New resort in one of Vietnam's most desirable destinations

Hoi An is one of the most spectacular destinations in Vietnam - and it is about to gain a new resort destination.

The Wafaifo Hoi An Resort in the ancient heritage capital will open its doors September 1 and bookings are now open. 

The privately- and locally-owned boutique property will offer 134-rooms and suites and a range of dining and lifestyle outlets, a 10-minute walk from Hoi An’s UNESCO-listed heritage attractions.

The resort is aiming to deliver a modern interpretation of Hoi An hospitality, dining, wellness and community lifestyles. 

“The museums, night market shops, restaurants and bars in the old quarter in Hoi An are really bustling again,” said Mikkel Krantz, commercial director of Wafaifo Hospitality. 

“With the upturn in tourism, the timing is right for us to unveil wonderful new hotel rooms and dining options that reflect Hoi An’s unique melting pot culture.” he said.

Rooms include balcony options, king-sized or twin beds, high speed wifi, 24-hour room service, and electronically switchable privacy glass between bedroom and bathroom. 

The Xua & Nay international and Vietnamese restaurant in the resort will have the only Josper oven and grill in central Vietnam. 

“In rooms and food, our quality will be high, but pricing competitive,” said Krantz. “We are creating a community experience where both locals and international tourists, we believe, will be pleasantly surprised and delighted in equal measure.”

The resort will also have  a 25 x 6-metre swimming pool and wellness, spa, gym, fitness, beauty and health options. 

There will also be DJ sessions by the pool (oops, not sure about that - bring earplugs), a cinema, kids’ club, outdoor playground and a retail lobby shop. 

In early 2025, the Wafaifo Resort Hoi An will also add luxury suites and a signature Vietnamese fine dining outlet.

Hoi An is a 40-minute drive from Danang International Airport in central Vietnam. 

See Wafaifo.com 

Canadians love their canoes like Aussies love their 'roos

Canoes have played a key role in Canada's indigenous history.

In fact, Canadians love canoes so much that a new museum dedicated to the traditional water craft will open early next year.

The Canadian Canoe Museum, located on the Traditional Territory of the Williams Treaties First Nations, in Peterborough, Ontario, has stewarded, for past 20 years, the world’s largest collection of canoes, kayaks and paddled watercraft.

More than 600 in number, the watercraft and their stories will have a bigger, more expansive, new home on the water’s edge that is set to open in May 2024.

The new museum and lakefront campus will be located on the Trent-Severn Waterway and will not only care for the watercraft and share their stories, but also enable visitors to "experience the transformative nature of the canoe and enjoy the outdoors first hand".

Visitors will be able to walk through the front doors and paddle out the back.

"The new facility will ensure that a fundamental part of Canadian heritage is not lost," says the facility's mission statement.

"The museum has a national role to play but is limited by its lack of suitable space and its inland location. The new museum and all that it encompasses and enables, is foundational to the realization of a strong, sustainable national organisation."

The museum’s artefacts range from dugouts of the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest to bark canoes of the Beothuk of Newfoundland; from the skin-on-frame kayaks of northern peoples from Baffin Island in the east to the Mackenzie River Delta in the north-west to all-wood and canvas-covered watercraft.

Over the years paddled watercraft from as far away as Paraguay and the Amazon have helped the museum expand its reach and scope to include international examples.

For more information, visit canoemuseum.ca/new-museum