Best food & drink

1. Sea.Fire.Salt

Influenced by its surroundings, this restaurant takes you on a journey of sea, fire and salt. The resort’s only restaurant features a dedicated library where diners can explore different varieties of rare salt sourced from various regions of Vietnam by the Salt Guru. Designed to elevate the entire culinary experience, the staff expertly guided me through each salt, recommending the perfect pairings for every dish.

The extensive a la carte menu offers the freshest seafood and premium meat, grilled to perfection. To begin with, I enjoyed steak tartare, made with Australian Tenderloin and tossed with traditional Vietnamese trimmings. The show-stopping course was a selection of grilled meat on the barbecue, cooked and served on a block of Himalayan salt, which introduced the fire and salt elements, enhancing the natural flavours. It consisted of Angus beef tenderloin, lamb cutlets, chicken skewers, pork ribs, pork skewers and wagyu striploin. Accompanied by sauteed mixed vegetables drenched in pesto, boiled Da Lat potatoes and garlic butter, pepper corn and spicy barbecue sauces. Then arrived the coconut and pepper creme brulee — a unique take on the classic served in a coconut shell.

2. Designer Dining

Anantara Quy Nhon Villas offers private dining upon the beach in a romantic setting. Guests can choose their favourite dish from the connoisseur menus or collaborate with the chef for the ultimate gastronomic adventure, making it a completely unique experience. Choose from three menu types: Journey to the West, Romantic Dinner or Taste of Quy Nhon. All offering something different, depending on your taste and preferences.

Rose petals and seashells are scattered on the dining table, with sheer white curtains draped on either side, illuminated by glowing lights to set an intimate ambience. Complemented by the soundtrack of the ocean, this private dining on the beach is the perfect romantic occasion.

I opted for the Romantic Dinner menu, a five-course meal taking me on a journey around Vietnam. It began with a touch of mango salad with prawns, which was fresh and light, followed by wild mushroom and truffle soup, drizzled with a gold leaf. From the sea, baked Lobster with Garlic Butter Sauce melted in my mouth. The last main course was Charcoal-Grilled Wagyu Striploin from the mountains. Finished by a sweet touch, the blueberry cheesecake with white chocolate and Da Lat strawberries was heaven.

3. In-villa Dining

The highlight of my stay was the chance to unwind, let go of everyday life, and sink into the comfort of my beachfront villa — so of course, I had to make the most of it with in-villa dining. Available all day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in-villa dining let me watch a storm sweep across the beach while I slipped into a bubble bath and savoured five-star gourmet cuisine from the comfort of my villa.

Dining from Sea.Fire.Salt lunch menu, I tucked into a grilled wagyu beef burger and a chocolate fondant with ice cream — an elevated take on comfort food.

For days when you’re craving pure relaxation, you can enjoy a poolside barbecue from your villa with a private chef and butler, serving the finest seafood and meats. Take in the peaceful ambience and picture-perfect backdrop under the starry night sky with this memorable dinner.

Stay

With only 25 villas on the resort, I had the privilege of checking into one of the private beach villas. I was truly blown away. The views of the beachfront were breathtaking, and the sound of the ocean softly crashing offered a calm oasis.

The beach villas are designed with a private pool, an indulgent day bed and sun loungers on the outdoor terrace. With a contemporary feel, it features floor-to-ceiling windows that allow you to take in the magnificent scenery from every angle. Whether you’re tucked up in bed watching a storm pass, soaking up a bubble bath, relaxing by the pool, or indulging in-villa dining.

The villa also includes an outdoor shower area, a freestanding bath with a view, an open-plan living and bedroom area, and a rainfall shower that is accessible from the outdoor terrace, meaning no trail of sand is left behind in your villa.

I didn’t think the landscape could become any more mesmerising until I woke at 5:30 am to watch the sunrise. The horizon unfolded like a pastel painting, brushed with shades of vivid orange and soft yellow. With only the silhouettes of fishermen’s boats drifting at sea, in this moment, I realised true wealth comes from experiences like this.

Explore

Although a hidden paradise of untouched golden shores, Anantara Quy Nhon Villas is situated a 30-minute drive from the historic city centre, providing guests with access to explore. The five-star resort offers tours and activities for guests to connect with the culture, surroundings and people of Quy Nhon. Take an early morning visit to the local market to seek out the freshest ingredients for a Vietnamese cooking class at the resort. Or visit one of Quy Nhon’s most beautiful beaches, nearby the resort, for snorkelling and diving sessions with tropical marine life.

Visiting Anantara Quy Nhon Villas, I not only experienced beautiful beaches and majestic scenery, but also visited the ancient Cham towers dating back thousands of years. The Twin Towers ruins hold centuries of stories from the origin of Vietnam’s Champa kingdom in the 2nd century, used as a place to worship their gods and kings.

While exploring the centre of Quy Nhon, I indulged in a Ban Xeo — a dish hailed from central Vietnam. Similar to a crispy pancake, a Ban Xeo is filled with pork, beef, or shrimp, green onions and bean sprouts and is typically dipped in a tangy-sweet fish sauce. It’s a street food staple in Vietnam, specifically in Quy Nhon, where it’s a local speciality, and you will even find it on some fine dining menus, including Sea.Fire.Salt.