The Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Vietnam – A Haven of Holistic Luxury and Timeless Vietnamese Charm

Nestled along the pristine Ha My Beach, with easy accessibility to both Danang and Hoi An, The Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, seamlessly blends world-class luxury with the soul of Vietnam’s rich heritage.

My descent into Danang was like no other. As the plane made a beeline for land, clouds arose like smoke from the caldron of earth. A descent obscured by the visuals of an ascent. It was not till I was on ground and out of the airport that the beautiful coastline became real.

The Four Seasons chauffeur who received me, pleasantly chatted along the way telling me about Vietnamese stone art an adjacent village prized itself on and asking me about my travel plans for Vietnam. It was a most leisurely thirty minute drive to the hotel replete with small, thoughtful luxuries - a refreshing cold towel; some delicious, paper thin coconut crackers and crunchy lotus seeds for a savoury alternative.

4500 coconut palms awaited my welcome on the Four Seasons estate. Together with a crisp, cold breeze that shifted the clouds effortlessly every now and then to give clear view of the blue waters of the Ha My beach. A kilometer of this beautiful beach serenades the resort. The reception area breathtakingly looks out to the beach. In its view, it takes in the entire tapestry of the five elements that unmistakably weave nurture into this resort – the expanse of sky; the lift of wind; the lushness of earth; the wholeness of the sun and the serenity of water.

From the resort reception, a breathtaking view unfolds

I’m offered a cup of their welcome drink – a sweet herbal, concoction that provides some insulation to the chilly wind. Just as the hotel staff warmly greet me and share that it has been uncharacteristically blustery for February, the sun decides to thwart the wind with a sudden appearance. And by the time I reached Café Nam Hai for lunch, the sun was all out transforming the ocean to glistening mirror beads. Saif, the Director of Food and Beverage at the resort, joined us for lunch. A culinary maestro and an amazing raconteur, we journeyed with his stories. He worked at six Four Seasons hotels before his move to The Nam Hai Resort. Café Nam Hai is the resort’s flagship restaurant and bar. Its innovative Indian menu showcases dishes Saif learnt from his mother, imparting a sense of originality and exclusivity derived from home-made nurture. They include a buttered black lentil preparation - the Daal Khaas Nam Hai; Prawn Pulao and Patarani Macchi (a delicately, flavourful fish preparation). Their menu’s reinvention of the famous South Indian dish – the idli, by adding succulent lobsters to it, is unmissably delectable. 

The Café Namhai's reinvention of the classic South Indian idli, with succulent lobster

Saif was also instrumental in the development of the very exclusive Japanese restaurant NAYUU, which offers only an Omakase (chef’s choice) Menu. Sustainability is taken very seriously at the resort with 99% of the ingredients for the kitchen coming either from their in-house gardens and farms or their carefully selected local suppliers. Except for NAYUU where the Wagyu beef is flown in from Japan bi-weekly to ensure freshness. The resort’s third restaurant, Lá Sen, serves up award winning Vietnamese and French cuisine.

At Saif’s recommendation I tried the Namhai Coconut Coffee, the resort’s take on the famous Vietnamese coffee. It was not mere coffee drinking; it was an experience to savour. Right from how delicately it was served between a coconut shell atop a wooden board and coir and a small beaker. Coffee from the beaker was gently poured into the mix in the coconut shell that contained coconut cream, condensed milk and soft coconut flesh interspersed with coffee coloured jelly pieces made from a local, nutritious Vietnamese herb. For a non-coffee drinker, I must admit, it was intoxicatingly delicious. 

Savouring the resort's delectable Namhai Coconut Coffee

Being a solo traveller, I stayed in a one bed villa. Its stylish tripartite sections included a regal bedroom, a warmly welcoming living area and a study/work section. The dressing area was indulgent. The view of the outdoor section of my villa meandered through the stretch of white sand and palm combs to the azure sea. Birdsong was always plenty and calming. For those travelling with family, the larger villas come with a dedicated butler service and a private infinity pool. 

My luxurious open plan, split level villa

Vietnamese lanterns – a symbol of light and letting go, in bright colours dot the entire property. Come nightfall, hanging from the palms they colourfully light up the resort like colourful, miniature moons descending from the sky. The lanterns are a symbol that the resort spa – The Heart of the Earth, uptakes most resonantly. 

The spa reception is signatured by a glass bust of the Buddha. The Buddha’s chest is a silhouette through which you can take in the tranquil lotus pond lined with palm trees and the eight spa suites. ‘A Goodnight Kiss to the Earth’ ceremony, which I was invited to partake in (all guests are), is at the heart of the healing the spa encourages. When I set sail the lantern on the pond, came the simple awareness that when you let go, the complicated becomes simple. Realising the power lies not in holding on but in letting go because surrendering to the universe means we are activating the faith that it has our back. Much like the nightly boat rides in the ancient town of Hoi An which is just a ten minute drive from the resort. A repository of Vietnam’s trading history, culture, art and architecture, today Hoi An is synonymous with the ritual of releasing lanterns to the river waters. 

The Heart of the Earth Spa's serenity as viewed from the 'Heart of the Buddha'

My last day at the resort began with a very early morning visit to the local market with Chef Thien from The Nam Hai Cooking Academy – the resort’s in house culinary school. His talent belies his years – all of 21. His stories were captivating – from the intricacies of Vietnamese food to his inspirational journey of becoming a chef (the men in his home were adamant the kitchen and cooking was only a woman’s preserve). Thien challenged this by wanting to help his mother and grandmother as they cooked for their large family. And that’s how his journey to being a chef began. Back at the Cooking Academy, I got the enviable chance to learn my favourite Vietnamese dishes from Vietnamese spring rolls and the dipping sauce, to fresh Vietnamese salads and the turmeric, rice noodles. 

Learning how to master the art of the Vietnamese Spring Roll at the Nam Hai Cooking Academy

My stay at the resort was marked by a profound sense of welcome and nurture. Some of the small things that made my stay extraordinary, included - the grounding yoga session by Linh; my novel villa key that hung from a bunched thick threaded, red tassel; The Nam Hai Cooking Academy apron I was gifted, which in my London kitchen conjures the memories of Vietnamese food, of Vietnamese nurture; my relish of the unannounced rain that tangoed with the resort’s sand and sea; how seashells, string and beads transformed to striking artwork I created in the resort’s Seashell Art Workshop. Most of all, it was the kindness of the staff – from Linh’s support in planning my trip much before I arrived; Thien’s stories of Vietnamese flavours as he guided me through the vibrant local market; my taxi driver River’s patient help with translating as he escorted me to the coconut boat ride; the lithe dexterity of the teacher who taught me how to make a Vietnamese fan; and the goodbye greeting of the Resort Manager Michael before my car pulled out – ‘you have a friend at the Four Seasons’.

The artwork I created at the resort's Seashell Artwork Workshop

My villa bed side table had a bookmark with words by the Vietnamese mindfulness monk Thich Nhat Hanh – The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. 

And this begins with learning to gift ourselves the attention we need. Taking their moorings from the ethos of Thich Nhat Hanh, The Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, is a most perfectly blended place of worldclass luxury and profound nurture, to realise and rekindle this awareness.

©Dr Priya Virmani

Photo credits - The Four Seasons Resort the Nam Hai and Dr. Priya Virmani

Further details - for a curated holiday at The Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai - email ameluxetravel@gmail.com

Resort Details - https://www.fourseasons.com/hoian/                                                                          Address - Block Ha My Dong B, Dien Duong Ward, Dien Ban Town, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam

This article was written by Dr Priya Virmani - who is an author, travel expert and well being therapist.