FYI, this is going a long post – if you’re looking for an itinerary, scroll down to the bottom to access it quickly.

If you’re looking to build out an itinerary based on my stay and using AI to assist, this Mindtrip link will help curating the best plan that will meet your needs!

First Impression

Amanoi is our first Aman resort and it did not disappoint. Located between the protected Nui Chua National Park and a marine reserve, there is no bad view from any square meter of the property, unless you’re literally surrounded by walls and columns, which is very rare. The resort is stunning, and there is no word or photo or video that can really capture the beauty of it. Coming from a very hectic week filled with a lot of activities and moving from one place to the next, we were delighted to be spending 5 days and 4 nights at Amanoi to truly unwind and recharge.

The operations at Amanoi are incredibly efficient, at least from a guest’s perspective. We were set up with their WhatsApp group chat and coordinated all our requests via texting: requesting a buggy, ordering in-room service, booking activities, everything we wanted to ask them pretty much. (Almost) Every time we left our room, we came back to a serviced room. We figured out early on that they knew when we were in and out of the room via the buggy requests (to take us places within the property – room to gym, room to the spa, room to the beach club, etc), and the entire staff at the resort knew our names and the room we stayed in. So, even if we walked to the restaurant without asking for the buggy service, they would know we were out of our room when the staff at the restaurant attended to us. It was just smoothly run for us, and it added an “awe” factor to their top-notch service at the Amanoi.

Did I mention that every staff knew us by name? When we were in Hanoi, the Capella Hanoi staff also knew my name – but possibly just my name and not everyone else in my family (we had a total of 9 people). The reason being: Toby and I paid for everyone there and since I can speak Vietnamese, it was a no-brainer for me to be the main communicator between the two of us. And I don’t fault the Capella Hanoi for not knowing or addressing everyone in my family by their names at all – most hotels don’t. They have a much bigger property, and they’re not… the Aman hotel. Let’s just say that. Back to the Amanoi, everywhere we went, people addressed us by name. For the staff whom we had never seen before, some of them at the minimum knew our villa number. We would have definitely never been missing, if that’s a concern of anyone (ha!). We truly felt like we were at home, with people we know would have the most absolute care for us.

Well, I can keep going about the friendliness of the people here. But, let’s get into our itinerary at Amanoi and some of my suggestions for alternative activities.

Day 1 – Traveling and checking into the Amanoi

There are a few ways to travel to Vinh Hy village in Ninh Thuan where the resort is located: car, plane, or bus. We were coming from Hanoi, which is in the north of Vietnam, so the flight was the easiest and fastest way for us. It took under 2 hours once we were in the air to get to Cam Ranh International airport from Hanoi. We flew with Vietnam Airlines, a very easy and great experience with their business class. I definitely recommend this airline and their business class (I will have a different blog about the airlines we’ve flown this time and you’ll see why).

Upon arriving at the airport, since we had transportation set up from Amanoi to pick us up, it was the easiest way to travel to the resort. You can definitely get a taxi from Cam Ranh airport to Amanoi, or there is a desk from Amanoi at the arrival hall that you may be able to see if you could travel by their own service (if available, I am not sure how feasible this could be so always check beforehand!). The Amanoi representative was waiting for us at the baggage claim area with a name sign, helped us with the luggage, and escorted us where a car was readily waiting for us. Our luggage was towed away in a GLE Mercedes, there were snacks (dried mango, candied coconut, and some nuts) with water, the Amanoi’s iPad, wifi, and a very comfortable car to continue our journey to the resort. The drive was beautiful, going through the Cam Ranh city first then the coastline being outside of our sight, then going up the mountain, approaching Vinh Hy fishing village with goats strolling the street everywhere. Just over an hour later, we have arrived.

Once we got through the resort’s gate, it took another 10-15 minutes to go through the (long) “driveway” to the actual entrance/lobby pathway. Waiting for us were the hotel manager and the assistant property manager, who greeted us while we walked up their massive staircase, leading us to the lobby area. We had the welcome drinks there with a lemongrass-scented cool towel, while our passports were being recorded. The check-in process took place at the villa instead, so off we went on the buggy with the front-desk agent who took us to our villa to complete the process. Fun fact: she took us to another villa at first, and once we thought it was our room, we quickly realized it wasn’t. The better part about this mix-up was that our room was a lot nicer – with a much better view and an outdoor deck built around a giant rock. It was all laughs and no inconvenience at all; the agent felt really bad, but we assured her we had no problem with it :). She also reminded us about our itinerary that we had pre-booked (private beach BBQ dinner and a full-day spa program), as well as other activities available if we would like to book while we were there.

The villa was beautiful. Our walkway to it was especially serene and secluded, making the villa very private and quiet. Their signature minimalist style was clearly evident in the design decisions of the property. Nothing was too over-the-top: the wood details, the color theme, the furniture, the plush white bed, the bathroom with his & her closets and sinks – everything was just enough, including the dimmed lights throughout the villa.

Outside on the deck, I was speechless. The open ocean view was complemented by the surrounding mountains. Walking down the stairs of the deck, there was a round table with 2 chairs next to that massive rock, and a bit further down were two day beds allowing us to soak up the sun and the view if desired. Absolutely breathtaking.

Once we were settled into the villa, unpacked a bit (they had an unpacking service for those who needed help with their extravagant suitcases), we headed to the main restaurant area for a quick bite. Having traveled for almost the whole day, we were hungry and needed a recharge. We were also just in time for their complimentary afternoon tea service, so we decided to explore the offerings. Besides the typical small bites like fruits, cakes, tarts, and mini “pizza” bites, they also had freshly cooked Bánh căn, which was the specialty of Nha Trang – a very popular beach town nearby. We each had a coffee, tried some fruits, savory bites, sweet tarts, and Bánh căn; we were good for the moment until dinner time.

To celebrate our first day at Amanoi, that night we went to their bar for a quick drink before dinner service. Being by the ocean in this humid weather, we were prepared with all-natural bug spray (both in our villa and at the bar/restaurant). The bartender was super friendly and catered to our drink preferences. The entire place was quiet. Another couple joined the bar after a while, but other than that, it seemed like no one was at the resort, which I definitely preferred. Considering the price tag, this was expected.

After the drinks, we were ready to eat some more food and call it a night. We then headed next door to the Main Restaurant, which is the only restaurant serving dinner for the resort, besides prearranged private dinners in several locations, or in-room service. We sat inside the restaurant instead of in the open aired area to avoid mosquitoes, as I have a very bad allergic reaction to mosquitoes, and were served by a lovely woman who was so friendly and attentive. We ordered chicken wings and a soup (Canh Chua) for an appetizer. Then I had stewed pork belly & egg for the main course, while Toby enjoyed his grilled chicken with sticky purple rice. There were bread and butter as well as a small amuse-bouche to start our dinner. Every single dish was beyond expectation, and I was seriously blown away by their rich flavors. One shout-out for the server: she noticed my throat was itchy and bothering me a bit, so she offered a warm ginger and lemongrass tea to soothe the irritation. We were happily fed and taken care of. To cap the night, we had the ice cream bowl and the Chè Chuối for desserts. Chè Chuối ended up being one of Toby’s most favorite Vietnamese desserts!

Day 2 – Chilling at the Cliff Pool

The sunrise from our villa on the second day was spectacular. We got up right before 5 when the sun was starting to rise, and the transition from dark to light truly reminded me I was an ocean girl at heart. Although I needed to get to the gym, it took me a while to leave the deck to do just that.

Once we actually got ourselves out of the villa to the gym, it was well worth it to get some movement in. Toby started to come down with a mild cold the night before, and a little bit of sweat definitely helped. The gym was spacious, although their machines could use a bit of a refresh, we were able to get the cardio and free weight sessions in. More on the gym and spa facility in a bit later.

After the gym, we headed over to the Main Restaurant for a quick breakfast that was included in the room rate. The portion was great, small but enough to try a few things that kept us full. One note is that their Pho was great but a bit colder than my preferred temperature for a noodle soup. I’d definitely request a warmer bowl if that’s your preference, too.

After breakfast, we walked down to the Cliff Pool, which was their infinity pool overlooking the magnificent ocean. It was quite a chill day for us to get some sun, as it ended up being the only sunny day of our stay there. The pool was great, but since it was situated on the mountain, the wind was a bit stronger than what I would have liked. Regardless, we loved how quiet it was. The pool attendants supplied us with everything we needed and more: sunscreen, sunglasses cleaning spray, iced tea, water, and many popsicles throughout the 4 hours we were there. We definitely needed this lazy time, since Toby didn’t feel too well, and I myself was trying to catch up from all of the traveling, especially because we were having a private dinner that night.

We celebrated our wedding anniversary a few weeks earlier, but intentionally waited until Amanoi to really celebrate it; therefore, this private dinner had a much deeper meaning. Originally, it was planned to be on the beach around 6:30pm, after they would clear the beach and all the guests would leave the area for them to set it up. However, due to the rainstorm coming in later that day, the front office asked if they could move to a more sheltered location, either the Beach Club restaurant or the Rock Studio. I chose the Rock Studio because I remembered hearing about how cool it was, and knowing we’d be eating at the Beach Club on our upcoming days. Due to the change of location, the dinner didn’t start until 7:30pm. At 7:20pm, a buggy came to pick us up as previously arranged by the team. When we got to the Rock Studio entrance which was decorated with a lot of lights and lanterns, our server of the night greeted us with an umbrella and walked us up to the Rock Studio. The space was decorated beautifully. The table was set with flowers and seashells that they picked up earlier on the beach, and it was just for the two of us. The chef was inside waiting for us, smiling when we entered. I was speechless, so much so that I didn’t remember to take pictures of the outside area.

Our dinner was an 8-course meal from a menu that we had previously picked. To say that everything was better than anything we’ve had recently would be an understatement, especially all of the sauces that accompanied the food. We loved the sauces so much that they printed the recipe for us when we left later on. And it was a lot of food. Towards the end of it, we were so full that we asked if we could skip the potatoes, which was graciously accommodated by them. No more starch, I’m afraid.

Throughout the dinner, folks from the front office/hotel management were coming by to check in on us. Joy, the general manager, also stopped by to say hi. The whole experience was lovely, and everyone made us feel at home and catered to.

While we were at the Rock Studio eating the luxurious meal, the housekeeping staff decorated our villa with roses on our bed and in the bathtub, as well as a cake and a bottle of wine gifted by the hotel. However, we were exhausted, so we had only a few more bites of the cake before it was time to sleep.

Day 3 – Full Day Spa Program

The Aman hotel group has just launched their spa programs across their properties, and it was more than music to our ears, especially in the weaker physical state we were both in (cold, soreness, and travel exhaustion). So, that’s what was on the itinerary – a full day of spa activities.

To start off the day, we went to the gym for our own workouts first, as usual. After a quick and light breakfast, we headed back to the Lake Pavilion which housed the spa facility and the gym, to start our program. We kicked off with a 60-minute private yoga session, followed by an hour of the hydrotherapy room experience. There was a steam room, a sauna, a cold plunge, and a hot tub for us to enjoy for 60 minutes before our treatments. Being sore and sick, this was extra helpful. Having not done a cold plunge before, it was quite an experience for me. I understand the benefits of it and why athletes leverage it for full recovery, but I am not sure if I am a big fan of that longest 10-second pain of my life. Once the hour was up, the therapists came to the room to take us into our own treatment rooms where I had a 90-minute body scrub and body wrap, while Toby had a 90-minute body scrub and head & foot massages.

After this session, we were picked up and taken to the Beach Club for lunch. The path to it was beautiful, yet again. And, to no one’s surprise, the Beach Club was also stunning. Completely open to the ocean, it was airy and breezy with the sound of the waves and the salty ocean air. We both had a rather healthy lunch — rice bowls, with a fresh roll to start.

After lunch, we got picked up again to go back to the spa for more… you guessed it… massages. We both had the 90-minute Grounding pathway massages, which were their Lymphatic massage treatment type, and a 60-minute facial to close out the full day of true relaxation.

Once we were fully done with the massages, it was already past 6 pm. We came back to the Main Restaurant after a quick shower for dinner, and a really sound sleep was awaiting us.

Day 4- Beach Time

Finally, a full day dedicated for the beach. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t ideal for beach time for us. We’d usually enjoy a hot and sunny beach time to get that ocean tan on (the tan from the ocean is different from any other tan, ya’ll). Now, Toby was still going through a cold, and so he didn’t mind a little shade and much more chill day.

We started with our workouts as usual, and let me tell you, our bodies were completely recovered from those full-day massages the day before! We were both ready to do some damage at the gym, and I ran with a much faster pace than I had ever done before. How I was coming back from this full-day spa experience after the trip is still a big question for me to this day. After the usual workout and a quick breakfast, we stopped by the boutique store to grab souvenirs for our family before heading to the Beach Club.

The pool at the Beach Club was, what else, stunning. The water was warmer than the Cliff Pool’s water, making it a much more pleasant dip when needed. Just like the Cliff Pool, the pool attendants continued to spoil us with all kinds of iced tea, water, and snacks. We didn’t need to go far for anything, including lunch.

Joy, the GM, graciously offered us a boat tour around the property to see it from the ocean. We were excited to do it at first, but after the strong wind came in with big waves, there was not a once in me to be in choppy water. The scene from the Grand Tour show (“Seamen” episode) flashed in front of me and all I could think of was “maybe not today”. Sadly, we asked the hotel to cancel the tour. However, if it were better weather and Toby feeling better, a boat tour should have been on our agenda.

That night, we opted for in-room service instead. It had been a long trip for both of us. Room service it was. But, I did ask the hotel if we could order off the Main Restaurant’s menu as there were more options versus the room service menu. The answer, not surprisingly, was yes. Not only that, Joy kindly sent us another bottle of white for our last night at the property. The table was set up with so many dishes and their accompanying sauces (ha!), as well as the bread service and the tea. I mean, I have never had an in-room dining table that full ever before! Once again, we were fed so well. On top of that, the moment we put our plates outside of the door and let the hotel know, they came by in seconds to pick them up to avoid bugs and animals. Talk about the 5-star service.

Day 5 – Departing the property

Oh, here it was, the day we had to leave paradise. Our flight wasn’t until 2 pm, but since the journey to the airport would take over an hour, we were scheduled to depart at 11:45 am, taken by the resort’s car service. We started the day as usual: gym, then showered, then packed before heading to breakfast. The hotel offered to send people to pack for us, and we laughed because we were such Type A people who wanted things to be done our way. I couldn’t ever think of how I could let someone else pack or unpack for me. But a lot of people do, obviously; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been something to offer.

At 11:30 am, a buggy came to pick us up from the villa and take us back to the lobby to check out. Joy was there to say goodbye to us, and she was so kind to do so. The hospitality and care every single staff member at Amanoi had given us is something I truly appreciate. I did feel like I was at home with the people who knew me and wanted to take care of me. It was hard to leave, but we promised we’d be back very soon.

TL;DR – Itinerary

Well, that was a long and detailed post. I just couldn’t think of any other way to describe my stay there, and it had to be told in this way. Now, TL;DR – if you ever want to give Amanoi a try, I’d definitely recommend this itinerary:

• Day 1:
  • Arriving & Checking in
  • Afternoon tea, followed by a cocktail hour and dinner at the Main Restaurant
• Day 2:
  • Hike the Goga peak (they have a tour guide for this if needed), or a group yoga class at the Lake Pavilion
  • Breakfast at the Main Restaurant, then pool time and lunch
  • For dinner, either a private dinner (they have many different experiences to choose from) or go to Vinh Hy village (10-min car ride) to explore the town and have dinner there
• Day 3:
  • Workout or a walk/run around the property if weather permitted
    • You can run to Vinh Hy village as well, just make sure to consult with the hotel for safety tips
  • Full or Half-Day Spa program (highly recommend doing the full day program)
  • Lunch: Beach Club
  • Dinner: Main Restaurant or another private dinner
• Day 4:
  • Workout or a walk/run around the property if weather permitted
  • Beach Day activities – snorkeling or kayaking
  • Picnic at the beach is also another one we were thinking to do; or a boat tour around the bay
  • Dinner: Main Restaurant or In-Room Dining
• Day 5: Departing the resort

The journey to the resort isn’t short, so I do think spending at least 3 nights, if not 4 nights, to really sink in and experience everything it has to offer. There are many activities and experiences at Amanoi, so if you need more options, the reservation team is always ready to assist. I started planning the itinerary 6 months before we got there, and they were always responding promptly with so much helpful information and recommendations!

Conclusion

If I have only one word to describe Amanoi, it would be: Beyond. It was beyond my expectations. It was beyond what I thought it could have been. People were beyond friendly and attentive. The private dinner was beyond beautiful and extravagant. The property was beyond cared for despite it has been around for 10 years at least. The food was beyond delicious and authentic. Joy was beyond nice and kind to us. Obviously, the price was also beyond average, but you get what you pay for, and this is 1000% worth it.

Amanoi is now officially the best hotel and resort I have ever stayed at. If you have read my blog about ranking the top Four Seasons hotels & resorts that I’ve been to; well, sad news for the Four Seasons but I think at this point, the Amanoi is taking the gold medal. However, we do need to go back to the Four Seasons Nam Hai when the weather is nice because it has the potential. Furthermore, we have a few trips coming up with highly anticipated hotels that may take the cake. Until then, Amanoi is that one special place that wins it all at the moment.

One last thing I’d like to say is that when we first booked the Amanoi (back in 2023 but had to cancel for some family matters and rebooked in 2024), I wasn’t planning on having this blog. So, the trip wasn’t to write a blog about the Amanoi, nor did they want me to write about them at all. I started the blog because I am fortunate to get to places like this and I want to share the experiences with folks who are planning to go, or dreaming to go, through writing. I hope you enjoy this (long) read, and if you do, please give it a like. Or leave a comment with your thoughts!