Banyan Tree Lang Co Bay

In short… Luxurious villas with expansive sea views, in an easy to access part of Vietnam’s beautiful central coast

The surroundings…  As clouds were building up in the late afternoon we drove up the coast to Lang Co Bay, an hour north of Da Nang, the largest city in central Vietnam. As we made our way up the coast on the very well maintained highway, we whizzed by piles of durian being sold on carts on the sidewalks, an abundance of cafes, and a steady stream of motorcycles. By the time we closed in on the Banyan Tree, a proper deluge was in progress. While I knew it was still the rainy season in Central Vietnam this time of year (and had packed my raincoat), what I had not fully digested was just how much of a beating this part of the country had taken from recent storms: houses and buildings in states of obvious disrepair, toppled trees, and fields that looked pond-like with their risen water levels.  Living in Hong Kong, I am accustomed to typhoons, and aware of the shifting timelines we experience due to climate change. Late summer events now bleed into November. The typhoons that missed us in Hong Kong had come crashing upon Vietnam’s central coast without leaving time and space in between to recover. Pretty little paddy fields with water buffaloes wading through them flank the road leading up to the Banyan Tree, which we were able to see better in the light of day when the rain let up the next day.

The rooms… When we tumbled out of the car, we were whisked up a hill to our villa in a buggy driven by the kind staff. The twinkling lights dotting the hills above the sea, where Banyan Tree’s suites are perched, along with colourful lanterns throughout the hotel grounds, made for an inviting sight. Banyan Tree’s villas are huge, with luscious linens, large tubs, and expansive views. I was traveling with my family and had booked a two-bedroom villa with a private pool, which they upgraded to a three-bedroom villa with a pool. While there were a few design choices I wasn’t fond of, I enjoyed the large-scale Vietnamese floral lacquer paintings in the living and bedroom areas, and the very large sofa area.

The food… Breakfast was a fun affair each morning of our stay. I love a good hotel breakfast, and like to linger over it. While the fragrant beef noodles (bun bo hue) were not for me, I was delighted with the variety of chia porridges (spiked with hot pink dragon fruit and blue butterfly pea flowers no less), flat steamed rice dumplings, local honey, and the extensive range of coffee concoctions. Vietnamese coffee is usually rich and very sweet. Over time, I’ve lost the sweet tooth I had in my 20s, but I ordered a coconut coffee (ca phe cot dua). The condensed milk, local robusta coffee beans, coconut cream, and ice, all mixed into a moreish milkshake consistency, was absolutely delicious and reminded me of the cold coffees served across India. The server noticed my grin after I demolished it, and asked if I’d like to try salt coffee (Cà phê muối ) next, but I declined. I wanted to wait to try it on our day trip to Huế, its place of origin. We also had a delicious meal at Banyan Tree’s Thai restaurant. Thai food on a trip to Vietnam? I know, I know, but besides very good food, it also had some interesting chandeliers, and I can never resist cool lighting design. 

Be sure to… Do a day trip to Huế. We took advantage of a break in the rain and a day when the hotel lost its electricity due to scheduled maintenance (they very graciously offered a discount to make up for the inconvenience) to explore. Situated on the banks of the Hương River, Huế was once the administrative capital of Vietnam’s Nguyen dynasty and is now home to the remains of the Imperial City. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the complex contains moats, palaces (including the restored Kien Trung Palace, with its slightly gaudy mix of French and Vietnamese styles), shrines, and some spectacular stone lattice walls, painted ceilings, and gigantic bronze cauldrons. While the imperial buildings were largely ceremonial during the French colonial era, the city suffered substantial damage during the 1968 Battle of Huế, part of the Tet offensive.

Nearby, we headed to a sweet little cafe called Cà phê muối, (literally “salt coffee”), the birthplace of the delicious drink. Made with condensed milk, cream, salt and coffee, it tastes like a well-balanced salted caramel frothy coffee. I appreciated that they served it in little cups instead of latte-sized tumblers that are overwhelming, because it is so decadent. We also made our way to Luc Bo Culture Space, housed in the former palace of Emperor Duc Duc, from his pre-throne Nguyen dynasty era. The space now sells silks, soaps, balms, traditional conical hats (Non la), teas, hosts incense-making workshops, and houses Nguyen Dynasty documents and photographs in a little room off the main shop area.

Parting words… I would consider staying at Banyan Tree again; besides the lovely staff and other positives, they have a huge stretch of beach, which we didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy in the rain this time. I’d certainly love to come back to this part of Vietnam more generally—delicious food, improved road infrastructure, welcoming people, and a sense of safety, would make returning a rather easy decision to make.

Dates of stay… November 2024