Five Ways The Nam Hai Connects You to the Best City in The World

When Travel + Leisure named Hoi An in Vietnam the World’s Best City in its 2019 Awards, The Nam Hai team was delighted but not surprised. Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai has long drawn on the wonders of its beautiful home to enrich guests’ stay, and every day is infused with the historical, cultural, gastronomical and spiritual delights for which Hoi An is so renowned. The Resort’s Concierges are honoured to share their insider knowledge and connect you directly to the heart of the World’s Best City. 

1. Feeling inspired by the beautiful colourful lanterns strewn across the streets and alleys of Hoi An? Learn how to make your own during The Nam Hai’s daily cultural crafts session: an opportunity to explore local artforms such as conical hat embroidery, traditional calligraphy and silk flower making. 

2. Hoi An attracts gastronomes from around the world with its superlative street food, original dishes, and vibrant night markets. Resort-arranged activities include joining local Hoi An fishermen at sunrise as they prepare their catch for market; making Hoi An’s unique dish of fermented rice noodles, Mỳ Quảng, at the Resort’s Cooking Academy; embarking on a starlit Vespa Foodies Tour to sample some of the city’s most extraordinary flavours; or simply savouring Hoi An’s fragrant street food delights during the Resort’s theme night, Đường Bờ Sông – Waterfront Street – including Bánh Bao (a type of steamed bun) and traditional Phở. 

3. At The Nam Hai, daily rituals subtly infuse each stay with an authentic sense of Vietnam. Each night the Resort’s Thấp Nên Candle Lighting Ritual offers guests the time and space to be still and feel a sense of gratitude and wonder, while the nightly Goodnight Kiss to the Earth experience at The Heart of the Earth Spa offers guests the chance to make a wish and float twinkling candles across the Spa’s lagoon echoing the decorative river lanterns synonymous with Hoi An.

4. At the heart of the Resort lies the rebuilt and restored Ha My Temple. Dating from the 19th century, it has neither Buddhist nor Confucian roots but was where local fishermen came to pray for safe passage. Monks return to the temple on the 1st and 15th of every lunar month – a time when Hoi An comes alive with beautiful and vibrant celebrations of life and loved ones – to pray and give offerings for prosperity and peace. Guests can savour the restorative effects of Vietnamese ritual, perhaps taking home a newfound desire to actively seek moments of happiness and stillness in daily life.

5. Discovering a locality’s hidden secrets and stories can light up any stay with a sense of adventure. At The Nam Hai, guest experiences include touring the Cua Dai River and its palm-lined waterways in a traditional basket boat with local fishermen; the chance to plant rice seedlings and share a meal with a local farmer; or off-the-beaten track insights into local villages via early morning bike rides. 

Whatever aspect of Hoi An you’d like to explore, The Nam Hai opens doors to the secrets of the city everyone is talking about.