May 2015

268 318

TRAVEL
268 May15
FACT FILE
Getting there
Access to Hoi An is from Da Nang, a 30-minute cab-
ride from the airport. Da Nang is a one-hour flight
from Ho Chi Minh City with Vietnam Airlines or one of
any number of budget carriers that offer great value
return tickets for less than US$100. Singapore is well
connected to Ho Chi Minh City by Vietnam Airlines
and Singapore Airlines.
Where to stay
HOTEL PULLMAN SAIGON CENTRE
A Vietnam holiday invariably kicks off with a shopping
spree in Saigon, and the very new Hotel Pullman
Saigon Centre is an excellent choice for a short or
longer stay in the country’s booming commercial
hub. About a 10-minute stroll from the famous Ben
Thanh market, the Pullman is a sleeker, more modern
competitor to the city’s fustier five-star properties,
many in sore need of renovation. Pulling off the
delicate balance between luxury and contemporary
design, the Pullman’s rooms are generous in size and
feature cutting-edge toys including TVs equipped with
software that allows guests to streammedia from their
smartphones. Cobalt, the restaurant and bar located
on the 30th and 31st floors, is worth a visit in its own
right, offering great views of the city at cocktail hour
and a peek at Saigon’s beautiful people later in the
evening.
THE NAM HAI, HOI AN
It’s hard not to shed a tear when you the exit this
extraordinary property for the last time on your
holiday. Perched on a white, sandy beach about a
10-minute shuttle from Hoi An, The Nam Hai boasts
a trophy cabinet crammed with international travel
awards, and the staff appear hungry for more, offering
top-notch service, food and facilities. The 100 villas of
varying size are dotted around 35 hectares of tropical
gardens, their design a luxurious nod to traditional
Vietnamese homes with raised beds, ornate wooden
carvings and cathedral ceilings.
Staff happily show off the property’s sprawling
organic garden where trees strain with fruit and the
freshest produce ends up on your dinner plate. The
NamHai’s spa is astonishing, too, with treatment rooms
floating like a string of pearls over a pond of lotus
flowers, lily pads and sleepy carp.