Six Senses Hideaway Ninh Van Bay

Khanh H òa

Vietnam, in the Indo-Chinese peninsula, measures about 1,700 kilometers and runs along the China Sea. Khanh Hòa, 1,200 kilometers from Hanoi in the southern part of the peninsula, has a wealth of natural resources. Its mountains, hills, plains and islands all contain a great many rare essences. Aloe, eagle and sandalwood are important to the local population as are the oranges, grapefruit, lemons, the Cam Ranh mango, the anone and the melon. However, what gives the region its specificity is the production of salangane or swallow’s nest so popular throughout a great part of Asia. Gathered in caves where the salangane, a member of the martin family, makes its home, it consists of a whitish edible mucous which looks a bit like Chinese noodles.

The region’s coast covers a large surface and faces a multitude of islands and islets. Nha Trang, whose bay is considered one of the most beautiful in the world, is the region’s capital. It’s a very popular tourist destination because of its many remarkable sites including a pagoda with a nine-meter high Buddha, the Cham Temple and its mud baths. The moderate tropical climate is an invitation to take advantage of the sea nearby and especially its marine depths which are among the most exceptional in Vietnam.

A luxurious oasis in the China Sea

The Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, just a few hundred meters from Nha Trang, in the heart of Ninh Van Bay, is located on a deserted beach between the sea, the mountains and a coral reef. Accessible only by boat, we cannot see the hotel’s different villas until the very last minute as they blend in perfectly with the landscape.

Built in the style of former Vietnam houses, these bungalows with palm leaf roofs are spread along the coast, highlighted by the perfectly and naturally polished round basalt rocks, and in the tropical garden along the hill. The interiors have simple almost rustic but chic furniture including bamboo beds, bits of wood from sailing ships to close the palm wood furniture and the windows, waxed paper for the lamps and a sheet metal receptacle for a sink. It’ a Robinson Crusoe experience with the addition of all modern comforts.

Whether on the beach, amidst the basalt rock or on the hill, all the villas have a private swimming pool and a superb view of the sea. This unique site in the bay makes a number of activities possible like surfboarding, sailing, water skiing, fishing, ocean cruises to the magnificent neighboring islands like La Baleine (The Whale) and deep sea diving to discover the magnificent ocean depths.

After a day of water sports, there’s nothing better than a visit to the spa. The Six Senses offers a vast choice of massages and relaxation treatments, a sauna and a hammam.

Throughout the day, the hotel’s restaurants propose a cuisine inspired by Vietnamese and other Asian influences. Since the sea plays such an important role here, fresh fish and lobster are choice dishes, and for those who prefer, meals can be served in one’s own villa.

The French, during the colonial era, called the city of Nha Tran, the “little Nice of Indochina.” Expatriates would come here to relax, and it quickly became a vacation spot for rich colonists tired of the city.