Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort

 

Good morning from the Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort

Hip hip hurray for a free day!

I took the opportunity to enjoy the resort's facilities, indulge in an afternoon and catch up on blogging and social media! So this post will be "bliss"fully brief!

The sun was well up by 0620 when I walked around to take photos of the resort. Reception

Once again, very extensive and excellent breakfast

I had to try every single one of these...

When you can't decide which type of coffee you want and both are free

The library was up on the 3rd floor with NO lift!

The very large pool. Apparently swimming in the morning is not very trendy

I had the beach and the pool all to myself

The building with the "rooms". The resort also had bungalows closer to the pool and beach

Lunch. Cao Lao, Hoi An noodle dish

Complimentary afternoon tea. It was a lot of food for one person! 

A Day of Authentic Encounters in Hoi An's Countryside

Nothing beats fresh seafood

Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is an ancient town, known for its unique blend of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and French architecture, vibrant silk lanterns, and the myriad of tailor shops offering custom-made garments. Our itinerary saw us veering away from the iconic yellow walls of the old town and towards the countryside.

We kicked off the day with a 7km cycle to Cam Thanh Ecological Village. In the heat and humidity, it felt more like 70! But every pedal was worth it. We were warmly welcomed by a local farmer who gave us a fascinating demonstration of traditional rice farming. The true star of the show, however, was their magnificent 7-year-old water buffalo – their prized possession and the heart of their livelihood! 

 

Pool area of the Allegro Hoi An

Open air reception as is common in the hotels in Hoi An

Sitting area

Many hotels provide bicycles either for free or for rental

Little library

The breakfast room

The breakfast selection is excellent

There seems to be more everywhere I look!

With unusual local foods

It was time to cycle again

Palms drying for roofing

Very precious water buffalo

Planting rice was hard and dirty...

Our cycling adventure continued to a local fishing village, where we hopped aboard a boat with local fishermen from Phuoc Hai. It was incredible to experience traditional fishing methods firsthand, even trying out the local cast net (Chai). Afterward, we glided through the tranquil water coconut palm jungle in a unique basket boat. The tour culminated with a delicious fresh seafood lunch, followed by a transfer to the stunning Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort. 

It was wonderful way to end the day – a sunset cocktail party (free flowing cocktails!) and BBQ dinner right on the beach!

Next up...local fisherman family!

basket boat ride

Water coconut palm jungle

One of the best seafood lunch!

My very big and very comfortable room at Bliss Hoi An

My outdoor area

Bathroom

Time to relax at the pool!

Ending the day with a beach party

My new German friends :)

Free cocktails!

The setting was stunning

Food selection and quality was superb

Meat that was barbequed fresh

Fancy local food

Dessert

Apparently I was a pro. I now have a back up job of rice farmer or fisherwoman. Don't tell my mother

Addendum: The reception staff at Allegro Hoi An were super helpful with facilitating my laundry. They contacted the laundry, and arranged drop off, pick up and payment on my behalf. I left my laundry off in a bag with reception at around 0730, and it came back washed and folded all neatly in a bag by 1pm. They paid the laundry and I paid reception. The cost was VND35,000 per kg, payable in cash only. Luckily I randomly had USD5 in my wallet which reception accepted and I received my change in VND. 

Cat Ba Island

 

View looking out from Trung Trang cave on Cat Ba Island

Cat Ba Island, the largest island in the Cat Ba Archipelago, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, home to Cat Ba National Park where there are diverse ecosystems including tropical rainforests, mangroves, and coral reefs. It is a critical habitat for the golden-headed langur (which we unfortunately did not see).

Much to everyone's collective relief, our excursion to the Trung Trang Cave on Cat Ba Island was a go! Our tender boat efficiently ferried us to the island, where a waiting bus whisked us away to the cave entrance. In all honesty, the cave itself was a bit of a letdown. Having explored more spectacular underground formations in my time, navigating through this one in a single file like dutiful ants, coupled with the cave's less-than-pristine condition, wasn't particularly inspiring. On the practical side, access requires 150 steps up at the beginning and 60 steps down at the end. Certain sections of the cave are low, narrow or both!

We returned to the main boat by 9:00am, just enough time for a quick shower, some last-minute packing, and a speedy "brunch" before disembarking at 10:45am. Our bus was waiting for us back at the port, ready to transfer us directly to Hanoi Airport for our Vietnam airlines flight to Da Nang. The flight itself was blessedly uneventful, always a relief. We departed close to time and arrived close to time. Upon arrival, we were swiftly whisked away for a quick dinner before continuing our journey by road to Hoi An.

Our hotel for the night was the Allegro Hoi An, a relatively new property that instantly impressed with its beautiful design and welcoming ambiance. By this point, exhaustion had well and truly set in for the entire group. I'll post more photos tomorrow when I've had a chance to recharge and truly appreciate this charming spot!

 

Noodle station at breakfast

Omelette station

Breakfast buffet

All the boats parked. This was low season, I shudder to think what high season would look like

The tenders of the various boats took turns to unload their passengers

A bus was waiting for us. 

Entrance to Trung Trang Cave

We filed in a single line on this path

Cooling down at a lounge at Ha Noi airport. Thank you priority pass

The central well of Allegro Hoi An

My very spacious and luxurious room

Like a second wedding

welcome cake!

Love the big and new bathrooms!