Wellness Beach Destinations
Beach destinations are especially popular during the Christmas and New Year holiday with visitors from cold climates seeking to escape towards the sun and sea of Vietnam. While there are numerous beautiful beaches in Vietnam, finding a location that has a wellness facility complete with spa, fitness center, wellness programs, and healthy eating options are still far and few. However, we’ve managed to find three gorgeous beach locales that are wellness minded and each with its own unique destination attraction. This first series of three will focus on Wellness and Food in Danang and Hoi An.
Part 1: Wellness and Food in Danang & Hoi An
Danang’s coastline along the South China Sea has some of the best international resort spas in the country. The most popular are the Nam Hai, Hyatt Pure Spa, Maia Spa and Intercontinental Danang Spa – all with impressive spa design and private spa suites complete with steam/sauna and flower baths set amongst beautiful natural landscapes.
If spa and wellness is your interest, then Fusion Maia Danang fits the bill. Though a boutique resort, Fusion Maia has the largest spa facility in Danang with 16 private rooms. The property is so wellness-minded that it offers a minimum of two complimentary spa treatments for every staying guests as a way to encourage guests to experience the real health benefits of spa treatments. This is a luxury few can afford on a daily basis back home so its worth taking advantage of. Additionally, guests have access to the resort’s Natural Living Program which encompasses spirit-lifting activities such as guided yoga and meditation along with numerous activities that support the Seven Daily Practices, a take home guide to help bring balance to your daily life. For the more active person, the resort has two large pools, a state of the art fitness center, and of course there’s the long stretch of beach for a run or power walk.
Food Therapy
Hoi An, a quaint former fishing village located 30km from Danang, is increasingly becoming well-known for its organic farming and delicious local specialties. Those familiar with Vietnamese food will know that it is considered as one of the healthiest with its slow cooking methods (noodle broths) and fresh green foods (vegetable spring rolls) and food in Hoi An is no exception.
Most of the organic herbs and vegetables found in restaurants and street food in Hoi An are sourced from a small village called Tra Que. Households in the village follow a strict traditional method of organic farming of fertilizing soil through seaweed from the river which by the way also gives the herbs a unique flavor. Try the mint and coriander from Hoi An and you’ll discover that it’s sweeter and the flavor more robust. Herbs and vegetables are also seasonal which is another way to know that it’s fresh and organic.
Local savory specialties in Hoi An all have herbs or vegetables in the dish or accompanying the dish. Cao Lau is a popular Hoi An noodle dish comprised of flat brown noodle with roasted pork topped with cilantro, mint, basil and salad greens. It’s healthy not only for its fresh herbs and vegetables but also for its slow cooking method which gives the dish its full flavor. There are also vegetarian versions substituted with tofu which is equally flavorful and delicious. You’ll find even the Banh Mi, though a meat sandwich, is stuffed with herbs to balance the flavor and assist in digestion.
If you’re truly interested to learn about where the food is sourced and how it’s prepared, you should consider joining one of many cooking class tours and demonstrations. You’ll appreciate the food you eat in Hoi An even more!
Next series: Wellness and Adventure on Con Dao Island
