez’s strong lyrics blare in the background, which is haunting and humbling at the same time.
Han said Baez stayed at the Metropole as a guest in 1972, exploring Hanoi and the hotel grounds to get creatively inspired. Han said Baez wrote the song “Where Are You Now, My Son?” at the hotel and recorded the sounds of war aircraft that were used in the tune.
The 45-minute tour takes guests back to a historic time in Vietnam and world history. It is an enriching experience indeed. The Path of History tour is only available to guests at the Metropole.
EXPLORING THE STREETS OF VIETNAM
The best way to experience the flavour of a city is to put on some comfortable shoes and hit the ground walking. Luckily there’s plenty for visitors to explore throughout the country.
In Hanoi, there’s no better place to get a glimpse of its daily life than taking a stroll through the Old Quarter, a district of 36 streets that’s been a haven for merchants for more than 600 years.
One of the most popular places to trek in the Old Quarter is Train Street, which runs between Kham Thien and Le Duan Street.
Built by the French in the 19th century, it’s famous for having a track run through the roadway which was once used by trains which carried goods between Hanoi and other parts of Vietnam.
Today, it’s a popular destination for visitors to walk through or sit at one of many cafes to have a cup of Java and watch the occasional train travel through.
Hoi An is another popular tourist destination. Walking through the streets will reveal Vietnamese and foreign-influenced architecture and a bustling marketplace, a well-preserved example of a trading port that dates back to the 19th century.
Visitors can get everything from street food and souvenirs to jewellery and custom-tailored linen clothing.
It’s worth making a stop along the river to see a plethora of lanterns and boats, or take a selfie at the Japanese bridge, a footbridge that dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
For those craving something to eat, make a stop at Bahn Mi Phu’Ong for some delicious Bahn mi sandwiches. The shop is a popular destination with visitors after it was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s ‘No Reservation’ program. A sandwich must be good if it’s Bourdain-approved!
Mui Neis a small town in southeast Vietnam known for its fishing community and beach resorts. It’s worth leaving your accommodations to check out the beaches, where many fishing boats can be found when not in use.
If you’re not afraid of getting a little wet (and getting sand on your feet), make a trek through the Fairy Stream, a shallow flow of water that leads visitors to vibrant views of stone beds and greenery. At the end of the stream is the Vita Garden Zoo where some animals can be found and where you can get a picture in the stream with a snake for a fee.
There are many temples in Mui Ne worth checking out if you don’t mind hiking up a lot of steep trails to get to them.
Navigating through the streets on a cyclo is exciting as it’s a good chance to see a ton of sites while driving by. A great stop to walk around is the famed night market where you can snack on some dried mangoes or other sweet delectables.
WHERE TO STAY
THE ANAM MUI NE — The world paradise perfectly sums up The Anam Mui Ne in South Vietnam.
Featuring 127 rooms, The Anam (theanam.com) is a small luxury hotel that’s situated along a picturesque sun-kissed coastline that attracts beachgoers from all around the world.
This accommodation has all the Vietnamese Charm, with rooms influenced by old-world Indochine, paying tribute to traditional Vietnamese and Indochine styles with indigenous materials. Each room has its unique charm that guests will adore.
The most popular attractions at the hotel are the two pools. The main pool is surrounded by the main buildings, while a second salt mineral pool is located oceanside.
ALMA — Imagine waking up, opening the drapes and seeing a beautiful beach daily.
A stay in a villa at Alma Resort (alma-resort.com) in Cam Ranh guarantees every day with a breathtaking view of Long Beach. Situated on 30 hectares of land, this resort features 580 suites and pavilions that offer stunning views of the water.
The beachside villas are like small-sized apartments, and offer three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room and your own private pool.
The resort complex also boasts several restaurants, a water park, science and a cinema among the available amenities. The perfect place for travellers seeking adventure and relaxation.
FLYING HIGH IN COMFORT
If you’re flying more than halfway around the world to Vietnam, you might as well be comfortable.
Cathay Pacific (cathaypacific.com) offers comfortable flying options with flights to Hong Kong before transferring flights en route to Vietnam.
If price isn’t a worry, business class is the best way to fly with comfortable pods that recline to become lie-flat beds for slumber. Another option Cathay Pacific offers is premium economy, which features lots of space, endless watch options for inflight entertainment, and an upgraded food menu.
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