Balance your body, mind, and spirit while indulging in the ultimate luxury at The Nam Hai, Hoi An. Photo / The Four Seasons
As a wellness sceptic, Annabel Urquhart feared she might struggle to embrace her inner harmony at The Four Seasons Resort, The Nam Hai in Hoi An – but could it be the answer to all her poor choices?... Sugar, gin and other sins.
When is the best time to indulge in a wellness retreat? Is it around the same illusory time I have set aside for the long list of to-dos and good intentions that remain stubbornly on the horizon? Or the same perfect time I intend to banish chips from my pantry and gin too for good measure?
There is never an ideal time; always something happening – too much happening. Busy, busy. Gotta-go, gotta-go. This is life in 2025.
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Yet here I am, setting a cracking pace of a different kind. Barely two weeks into January, I’ve set aside work and parenting responsibilities to take a little time for me.
I’ve arrived in the charming coastal village of Hoi An, in central Vietnam, for a four-night wellness experience at the Four Seasons Resort, The Nam Hai.
Lured by luxury, my husband has agreed to join me and together we’re committed to embracing all manner of wellness experiences designed to nurture body, mind and spirit.
The wellness philosophy of this resort is inspired by Vietnamese Zen master, Thich Nhat Hanh. His teachings centre on our connection with Mother Earth and the treatments and experiences on offer are designed to re-connect us with her vibrational rhythm. As it turns out, not as crazy as it sounds.
Our wellness journey begins at the Heart of the Earth Spa where eight individual treatment rooms float above a central lotus-filled lagoon. We’re joining an evening ritual that is based on the lantern traditions of Hoi An ancient town, called the Goodnight Kiss to the Earth.
As the sun sets, we are prompted to write a love letter to the earth (stay with me), before ceremoniously releasing our letters in a lantern into the surrounding lagoon.
To my amusement, my husband’s lantern breaks away from the pack and burns brightly alone in the corner. “Must have been something I said,” he quips. This is a journey after all.
Our focus on the earth is a continuous thread throughout our stay that sees us bending and stretching over a wheel that represents the circle of life in a yoga session the following morning.
To gentle calming music in the open-air pavilion, we rock and roll to the positive affirmations of our instructor, Linh. “Do your best and the universe will take care of the rest,” she concludes.
Next is a private class in cocooning meditation. Suspended weightless in a silk hammock, we metaphorically return to the womb and it’s pure bliss.
We begin elongated, our bodies curving like caterpillars before the focus shifts to our breath. Hanging curled and motionless, my mind flows freely, listening to the sounds of the ocean and roosters crowing in the distance.
The stunning resort aesthetic feels good for my wellbeing. Laid out within a plantation of towering palms, it is beautifully understated in a soothing colour palette and natural finishes that blend with the earth, while also ensuring comfort.
Orientated toward Ha My beach, the central area gently cascades over several levels with dining areas gathering around three large rectangular pools (one an inviting lap pool, one heated). The effect is as striking as it is calming.
Our one-bedroom villa is beautifully appointed and generous in size, leaving no need unmet. Sheer curtains surrounding our king bed create a room-within-a-room and a deeply comfortable bath for two is serene beneath candlelight, the outdoor shower a highlight.
As far as health retreats go, this experience isn’t restrictive or austere, suiting us perfectly. One morning we pair sparkling wine from the breakfast buffet with eggs benedict, another afternoon we delight in Vietnamese coffee tasting. Both are terrific fun.
I’m intrigued by the unusual-sounding crystal singing bowls experience that comes next. Slipping into a warm treatment bed, my instructor, Chut, places a heated pack beneath my shoulders and over my eyes as she carefully explains the body’s seven chakras before beginning to play.
Tuned to 432hz, the bowls’ vibrations are set to the same harmonic frequency as the earth. As the vibrations flow around the body the intent is to unblock energy flows of the muladhara chakra, which helps with grounding.
The experience is mesmerising and so deeply relaxing that I quickly lose all awareness. I leave the treatment a vibrational convert, with an extraordinary sense of inner balance and also refreshed.
Later that day, husband and I indulge in a traditional Vietnamese massage, the Nam Hai Vietnamese Bodywork. Seated outside like king and queen in heavy plush robes, our feet soak in bowls of fresh herbs before being gently scrubbed and dried, ready to begin.
Side by side our therapists methodically work through age-old knots and rejuvenate our skin with heavenly-scented oils. I gradually let go of all my tension and lose the will to get up. Alas, we have a dinner reservation to get to.
The resort’s three restaurants reflect the influence of French, Japanese and Indian cultures on Vietnam’s past. Pool-side La Sen combines Vietnamese cuisine and French culinary techniques, while the Café Nam Hai serves authentic tandoori delicacies and contemporary Indian cuisine. Both are excellent and offer great variety throughout our stay.
Our pick is the Japanese, Nayuu, where we indulge in a 15-course tasting menu or omakase, meaning the chef’s choice. “The chef tries to surprise you and every day is different,” imparts restaurant manager, Nhat Pham. From tuna toro sashimi to wagyu foie gras nigiri and yuzu souffle, the food is of exceptional quality.
Sated we topple from our front-row perch and praise chef for his detailed explanations and his craft before returning to Nayuu’s bar. Refined and dimly lit, we’re led astray by cheerful waiters and a fiery, aptly-named cocktail, “The Bee’s Knees”.
For a daytime tipple, the new beach bar can’t be beat. Catch colourful fishing boats as they pass along picturesque Ha My beach adding to views of distant coastal peaks.
Taking our food experience a step further, we join The Nam Hai Cooking Academy for a tour of Hoi An ancient town market. Our senses are awoken with local delicacies and fresh aromas, before bringing the flavours together under the tutelage of Chef Tien.
Luxury is a word used all too often these days but the Four Seasons, The Nam Hai, is it. Warm and attentive service is old world and all class.
What appeared at first glance to be a little unusual, unfolded in a series of technical and deeply rejuvenating wellness experiences, punctuated with fantastic food and good fun.
Recharged and ready for the rat race, perhaps I’ve found the ideal time – and place – for a wellness retreat after all.
GETTING THERE
Singapore Airlines flies from Auckland via Singapore with a domestic transfer in Vietnam to Da Nang. The Four Seasons Resort is a 30-minute drive south of Da Nang.
DETAILS
Hoi An ancient town is a world Unesco site arranged around the Thu Bon River that once served as one of South East Asia’s most important trading hubs. Resort shuttles run throughout the day or a cab is an inexpensive 10-minute trip.
Another Unesco site, the My Son temples, are an easy day trip.
A one-bedroom villa at the Four Seasons, The Nam Hai, is NZ$1160 a night for two people. With a private pool it’s NZ$1790 including in-villa check-in and a personal attendant.
The writer travelled as a guest of the Four Seasons, The Nam Hai, Hoi An.
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