Vietnam by Francois Joby.
We landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, first we stayed for a few days in the humid city of Ho-Chi-Minh better known as Saigon.
Then went to Con Dao, a breathtaking location, which has been protected for decades as a national and marine park.
The Six Senses is located on a long sweeping stretch of pristine white sand beach that curves subtly within the arc of a secluded bay. The delightfully luxurious retreat is for me one of Vietnam’s best beach resorts.
True to Six Senses’ philosophy of selecting remote yet accessible destinations in areas of outstanding natural beauty, Con Dao
It works perfectly as a destination at the end of a tailor-made itinerary through Vietnam.
The most of the archipelago is marine and national park making it a Robinson Crusoe tropical idyll.
Six Senses are usually good fun, the Con Dao is the first five-star resort in the archipelago islands.
The contemporary design reflects the essence of a traditional fishing village.
Passionate about supporting and protecting the environment, Six Senses Con Dao’s demonstrated commitment to sustainability has been recognized as one of the world’s top eco lodges by National Geographic Traveler. For complete peace of mind, arriving guests can arrange their domestic round-trip flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Six Senses Con Dao by contacting the resort’s reservations department.
Finally back to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, it has its origins in 1930, when the French colonial government constructed a small airport with runways near the village of Tan Son Nhat. Later on the airfield near Saigon was during the Vietnam War (1968 and 1974), the busiest military airbase in the world. Forget about history let’s get pamperde @ Six Senses Con Dao, just a short flight from Saigon, set off the south-east coast of mainland Vietnam on the small untouched island of Con Son which is the largest of a group of islands making up the Con Dao archipelago and offers amazing private pools.
Six Senses Con Dao has 50 private pool villas each built in true Six Senses style utilising local natural materials from sustainable sources.
The architecture is contemporary and panels of reclaimed teak from Vietnam’s interior, complementing the beautiful surroundings perfectly. The villas are designed in that way that the need for air conditioning is reduced to natural ventilation.
All the villas face the ocean and are either set on the beach or close to the beach and come with a terrace and private plunge pool, offering spectacular views of the South China Sea.
The heart of Six Senses Con Dao is its Vietnamese kitchen, known as Vietnamese by the Market. A fantastic gourmet team prepare authentic Vietnamese delicacies over charcoal flames or in wood fired ovens.
Other dining options include delicious pan-asian snacks, the resorts main restaurant offering all kind of seafood, fruit and vegetables bursting with flavour based on traditional Vietnamese recipes with a subtle French influence, an irresistible combination. We booked a lovely picnic on the beach. Just amazing.
Noodles, rice, soups, rolls and wraps are all made to order.
History: Con Dao served as a prison island for political prisoners during the French colonial era, when it was known as Poulo Condore, and in later years the Saigon regime imprisoned opponents of the regime in the infamous cells known as the “tiger cages”. The old prison buildings are still standing and are open to the public as is a small museum tracing the island’s history.
Besides having an “interesting” history, Con Dao is also an island of immense natural beauty with forested hills, deserted sandy beaches and extensive coral reefs making for some excellent diving.
Con Dao is a shining example of good conservation. 80% of the land area of the archipelago is a national park offering primary jungle teeming with interesting life such as the endemic black squirrel and the crab eating macaque. Beautiful beaches and hidden lagoons are also to be found here, with very few tourists. Con Dao is still a paradise off the beaten track.
Back to our resort: We tried the Six Senses signature spa. Surrounded by trees with the dramatic backdrop of the Lo Voi Mountain; only ethically produced spa products derived from local herbs and flower essences are used.
We recommend one of the Six Senses slow treatments – a indulgent Vietnamese journey.
Pure relaxation in style.
It’s easy to enjoy the views and 35 forget about the sad history of the island.
I love Vietnam.
How to get there: Vietnam Airlines.
