A southeast Asian country known for its bustling cities, beautiful beaches, rivers and Buddhist pagodas, among so much more, Vietnam is a captivating place that brings back visitors in their droves each year.
One such destination popular with tourists visiting from around the world is Cam Ranh Bay, a 20-mile long deepwater inlet on the East Sea boasting paradisiacal white sand beaches and a serene environment, perfect for relaxing. And here you’ll find the all-encompassing Alma Resort Cam Ranh.
Commanding 74 acres of beachfront in Vietnam’s new ‘it’ destination, the 196-pavilion and 384-suite Alma Resort has unveiled an unprecedented array of world-class facilities including no less than 14 sublime food and beverage outlets and a cascade of 12 beachfront swimming pools.
The resort
Bold, spacious and emblematic of Vietnam’s maturation as a destination, the independently owned and operated luxury resort is breaking new ground in Cam Ranh, a peninsula on Vietnam’s south-central coast that first found fame as Southeast Asia’s greatest deepwater harbour and is now rising as an upscale alternative to nearby Nha Trang.
Alma is home to an awe-inspiring host of world-class facilities, such as an eclectic range of restaurants helmed by leading chefs, a food court with an array of local and international cuisine, a classical bar, pool bar and beach bar, and mini supermarket.
Other draws include a science museum, waterpark, 13-treatment room spa, cinema, convention centre, amphitheatre, youth centre with virtual reality games, kid’s club, water sports centre, gymnasium and yoga room and an 18-hole putting green.
As a complement to Cam Ranh’s aquamarine waters and dramatic headlands, Alma’s design sets a contemporary tone with a neutral palette of whites, earthy colours and soft blues, accentuated with modern yet minimalist décor and abstract artwork. Floor-to-ceiling glass panels usher in an abundance of natural light in the resort’s 580 oversized accommodations that all afford spectacular vistas of Long Beach.
“With a broad spectrum of inspiring things to see and do, this ambitious resort is emblematic of what Vietnam is just now becoming – a destination not merely for travellers but for people on holiday,” said managing director Herbert Laubichler-Pichler, an Austrian hospitality veteran with life-long experience including 16 years in Vietnam managing three of the country’s most acclaimed hotels.
Guest suites and pavilions
The resort’s spacious accommodations include one-, two- and three-bedroom ocean view suites spanning 71, 114 and 165 square metres respectively, and one-, two- and three-bedroom ocean view and ocean front pavilions ranging from 144 to 224 square metres.
Facing the ocean, all of the suites and pavilions offer balconies or terraces with sweeping views of the sea, where traditional sampans and coracles still ply the waters and islands are strewn just offshore.
Contemporary and crisp, the ocean front two-bedroom upper floor pavilions, and one-, two- and three-bedroom ground floor pavilions are within reach of the waves. The ocean view two-bedroom upper floor pavilions, and one-, two- and three-bedroom ground floor pavilions are set amongst the resort ground’s elevated pathways, close to the pools landscaped on terraces leading down to the beach.
All of the three-bedroom pavilions and the one- and two-bedroom ground floor pavilions boast private swimming pools and terraces with sunbeds. The two-bedroom upper floor pavilions feature expansive balconies with a private jacuzzi.
Inland from the pavilions, the suites are situated on elevated ground, affording panoramic views of the resort, Long Beach and the East Sea.
In addition to views of Long Beach, all of the suites and pavilions feature master bedrooms with soaking bathtubs and separate rainwater showers, huge living rooms with massive sofas and their own large bathrooms, kitchen and dining areas. They are equipped with all sorts of amenities and gadgets for boosted holiday luxury including sensor-controlled air-conditioning, Bluetooth televisions, ample closet space and kitchens with microwave ovens, fridges and tea and coffee making facilities, allowing guests to cook light meals or heat up food in their suite or pavilion.
Food and drink
A total of 14 diverse food and beverage venues entice diners from outlets casual enough for fried chicken and refined enough for a grand piano accompaniment.
Alma Garden beats at the heart of the resort, seating a total of 450 guests with live cooking stations that evoke a marketplace atmosphere, and a sprawling terrace that looks out to the Pool Bar merged into the first of the pools cascading down to the beach. Alma Garden serves an extensive buffet breakfast spread of Western and Asian favourites.
With a vast deck for al fresco dining that sits above Alma’s strand and interior bedecked with striking turquoise tiling complementing the surrounding azure waters and skies, Atlantis specialises in fresh local seafood. Seating 170 guests, the restaurant’s live seafood tanks showcase local favourites such as Long Beach Sea Crab, Nha Trang flower crab, Cam Ranh white pomfret, Nha Trang grouper, Thuy Trieu sea clam and Cam Hai sweet snails.
Serving evening meals direct from its open kitchen to its interior and patio bathed in soft lighting, Alma’s Italian trattoria La Casa is a sophisticated dining setting seating 164 guests. The restaurant’s chefs combine authentic Italian ingredients with organic products to create a wide selection of classic Italian dishes including delectable antipasti, fresh handmade pasta and bread made in the open kitchen, and pizza served with a remarkable list of wines.
Promising to offer something to suit everyone’s palate, Alma Food Court is a fun culinary hub that seats 312 guests, offering six different food outlets including An Nam selling Vietnamese classics, a Tokyo Express food truck with Japanese cuisine, The Noodle House serving beef and chicken noodle soups, Little New York offering chicken cooked in a Henny Penny fryer, the French Bakery and Espresso Bar serving coffee, tea and freshly squeezed juice.
Adjacent to the Alma Food Court, the Alma Lounge is home to a café, bar and ample seating, defined by flowing, curved open spaces and a spectacular view of the sea. As darkness falls, the resident pianist tickles the ivories of a grand piano. With its sports bar theme, American Lounge and Bar features large screens that air the latest sports matches. The bar seats 160 guests and serves creative cocktails, fine wines, classic whiskies, ice-cold beers and more paired with light bites. Cocktails and other drinks are served at the Pool Bar’s swim-up bar and cabanas, and at the Beach Bar array of loungers.
Spa and fitness
Le Spa features 13 separate treatment villas sprinkled onto the landscape, each named after a different Vietnamese flower, as well as ‘his and hers’ saunas and steam rooms. Guests stroll through the garden to the spa’s relaxation suite for a refreshing post-treatment herbal tea.
Located near Le Spa is the 171 square metre fitness gym, fully-equipped with treadmills, free weights, and resistance and cardio machines. The resort’s wellness experts also lead yoga sessions in the yoga room.
The 12 pools cascading down to the beach include a 75-metre beachfront pool for laps, an adults-only pool and a jacuzzi pool in which to unwind with friends. Visually compelling cabanas and loungers are dotted on the pools’ terraces.
Recreation and entertainment
A lazy river runs through Alma’s 6,000 sqm Splash Water Park, which also features a wave pool, kid’s pool and water slides.
The Kids’ Club is home to trampolines, ball pens, climbing frames, an arts and crafts area, library, nap zone as well as piles of toys and games all under the supervision of the resort’s fully qualified carers. In addition to singing and dancing lessons, cooking classes and team games, adjacent to the club is a huge kids-only pool complete with fountains and water games.
Active Youth Club lures teens with virtual reality games, video games, table football, billiards tables, as well as a chill-out space with bean bags and a snack bar for quick bites and drinks.
Designed to engage minds young and old, the Science Museum promotes interactive learning through a host of exhibits focused on mind-boggling wonders such as Bernoulli’s principle, electromagnetic induction, viscosity, magnetic fields, moving images, electricity generation, communication vessels, optical illusions, pulley systems and more.
The 400-seat 1,000 sqm Alma Amphitheater is ideal for outdoor events. Complete with a popcorn concession, the 75-seat private Alma Cinema airs three films daily with movies for all ages from Hollywood blockbusters to rom-coms. Upstairs from the American Lounge and Bar, the resort’s karaoke rooms comprises five sound-proof karaoke rooms.
Sporting facilities range from a water sports centre offering pursuits such as kayaking and bodyboarding, a beachfront football field, and tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, to an outdoor archery range, an 18-hole putting green, open-air exercise stations and a giant chess board.
Standing alone from the resort’s main area but still within easy reach of its facilities, the Alma Convention Center is comparable to convention centres found in major cities around the world. Catering to multiple-day conventions, weddings, exhibitions, gala dinners, banquets and product launches, the complex includes a 300-guest ballroom that can be partitioned into three smaller rooms, a collection of meeting rooms, a lobby bar and reception areas, as well as exclusive parking and access away from the resort entrance to allow for simple and prompt arrivals and departures.
The resort’s mini supermarket Alma Mart sells vacation essentials such sunscreens and umbrellas to treats, drinks and snacks. The Gift Shop offers souvenirs such as local handicrafts, and the tour desk helps orchestrate day trips and excursions in the local area.
Sustainability
In a bid to be more sustainable and self-sufficient, Alma has created its own onsite herb garden, nursery garden and chicken farm, providing fresh produce and eggs served at Alma’s restaurants.
Situated adjacent to Atlantis and La Casa, two herb gardens that are 180sqm and 230 sqm respectively feature mustard leaves, water spinach, red and green chili peppers, Vietnamese basil, lettuce, green onions, white radish, and bok choy.
The 1,000 sqm nursery garden is home to bananas, coconuts, papaya, squash, passionfruit, sunflowers, daises and various local flowers. Hens, roosters and chicks rule the roost at the 260 sqm chicken farm. Both the nursery garden and the chicken farm are situated a short walk from the Active Youth Club.
The kitchen staff are thrilled they can pick produce from the gardens, with mustard leaves and lettuce from the herb gardens used in salads served at the resort’s restaurants. Eggs from the chicken farm and bananas from the nursery are on offer during breakfast at Alma Garden, and coconuts are served to guests as drinks. The resort runs complimentary guided garden tours to equip guests with handy tips on how to nurture their own veggie patch and look after chickens. Alma is also planning to roll out cooking classes by the garden, where guests pick, clean, and cook their own healthy meals.
Alma is implementing Vietnam’s most ambitious solar power project yet for a hotel. The project involves the installation of 4,576 solar panels totalling 12,500 sqm on the roofs of the resort’s 196 pavilions, buildings housing 384 suites, lobby lounge, spa, gymnasium and staff building.
With a capacity of 2,517 kilowatts peak – the rate at which it generates energy at its peak performance on a sunny day – the system will fuel between a quarter to almost half of Alma’s energy needs, depending on occupancy. It’s estimated this system will save Alma up to USD 16.21 million (VND 376 billion) in electricity bills over the next 25 years and reduce Alma’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 70,369 tonnes over a 25-year period.
Alma also appointed its first sustainability officer to track the property’s energy use, resource conservation, recycling, pollution reduction, waste elimination, transportation, education efforts and building design. The role also involves creating sustainability programmes, budgets and schedules, evaluating the success of sustainability initiatives, and managing three staff committees focused on ‘green products’, ‘innovation and solutions’ and ‘people and partnerships’.
In addition to engaging staff in sustainability initiatives, Alma has other measures in place to reduce its carbon footprint including a water treatment plant, electric buggy station, recycling in its garbage room and the resort’s transition to paperless solutions. The 325 sqm water treatment plant deploys a reverse osmosis system to provide 70,000 litres weekly of drinkable water and ice for all the resort’s kitchens. The garbage room processes about 250 kilograms of garbage a day, including compostable waste and recyclables, reselling an average of, for example, 110 litres of cooking oil weekly to non-food businesses so that it is recycled.
For more information or to book a stay visit alma-resort.com or, if you’re feeling lucky, you could win a five-night stay for a family of up to four at the resort simply by voting in our sixth annual LLM Readers’ Travel Awards. Find more about this great prize here – Win a luxury 5-night stay for a family of up to 4 at Alma Resort in Vietnam.
All imagery supplied by Alma Resort.
