Best beach resort on the South China Sea. Book your next seaside getaway here.
An exciting new resort overlooking Long Beach on the stunning Cam Ranh peninsula. Start or finish your Vietnam experience at this tranquil beach resort – so up to speed with everything, from room design to winning beach bar concepts and spa service. Developed by Pham Van Hien – this luxury beach resort offers you an unforgettable insight into Vietnam’s culture and people and gives you a fascinating glance in to Vietnam’s rock star future in the tourism industry.
1. How to Get There
Fly to Cam Ranh Airport where you will be met by the friendly concierge staff from The Anam
2. Best Time to Travel
January to August
3. What to Do
Just relax and enjoy your exquisite accommodation, the pristine beach front, the stunning gardens, and the amazing facilities on offer at this prestigious resort
- Marine and ecological tourism
- Food, beverage and dining tours
- Vespa tours
- Heritage tourism (villages, temples, etc)
- Top-tier golf course
- Lots to do in nearby towns of Cam Ranh and Nha Trang
4. The Ideal Venture For
- Weddings
- Conferences and business meetings
- A family holiday
- Couples
- Retirees
Interview With
Norbert Meyer
During our stay at The Anam it was our pleasure to get to know the resident manager, Norbert Meyer, who shared his passion for his career and The Anam with us with enthusiasm. What struck us most was his devotion to the staff and people of The Anam, and his ambition for the luxury beach resort he now calls home.
What brought you to The Anam?
After stints in Hamburg, Kuwait City, Dubai, Ho Chi Minh City, Shanghai and Nha Trang, The Anam’s general manager Herbert Laubichler-Pichler approached me. He was on the lookout for an experienced director of rooms.
When we met we both realised we had worked not only one but twice for the same hotel (although we had not met each other personally previously) and that we both had very similar mindsets.
A few days later he introduced me to The Anam’s founder and owner Mr Hien, who was looking for a director of rooms but I wanted to take my career a step forward as a resident manager.
One year later, after successfully opening an apartment hotel in Guangzhou, I was again invited to work with The Anam and signed a contract as the resident manager. I’ve been working for The Anam since January this year.
What attracted you to your current position?
A host of The Anam’s strong qualities attracted me to the role. Its stunning design. Its natural setting. The quality evident throughout its facilities and services. I could go on and on.
The fact that the grand opening occurred only nine months before I arrived afforded me the opportunity to bring my experience to a young team and contribute step by step to its success during the early stages.
Yet what really compelled me to take up the role were Mr Hien and Herbert’s ambitions and enthusiasm for The Anam. They personally described their vision and goals to me – to make The Anam the number one resort in Vietnam. This is an incredibly exciting challenge that, combined with the diversity of guests and their individual needs, attracted me right away.
Was it difficult to adjust to a different culture?
Generally, it is challenging to adjust to a different culture. Yet for me, based on the fact that I had already successfully lead teams in Vietnam, in Ho Chi Minh City from 2010-2013 and Nha Trang from 2016-2017, it felt more like returning home to the people I had worked with previously. With that said, every team is different and you have to be open minded, very good at listening and strive to meet the expectations of your team.
What do you love best about working at a luxury resort?
I love how we begin to exceed the expectations of our guests from the moment they arrive. They are quickly struck by the resort’s very authentic colonial style when they enter our open-air lobby and are surprised by how beautifully the villas are integrated into our lush landscape.
It is also very rewarding to meet and speak with guests during their stay, hear about how they are making the most of our services and facilities and that they are having the best time of their lives with us.
I have to say what I love the most is when, as I am talking to our guests before they leave, they confirm they are totally relaxed and recharged, and inspired by the many authentic Vietnamese experiences that we have created for them. It’s great for them to take such wonderful memories with them.
And the challenges?
Insiders predict tourism investment along Cam Ranh’s Long Beach will total well over one billion USD for the next 10 years and in turn generate more than 20,000 job openings. To handle this enormous growth, we need to seriously look to education and training to sustainably develop Cam Ranh for our future.
As a management team we have worked out a strategy focusing on educational improvements, providing excellent long-term development chances and motivating our local colleagues to start and build a career here at The Anam.
I am personally proud to share my experiences working in eight different countries, all the while with staff and guests from so many nationalities, to help prepare my local colleagues at The Anam to cater to the individual needs of our international travellers and exceed their expectations accordingly.
I am sure you receive many compliments – is there one that stands out above the rest?
Once a fit retired couple, in their late 70s, stayed with us for two weeks. We recommended some recreational activities to them to which they responded: “We’re too old for that!”
After explaining each activity in more detail and urging them to give things a try, they agreed and went on a Vespa tour, visited a famous artist living in the surrounding area, and went to other must-see attractions.
When they checked out, they both looked extremely happy and let us know that their vacation at The Anam had been the most exciting one they’d ever had. They said it made them realise they should have done these types of activities much earlier and frequently. They promised they would now live life to the fullest!
In your opinion what is the best quality The Anam’s staff members can possess?
What our team does best is authentic Vietnamese hospitality. This warm quality is something that cannot be created just by teaching others or explaining – it’s an innate quality that’s been developed over generations and comes from the Vietnamese people’s hearts.
Having talked to many guests who have stayed at our resort, it is this authentic Vietnamese hospitality that’s impressed so many people the most.
Three things that put a smile on your face?
- Receiving positive feedback personally, via guest satisfaction surveys or by other means
- Seeing team members secure promotions after working hard for long periods of time
- When an idea or initiative we have created comes to fruition and results in more happy guests
What’s Special
1. Food Lovers’ Paradise
Vietnam is a veritable paradise for food lovers and The Anam does not disappoint when it comes to culinary delight. Three restaurants and two bars offer a delicious mix of cuisine, that fuse age-old native flavours and techniques with contemporary gastronomy, ensuring that all palates are well catered for. And then there is the unforgettable ‘Mama’s Cooking,’ designed to appeal to those wanting quality and authentic Vietnamese cuisine.
2. To Digital Detox or Not?
After a working vacation? Then The Anam is ideal. Wi-Fi works perfectly – whether you are in your room, at a restaurant or poolside. Desperate for a break from daily sensory overload? There is no better place to do this than at The Anam. Feel free to hand in your devices at the reception upon arrival or lock them away in the security of the safe provided in your room. After all, holidays should be a time to fully relax and to mindfully soak up new sights and scenery.
3. The Spa
Any ‘get-away-from-it-all’ holiday absolutely needs a good spa at hand, and The Anam does this so well. Balinese-inspired, the spa boasts 10 beautifully appointed spa treatment rooms, and offers an extensive choice of massages, revitalising facials and other beauty treatments.
And for those feeling reluctant to leave the comfort of their room, no problem. A spa therapist will come to you – some of the villas even have their own exclusive spa area complete with massage tables, steam rooms and saunas.
4. For the Health Nuts
Super special are the complementary yoga classes led by Umesh, a wonderful man, brilliant yogi and teacher, so ready to share advice and improve your flexibility. Sunrise yoga (6am) and afternoon classes take place either on the oceanfront lawn, in the yoga room or on the ocean view deck outside.
There is also a well-equipped gym, where for a small fee a personal trainer will take you through your paces. The Water Sports Centre offers recreational pursuits ranging from kayaking to surfing, sailing and body boarding. The magnificent infinity pools are brilliant for cooling off in, plus there is also a tennis court, and a kids club.
5. The Anam People
When you leave The Anam – it will be with a collection of wonderful memories – quite possibly the most enduring of which will be of The Anam staff. It is as if they are a large happy family, glad to welcome you in to their home – a home of which they are super proud. They are ready to share stories of their families, Vietnamese customs, what best to do and see, etc. Truly – you will not be able to fault their service.
6. Accommodation
Not enough can be said about the rooms, your home away from home. Spacious and luxurious, they want for nothing. Crisp white bed linens contrast smartly with the dark wood furniture and panelling. Paintings on the wall by Vietnamese artists are original. Mosaic tiles and artful splashes of colour hold the décor together.
As well as king-sized or twin beds, every room has a sofa and an outdoor area, great for relaxing during the day. The bathrooms have a big shower as well as a tub that, once the shutters are opened, integrate into a garden area.
7. Outside of the Anam
Resident manager, Norbert, has put together a comprehensive list of recommendations. Simply ask for it from the reception. It covers restaurants, museums, temples, shopping, suggested tours, and so on. Highly recommended is a Vespa Tour (nhatrangvespatour.com) Part of a small group you will ride pillion with a dedicated scooter driver – and visit places like Cong Caphe, Luong Son fishing village, and Chopstick Restaurant. You might even traverse a 15th-century wooden bridge that beats a tune as you cross the muddy river flowing below. Truly unforgettable!
8. Architecture and Gardens
The Anam was built to be a dream Vietnamese village and uses a large amount of natural hard-wood crafted and assembled by local artisans. The French influence that can be seen throughout Vietnam, is unmistakable. The resort is made up of many well-ventilated, tile-roofed single and double story houses standing amidst 3,000 coconut palms. All floor tiles boast 19th-century designs, and distinguished stone masonry can be seen in many walls, and divides. Bougainvillea, reminiscent of chalets found in the Swiss Alps, drip from the balconies, happily soaking up the 300 days per annum of sun.
The Beach Club and bungalows display palm-leafed rooves, and many sculptures and artworks adorn the walls and gardens of The Anam. The three public pools and villas’ private pools, the many terracotta jars – with sweet sounding discreet little fountains in the middle – scattered across the resort, keep the yin-yang balance neatly in check. The lush tropical gardens of The Anam seamlessly blend a Vietnamese culture and heritage, with modern luxury and charm.
Words – Verve Editor’s
