I’m in a minivan, speeding past southern Vietnam’s vast sugarcane fields and the pleasures that draw so many travellers to this beautiful land: ancient temples, vibrant markets and steaming pho served at roadside noodle houses. But for now, I’m leaving them behind to delve into the country’s more luxurious offerings. The sparkling beauty of Vietnam’s winding cerulean coastline has made it a Mecca for beach resorts, and that’s where I’m heading for some recreation and relaxation.
My first stop is Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort. Just two hours from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), the Mediterranean-inspired resort has a reputation for luxury. I’d landed in HCMC just 12 hours earlier, and even though the flying time is a relatively civilised eight hours from Sydney, the prospect of a post-flight pampering is always welcome. So, I’m delighted when my host guides me to the YHI Spa, where a traditional Vietnamese oil massage is on offer. Set among idyllic still water and lush greenery, the spa is a haven. All is silent except for the slap of koi fish in the nearby pond, and my stress quickly melts away.
Generally, I prefer sightseeing and hiking holidays to sunbathing and relaxing, but the sunlight is dancing on the ocean and as I drink a cocktail at the beach-front level pool, I reconsider my allegiance. My host has arranged dinner under the stars at Muôi, Meliá’s modern Vietnamese restaurant, where the very best spicy, tangy, peanut-y, chilli fresh elements of Vietnamese cuisine are on offer.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 2023 من The Australian Women's Weekly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 2023 من The Australian Women's Weekly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Maggie's kitchen
Maggie Beer's delicious veg patties - perfect for lunch, dinner or a snack - plus a simple nostalgic pudding with fresh passionfruit.
Reclaim your brain
Attention span short? Thoughts foggy? Memory full of gaps? Brigid Moss investigates the latest ways to sharpen your thinking.
The girls from Oz
Melbourne music teacher Judith Curphey challenged the patriarchy when she started Australia's first all-girls choir. Forty years later that bold vision has 6500 members, life-changing programs and a new branch of the sisterhood in Singapore.
One kid can change the world
In 2018, 10-year-old Jack Berne started A Fiver for a Farmer to raise funds for drought relief. He and mum Prue share what happened next.
AFTER THE WAVE
Twenty years ago, the Boxing Day tsunami tore across the Indian Ocean, shredding towns, villages and holiday resorts, and killing hundreds of thousands of people from Indonesia to Africa. Three Australians share their memories of terror, loss and survival with The Weekly.
PATRICIA KARVELAS How childhood tragedy shaped me
Patricia Karvelas hustled hard to chase her dreams, but it wasn't easy. In a deeply personal interview, the ABC host talks about family loss, finding love, battles fought and motherhood.
Ripe for the picking
Buy a kilo or two of fresh Australian apricots because they're at their peak sweetness now and take inspiration from our lush recipe ideas that showcase this divine stone fruit.
Your stars for 2025
The Weekly’s astrologer, Lilith Rocha, reveals what’s in store for your astrological sign in 2025. For your monthly horoscope, turn to page 192.
MEL SCHILLING Cancer made me look at myself differently'
One year on from going public with her bowel cancer diagnosis, Mel Schilling reveals where she's at with her health journey and how it's changed her irrevocably.
Nothing like this Dame Judi
A few weeks before her 90th birthday, the acting legend jumped on a phone call with The Weekly to talk about her extraordinary life – and what’s still to come.
