There’s a well-trodden tourist path through Vietnam, but one place that isn’t on it is the coastal city of Quy Nhon. And with some of the most beautiful beaches in all of southeast Asia, quite why this hidden treasure remains little known to visitors is hard to fathom.

 

It’s only five hours by train down the coast from Da Nang, near Hôi An, and considering that Vietnam is more than 1,000 miles long – and it takes up to 37 hours to travel the length of it – that’s pretty darn close. It’s well worth a respite trip from the sensual overload of the country’s hot spots. Just don’t tell anyone else or they’ll all go!

 

Affordable luxury is a buzzword that actually rings true in the case of The Avani Resort on Bai Dai beach. Staying next door to its sister hotel, the luxe Anantara, means guests can use all the facilities of both without busting the budget.

 

All the Avani’s stylish rooms have beachfront balconies and nice touches like Malin+Goetz toiletries, and it attracts everyone from backpackers to families with young children.

 

Very little, mostly. Quy Nhon has a kilometre of white sand and, with just a handful of resorts scattered around, you almost get the place to yourself. In fact, we did, as the beach was deserted. Take a traditional coracle out to sea, go snorkelling and explore the rock pools in search of crabs. The Avani will also organise fishing trips – go squid jigging after dark with the fishermen in Nhon Ly before cooking your catch on the boat.

 

The Avani has a pool with a view, and a kids’ club. The spa offers family treatments, where kids have a mini massage and a milk bath, while parents have their own pampering session. Every morning, the spa also has free sun salutation yoga, and there are Vietnamese martial arts sessions with the local grandmaster, who is also the hotel’s security guard.

 

Sea.Fire.Salt, the restaurant at the Anantara, specialises in cooking on Himalayan salt bricks. Push the boat out with fresh lobster, or go for locally caught squid or king prawns, lamb chops or wagyu beef, served with a variety of flavoured salts.

For more rustic local eating, Avani’s Tre restaurant has dishes like Bún Cha Cá Bát Ðá, a speciality of fish cakes and fish balls in a noodle soup with fresh herbs and sautéed chilli sauce, as well as the local seaweed broth with tofu. Further down the beach, try Big Tree Bistro in the local fishing village for smoothies, beers, summer rolls and steaming bowls of pho.

Prices at the Avani Quy Nhon start at £125 including breakfast. The Vietage luxury train travels from Da Nang near Hôi An to Quy Nhon, or go to Vietnam Railways System for local trains.

More Information - https://www.thevietagetrain.com/