Evason - Vietnam

Evason Hideaway

Vietnam's newest luxury resort is an extraordinary escapist haven.
By Jonathan Siskin

It's always wise to expect the unexpected when traveling far from home, and fortunately unforeseen circumstances and unanticipated "bumps in the road" often lead to favorable outcomes. Such was the case during a recent trip to Vietnam when the intervention of a typhoon resulted in a change of itinerary and gave me the opportunity to visit the Evason Hideaway & Spa at Ana Mandara. I still fondly recall this detour as a highlight of my visit to a fascinating southeast Asian nation that is rapidly emerging as one of the world's "must-see" destinations.

Although much of Vietnam's appeal revolves around the rich cultural and historic heritage of cities like Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) , there is another lesser known aspect of the Vietnam travel experience that provides penultimate privacy at escapist resorts like the Hideaway. Spectacularly situated overlooking Nha Trang Bay on an island off Vietnam's southern coast, this luxury boutique property is a favorite of honeymooners and other romantically inclined jetsetters seeking a haven far from the tourist hordes.

While I am a low-maintenance guy and the antithesis of a metrosexual, I never eschew the perks of upscale travel. Determined to take full advantage of this unanticipated visit, I quickly changed into my bathing suit and went for a morning swim and snorkel in the salubrious waters of the bay. In the afternoon I went for a bicycle ride on pathways leading through the resort and later indulged in a spa treatment before concluding the day with some quality wining and dining at the Hideaway's restaurant. While I had just a day here, most visitors stay at least a week which allows sufficient time for them to partake of various fun in the sun pleasures as well as to participate in excursions around the island and also take a trip to the mainland.

Accommodations are among the finest I have encountered at a luxury resort as the five categories of villas, beach, water, rock, hilltop, and spa, are exceptionally spacious and come with private butlers. Beach villas are especially popular since they are the only ones with direct access the powdery sands and offer spectacular views of the bay. Each villa features generous use of rattan, bamboo and other native recycled woods and are designed to blend harmoniously into the surroundings. I was especially enamored of my rock villa suspended above jagged rock formations at the far end of the beach from where I could observe the fluctuation of the tides and the interplay of the waves crashing over the rocks. The ubiquitous sounds of wind and waves pulsated through the villa with a natural rhythm that transformed my temporary abode into a place of sensual pleasure beyond measure.

A pacesetter in the movement toward sustainable tourism, Six Senses, which owns the Soneva Fushi Resort in the Maldives and manages hotels and resorts under the brand names Soneva, Evason, and Evason Hideaway, has devoted considerable resources to limiting the adverse impact of its resorts on the local environment. The Hideaway's energy and power supply comes from low RPM diesel generators with low emissions, while all electrical equipment and machinery also operate on low speed RPM. Another top priority is to ensure the survival of the marine environment and it has embarked on a five year plan to improve the coral bed in front of the bay. Much of the lush tropical vegetation has been preserved, no trees or plants were cut down during construction, and subsequent steps have been taken to augment the natural surroundings including the planting of over 3,000 coconut palms along the beach.

The Hideaway's Six Senses Spa, Vietnam's first international standard spa facility, is a full-service, 10,000-square-foot holistic retreat that rests on riverbeds amidst the lush vegetation of a former coconut plantation. The spa's six treatment rooms are equipped with sunken Jacuzzis, a Vichy shower and Japanese-style bath, while the menu of healing and revitalizing treatments includes several Vietnamese specialties such as the "Vietnamese Fruit Body Smoother," Vietnamese Herbal Healer," and "Natural Vietnamese Facial." All treatments employ Sodashi products free of chemicals, synthetic fragrances, and animal products. I selected the "Vietnamese Green Tea Scrub," which uses green tea combined with sea salt for a terrific skin cleansing. After the treatment I was drawn by the aroma of incense wafting from the open-air relaxation pavilion where couples lounge on double-sized day beds suspended above the gently flowing waters of a stream.

Jonathan Siskin, Organic Spa's contributing editor of land and sea, is a New York City-based writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications.

Evason Hideaway

Doubles from $667

www.sixsenses.com