Where the river slows down: Vietnam’s new cultural retreat in Hoi An

On its own island on the Thu Bồn River, Namia River Retreat is a new-generation Vietnamese resort where wellness rituals, local culture and sustainable design come together just minutes from Hoi An’s ancient town

It’s dark and raining when we arrive at the newly opened Namia River Retreat. Our host from the guest experiences team, Ms Thuy, bundles us quickly into an electric golf cart and we scuttle to our roomy villa, one of 60 that dot the five-hectare islet on the Thu Bon River, just two kilometres from Hoi An’s World Heritage-listed old town.

 The vision of founder Tran Thanh Nam, a key figure in Vietnam’s high-end tourism industry, Namia River Retreat has been styled as a sanctuary of Vietnamese culture and healing traditions.

A vision rooted in Vietnamese culture

T3 architects, a Ho Chi Minh-based French architecture firm renowned for sustainable organic architecture, is responsible for the design, with the villas loosely inspired by local fishermen’s houses. Brazilian Vietnamese LJ-Group crafted the fecund sub-tropical landscape, which included planting thousands of nipa palms and other fast-growing plants after solidifying the banks with mangroves.

When I cruise into Hoi An on the resort’s wooden riverboat, I enjoy the opportunity to admire Namia River Retreat from the water. The organic structures are a gentle blend of wood, bamboo, rattan and stone, in harmony with the riverscape and in keeping with the scale of a traditional village. And when those palms (the resort’s symbol) have grown, it will blend into the natural landscape even more.

Sustainable design inspired by the river

We’re staying in an earth-toned, cathedral-ceilinged Nipa Pool villa. There are also River Pool Villas, their interiors accented in indigo and aqua hues. A spacious living area is on one side while on the other is a king bed at the foot of which is an inspired sunken bath. Local artisanal wooden furniture, pottery, carvings, rattan baskets and light fixtures, and a rug of woven coconut husks, add warmth and texture. A spacious bathroom with double vanity basins, plenty of storage, and a separate shower room and toilet is set behind the bedroom. Floor-to-ceiling doors open onto our very private infinity pool deck, which overlooks the narrow waterway separating the island from the mainland.

Choose your wellness adventure

Wellness journeys at Namia River Retreat include:

MIND: Deep Rest Pathway, for stress relief, better sleep and mental clarity.

BODY: Body Balance Pathway, to ease tension, improve circulation and reduce inflammation.

Villas that blend craft and comfort

Every day, each guest is offered a complimentary 30-minute hammam steam session with Vietnamese herbal wraps or scrubs, which have been created by Vietnamese medical practitioner, Dr Thao. Visiting Namia River Retreat just 10 days after opening, when the hammam is still under construction, we have the pleasure of 90-minute treatments.

“No other Hoi An resort is delving as deeply into Vietnamese wellness practices,” says Michelle Ford, the resort’s general manager and the CEO of Lumina Wellbeing, which created Namia’s wellness program. She ought to know as she’s been designing wellness programs in Vietnam, Bangkok and the Maldives for 20 years. Ford managed the wellness program at the renowned Da Nang beachfront property, Fusion Maia Da Nang, now called TIA, for a decade. “Namia River Retreat is much more focused on Vietnamese culture and healing traditions, offers a strong sense of place along the river in Hoi An, and is way more serious about sustainability. 

“Our goal is to go deeper and offer guests the opportunity to choose a customised three-day wellness journey for their body or mind,” says Ford. “Our treatments are 100 per cent Vietnamese in origin and we’re very proud to be the first resort to use local Vietnamese herbal recipes. You won’t find any Swedish or Thai massages here.”

All in the details

Each guest is greeted by a host who will be their liaison during their stay. This host will get a sense of guests’ wishes, as well as their likes and dislikes, to craft a unique wellness, meal and experience package.

No other Hoi An resort is delving as deeply into Vietnamese wellness practices…Our treatments are 100 per cent Vietnamese in origin and we’re very proud to be the first resort to use local Vietnamese herbal recipes

Wellness rituals with Vietnamese origins

Over three days, I enjoy a ginger-oil Vietnamese massage with lots of kneading and chopping movements to improve my circulation; a body acupressure treatment to release and balance my energies (or chi); and a facial acupressure session, based on Vietnamese reflexology principles, which stimulates areas of the face that mirror different parts of my body. But that’s not all. 

Every day, I join the morning du’o’ng sinh session, a mindful movement practice similar to tai chi. At dusk, I light a candle in a coconut shell in the evening lantern ceremony on the resort’s pond. And I visit the traditional apothecary at the Lumina Spa to select the herbs for an evening soak in my sunken bath, which is thoughtfully appointed with a wooden back-scratching fork and water-scooping spoon. It’s a rhythm that’s as appealing as it is beneficial.hich food is categorised and used to create a nutritionally balanced, healthy diet. We quickly discover it also leads to an outstanding dining experience.

Flavours of Hoi An and the Cham Islands 

The resort’s two restaurants also tantalise my tastebuds. The Merchant all-day restaurant honours Hoi An’s long history as a trading port frequented by traders from Japan, China and Portugal. This is the locale for the enticing market-style breakfast with multiple stations serving pastries, a cornucopia of fruits, Vietnamese dishes and eggs cooked any way you wish. The Fisherman restaurant, which frames the palm tree-fringed, pond-like swimming pool, specialises in a delicious array of seafood from the nearby Cham Islands.

While Namia River Retreat might feel like a cocoon from the pressures of everyday life, Nam is passionate about showcasing traditional Vietnamese culture to his guests. You can pedal the resort’s bamboo bicycles on a guided trip to nearby wood carving, pottery and weaving villages; take a local cooking class; learn about traditional fishing practices; receive a monk’s blessing in a temple; and visit the home of a local healer. And, of course, the guest experiences team has the best tips for tailors, should you wish to make some clothing purchases in Hoi An.

“My greatest inspiration comes from a deep love for my homeland,” Nam says. “I see Namia River Retreat as a model of a new-generation resort, blending international service standards with vibrant local cultural experiences. I want to showcase the warmth of the Vietnamese people, our culture, and our hospitality to the world.”

If our stay is anything to go by, he’s certainly succeeding.

Prices at Namia River Retreat start from AU$1,000 a night and include breakfast, a daily 30-minute hammam steam session and a 60-minute treatment for each guest. There are also complimentary yoga and Vietnamese tai chi classes, boat transfers to Hoi An, and bamboo bicycles at each villa.

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