Accor banking on Vietnam destinations

Leading global hotel operator Accor is very keen on the future of tourism in Vietnam. 

Accor and Sun Group, one of Vietnam's leading real estate and tourism developers, have strengthened a long-standing partnership with the signing of a strategic portfolio deal that will see the development of more than 5,300 rooms over the next five years.

Located in key destinations, including Phu Quoc and Danang, the new properties include hotels, resorts and serviced residences. 

Several Accor brands will also be introduced to the Vietnam market for the very first time including Sofitel Serviced Residences, Swissôtel Living and TRIBE as well as Ennismore's fashion-driven lifestyle brand SO/. 

The expanded partnership will also further strengthen the presence of established brands such as MGallery, Grand Mercure and ibis Styles.

Sébastien Bazin, Accor chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said: “Vietnam has emerged as one of Asia's most dynamic destinations, and this milestone agreement reflects both the strength of our partnership with Sun Group and our shared ambition to shape the long-term evolution of Vietnam's tourism sector. 

“We remain focused on expanding our network in destinations that offer travellers more meaningful ways to connect with the culture and natural beauty of the country. These developments will bring a diverse mix of brands and experiences to market, creating new opportunities for tourism and contributing to Vietnam's continued growth on the global stage."

Dang Minh Truong, chairman of the Board of Directors, Sun Group, was equally optimistic, saying: “Sun Group has been committed to creating world-class destinations that celebrate Vietnam's identity and unlock the tourism potential of remarkable places across the country. 

“This landmark agreement with Accor marks an important step in that journey. By bringing Accor's diverse hospitality ecosystems and new experiences to Vietnam, we are not only elevating hospitality standards but also enhancing the attractiveness and competitiveness of our destinations, generating economic opportunities, and contributing to the sustainable growth of Vietnam's tourism industry."

The first phase of the portfolio includes Bana Hills Hotel Danang - MGallery Collection; Ruby Beach Hotel - MGallery Collection, SO/ Phu Quoc Ruby Beach, Grand Mercure Phu Quoc Ruby Beach, TRIBE Hon Thom Phu Quoc and ibis Styles Hon Thom Phu Quoc. 

Growing interest in culinary adventures in Vietnam

Australians have a growing appetite for food experiences across Vietnam - from street eats to Michelin-starred eateries. 

BestPrice Travel is one of the companies leading the way with food tours designed for Australian travellers who are increasingly seeking immersive culinary experiences. 

Vietnam has emerged as a leading destination for food-focused adventures, the company says.

That coincides with Australian tourism to Vietnam continuing to surge, with a 35.4% increase in arrivals recorded in the 2024-2025 financial year alone. 

More than ever, Australian travellers are seeking authentic, hands-on culinary experiences that connect them to local cultures -through food, farming, and regional flavours.

In recent years, Vietnam has experienced a culinary renaissance. 

With nine restaurants awarded a Michelin star across Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Danang , the Asian country is increasingly gaining global recognition. 

This gastronomic boom has gone hand-in-hand with the rise in food tourism as travellers are increasingly seeking immersive experiences ranging from street food tours and regional tastings to hands-on cooking classes and market visits.

BestPrice Travel aims to set itself apart by offering culinary journeys that connect Australians directly with Vietnamese chefs, farmers, and coffee artisans. 

“It is no longer just pho and banh mi that travellers are indulging in - Vietnam’s evolving Michelin scene is highlighting new levels of culinary sophistication, all rooted in homegrown produce," says Khuc Tan Dung, founder and CEO of BestPrice Travel.

"Australians, much like Anthony Bourdain, who championed putting Vietnam on the global culinary map, can’t get enough of it and neither can Luke Nguyen, who understands the Australian appetite with over seven TV shows to date focused on Vietnamese cuisine. 

"And it It is not just the food scene; Vietnam’s vibrant coffee culture is also drawing attention. The country is home to over 640,000 coffee farms. 

Fuelling this culinary evolution is a new generation of young, creative Vietnamese chefs. 

BestPrice Travel says its "curated culinary journeys" go beyond sightseeing. Strong local networks allow them to design immersive food tours, incorporating sustainable tourism practices that support local chefs, producers, and communities.

The tours allow the chance to visit and dine in a 140-year-old preserved French colonial villa housing Spices Villa in Hanoi’s old quarter. 

“Australians are among the world’s most passionate travellers, especially when it comes to food,” says  Khuc Tan Dung. 

“We don’t’ just organise tours, we’re food story curators, taking guests through Vietnam’s culinary culture journey, from Hanoi street food tables to fine dining in Danang, ending with a simple family meal in the Mekong Delta, where guests have picked the produce themselves and cooked with the host.”

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Tours can be tailored to the needs of individual travellers.

See www.bestpricetravel.com

Vietnam flood alert as tourists evacuated

Thinking of heading to Central Vietnam over the next few weeks?

Maybe do some research first as the weather could play havoc with your plans during storm season.

Travellers visiting the region, including Danang, Hue and Hoi An, have been advised by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to be wary of possible disruptions due to major flooding and power outages, following heavy rainfall in the region.

Some tourists were evacuated by boat from Hoi An this week and re-located to other hotels after the Hoai River rose by two metres.

The heavy rain has turned Hoi An’s ancient streets into rivers. 

Reuters reported the floods had killed at least nine people and left five missing. 

As locals rushed to save their belongings in Hoi An, they started relying on boats instead of motorbikes, since parts of the historic town remain buried beneath two metres of water.

As water from the Thu Bon and Vu Gia rivers spilled over their banks, entire communes near Danang were cut off, local media reported.

Weather forecasts suggest heavy rains and floods will continue in the coming days.

Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, reported intense downpours across Hue, Danang, and neighbouring central provinces.

Khiem said the extreme weather resulted from a combination of a low-level cold air mass, an intensifying intertropical convergence zone moving northward, and strong easterly winds at altitudes of 1,500 to 5,000 meters - a typical pattern behind prolonged downpours in central Vietnam.

Khiem warned that central Vietnam may experience multiple rainstorms through mid-December, particularly from Ha Tinh to Danang, Khanh Hoa, and eastern parts of Quang Ngai to Dak Lak.

Image: Vietnamnet.vn 

Resort hotel delivers a delightfully beachy vibe

Just sitting enjoying a welcome drink and taking in the sea view, you know you have landed somewhere pretty special.

Overlooking water features, the resort swimming pool and the white sands of Bac My An Beach, Pullman Danang Beach Resort is a top spot for chilling out for a few days.

After you’ve done Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Danang offers a whole lot of contrasts; wide boulevards and an array of resorts aimed firmly at leisure travellers looking for cocktails, seafood and beachy pleasures.

The Pullman seems to have mastered the art of relaxation with a touch of luxury.

The Accor-operated resort offers a blend of stylish seaside serenity and urban excitement.

Think cocktails on the sands; a short stroll along the beach to food trucks and plenty of bar and massage options within a short stroll.

Danang, sometimes spelt as Da Nang, is one of Vietnam's most vibrant and modern cities and lies on the coast of the South China Sea of Vietnam at the mouth of the Han River.

It is an important port, a seafood centre, and increasingly popular as a tourism destination.

The city's major landmarks include the striking Dragon Bridge, and a giant female Buddha (above), which locals will tell you has reduced the number of serious weather events in the region since being constructed.

It is within 100km of several UNESCO World Heritage sites, incuding the former capital of Hue and major tourism hub Hoi An, making it an excellent choice as a base for exploring.

The Lady Buddha, 67 metres tall and completed in 2010, is believed to bring good luck and calm the weather for fishermen in the area.



Pullman Danang Beach Resort has a range of food and beverage outlets, including the Azure Beach Lounge, which offers a Vietnamese menu featuring dishes like seafood and mango salad and braised fish served in a clay pot. 

There is a more international vibe at Epice, where guests can enjoy spectacular buffet breakfasts. I enjoyed a cocktail or two at the beach bar watching spectacular evening storms roll in.

The hotel location is ideal. Right on the beach with direct access to the sand, it is a 15-minute drive from Danang International Airport and just 10 minutes from the main railway station, which links to both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

There are 186 well appointed rooms and cottages, all of which have private balconies that overlook either the beach, infinity pool, or tropical gardens. 

My very spacious and well appointed junior suite has had a great view of the Lady Buddha in the distance. 

The on-site The Nắng Spa offers a range of treatments and the Fit Lounge is a fully-equipped gym. 

 
For anyone planning a meeting, there is space for up to 900 delegates and the hotel complex is delightfully decorated with local artworks, including multiple dragonfly sculptures in striking colours.

For all these facilities, however, the staff are the stars of the show; uniformly helpful and smiling and on hand whenever you need them. 

For more details and direct bookings check out https://www.pullman-danang.com/

The writer was a guest of the hotel and Vietjet Airways, which flies from Ho Chi Minh City to major Australian cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, and also connects Hanoi to Sydney and Melbourne. Economy fares start at around $250, while business class fares begin at $1,100, with frequent seat sales on offer.

Opportunity Nox at Vietnam beach destination

 

Vietnam's central coast is turning up the summer heat for beach lovers, fun seekers and foodies.

NOX Beach Club is being promoted as south-east Asia's "most spectacular multi-experiential gastronomy and entertainment destination". 

Which is a big statement to live up to. 

The complex has six restaurants and bars, a large free-form swimming pool, cosy cabanas, sun loungers and a retail space on a prime stretch of beachfront land. 

Diners can enjoy a series of special dishes this summer, including NOX lobster banh mi at Banh Mi and Noodles (below) and Ccnocchia (squid ink pasta) at Osteria. 

There will also be a most unusual drink: Fish Sauce Ca Phe Phin; a fusion of Vietnamese cold brew coffee, whisky and home-made caramel fish sauce, poured over ice. 

Couples, families and friends can enjoy NOX Beach Club’s swish poolside cabanas. 

Cabana Packages let guests unwind in style in an exclusive cabana, including a private locker room, towel service, premium amenities, pool and beach access, a charging station, high-speed wifi etc. 

Then, as the sun starts to set, the party kicks into top gear with Sundown Social Happy Hour, offering 50% off signature cocktails, house pints, and pool snacks from 5-7pm. 

Rates start from VND 1,500,000 ($88) for up to three people.

At night, NOX Beach Club hosts events and pool parties with a Girls’ Night Out staged every Wednesday offering two hours of free-flow signature cocktails to all ladies from 8-10pm. Sounds like a riot. 

“NOX Beach Club is turning on the style this summer with an action-packed calendar of uplifting activities and attractions for all ages," says hype master Jimmy Lopez, general manager, New World Hoiana Hotel and New World Hoiana Beach Resort. 

For more info see www.noxhoian.com. 

The location is 15 minutes’ drive from Hoi An and 45 minutes from Danang. 

Viva the Revolution Express: Vietnam on the right track

Two original pre-independence steam locomotives have been restored to power the Revolution Express, a new heritage tourism experience in central Vietnam that will start in late 2024 or early 2025. 

Indochina Rail Tourist Service  and Wafaifo Optimisers have signed a management agreement for Wafaifo Optimisers to manage the Revolution Express steam train, a new tourist experience in central Vietnam. 

The two original steam locomotives from the 1960s have been refurbed to prime condition and the locomotives will pull two fully appointed retro-styled carriages that can seat up to 57 passengers each, as well as a custom-made kitchen carriage and a baggage carriage.

The locomotives are the last remaining working steam ones in Vietnam, dating from the pre-independence era, both built locally in Vietnam, based on the French Mikado design. 

They have been restored over a number of years, using original parts and utilising the skills of the last remaining steam engineers working for Vietnam Railways.

The Revolution Express will make a return trip between Danang city and the former royal capital of Hue each day. Each journey will traverse the scenic Hai Van coastal mountain range and stop at Lang Co, adjacent to beautiful lagoon and beach scenery.

Served by staff  in period costume (that sounds a bit naff), passengers will be able to enjoy light food and drinks as they view one of the most picturesque coastlines and mountain passes in south-east Asia.

Indochina Rail and Wafaifo Optimisers signed the partnership agreement on May 20  represented by Indochina Rail chairman Michael Gebbie, and Wafaifo Optimisers’ managing director Pieter van der Hoeven and commercial director Mikkel Krantz.

“We are proud to bring these old dames of rail back to life and to showcase important periods in Vietnamese history from imperial through colonial rule and finally the struggle to independence,” said Gebbie.

“We seek to give visitors an interactive sense of Vietnam's history and future. Whether you enjoy learning about history or trains, or just want to ride an authentic heritage steam train over the famously scenic Hai Van Pass, the Revolution Express will offer a magical experience for young and old alike”

Highlights of the tourist experience will include themed dining at the three railway stations on the route: Kim Lien (Danang), Lang Co and Hue. Each station will have its own menus and entertainment schedules to meet the arrival of the Revolution Express.

The train stations with their restaurants and retail offerings are being designed to also attract other road and VNR (Vietnam National Rail) passengers travelling between Danang, Lang Co and Hue on the scenic coastal route.

In Hue, the original train maintenance building is being refurbished as the Station Restaurant. The venue is being themed in an imperial manner befitting the history of Hue, the last bastion of the dynastic era in Vietnam.

In Lang Co, the restaurant will be themed to mark the independence that Vietnam enjoys today. Apart from a full restaurant offering, food carts will be on the station platform offering homemade ice cream, freshly squeezed fruit juices, Vietnamese coffee, and newly pressed sugar cane. Regular VNR-run trains all stop at Lang Co station for passenger refreshments.

Potentially, the third restaurant at the station on the outskirts of Danang will also be developed. If so, it will be themed in a colonial manner to reflect a different era in Vietnam’s national journey.

Wafaifo Optimisers will be responsible for marketing, booking and catering for the Revolution Express and its stations. The company will also open its own urban resort in the heritage city of Hoi An in the third quarter of this year (see previous story).

Further announcements on the commencement of the Revolution Express and how to book will be made in the next few months.