Ground Floor: China Beach, Vietnam: The Nam Hai

When hordes of surfers came to Vietnam’s China Beach for a competition in 1993, many had to sleep on the sand.

text by: Kim Fredericks

photos by: Courtesy the Nam Hai.!

April 1, 2008

When hordes of surfers came to Vietnam’s China Beach for a competition in 1993, many had to sleep on the sand. Back then, China Beach, also known as Non Nuoc Beach—the place where U.S. troops took respite during the Vietnam War—was devoid of hotels.

Non Nuoc is one of Vietnam’s most desirable beaches, with white sand, clear water, and views of the South China Sea and the surrounding hills that once held some of the fiercest battles of the Vietnam War. The area has seen an influx of high-end hotels in the past 10 years, a surge that can be attributed to a change in politics. Le Duc Anh took over as president in 1995 and, along with President Bill Clinton, opened up diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Vietnam. Now, Vietnam’s tourism organizations are trying to attract luxury travelers, specifically Americans.

"Americans attach a sentimental value to Vietnam," says Peter Ryder, CEO of Indochina Capital Corporation, the developer of the Nam Hai, an all-villa resort that opened in December 2006 and is managed by GHM Luxury Hotels. "They also recognize the growth potential of Vietnam. From an investment point of view, Vietnam is a very attractive option compared to the U.S." Ryder adds that in addition to being an exotic destination that offers idyllic beaches and cultural appeal, Vietnam has political stability.

The beachfront Nam Hai resort features 60 one-bedroom, 850-square-foot villa hotel rooms and 40 one- to three-bedroom privately owned pool villas that range in size from 2,600 to 5,500 square feet and come with infinity-edge pools. Interiors by Jaya Ibrahim, who has designed several hotels for GHM, exude a contemporary Vietnamese style, with cultural adornments, timber floors, and dark wood furniture, complemented by silk and other natural fabrics. Prices range from $1 million to $2.5 million.

The resort’s amenities include two restaurants, a lagoon-surrounded spa, three beachfront swimming pools, tennis courts, and two golf courses that are scheduled for completion later this year. Vietnamese cultural sites are easily accessible from the resort, such as the caves and Buddhist sanctuaries of the five Marble Mountains and My Son Valley—the site of the ancient Cham civilization’s spiritual center.