Coming directly from Phu Quoc’s fantastical JW Marriott, The Anam Cam Ranh was a step into the more traditional luxury you’d expect from a five-star Asian resort.
Tropical gardens, tiled roofs and dark timber gave it an elegant, distinctly Vietnamese character.
There’s a lot to appreciate here, from the expansive beachfront grounds to the choice of pools and restaurants. And while the setting certainly makes an impression, the food proved just as memorable.
Our Vietnamese banquet one evening was, in my opinion, the best meal I had in Vietnam.
Room To Relax
The Anam sits on Long Beach on the Cam Ranh peninsula, around 20 minutes’ drive from Cam Ranh International Airport.
It’s a separate coastal setting from nearby Nha Trang, making it a good option for travellers who want to combine sightseeing in the city with time at a beachfront resort.
Spread across 12 hectares, the property has around 3,000 palms, broad lawns and established gardens leading down to 300 metres of beachfront. Pathways wind between villas, decorative ponds, restaurants and pools, with the ocean providing the backdrop.
That generous use of space is a big part of its appeal. The gardens deserve as much attention as the buildings and there are plenty of places to settle in for a few hours.
The architecture draws on Vietnam’s Indochine era, with traditional rooflines, lanterns, patterned floor tiles and timber finishes.
Vietnamese artwork adds another local connection throughout the accommodation. It all comes together beautifully, giving the resort a sense of place as well as the comforts you’d expect at this level.
Rooms, Suites And Pool Villas
My garden villa
There are 77 villas and 136 rooms and suites, with a range of layouts for couples, families and groups travelling together.
The accommodation starts at a spacious 50 square metres. Premium Rooms, Deluxe Rooms and Terrace Rooms offer alternatives to the villas, while The Anam Suites have separate living areas and balconies overlooking the resort and its surroundings.
The villas include garden, pool and sea view options, as well as categories with private pools. Ocean View Pool Villas and Oceanfront Pool Villas each measure 150 square metres, providing considerably more room to spread out.
For families or friends, the two- and three-bedroom Hilltop Pool Villas have kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms with their own bathrooms and private pools. Those shared spaces make them worth considering for a multigenerational trip.
Across the accommodation, timber finishes and decorative tiles continue the resort’s traditional style.
Bathrooms feature deep soaking tubs and separate rain showers, while terraces, balconies or garden access provide somewhere to enjoy the surroundings.
It’s worth looking closely at the different categories when booking, as the choice affects both the accommodation and access to some of the resort’s dining benefits.
My Favourite Meal In Vietnam
Our banquet at Lang Viet Restaurant & Bar was a highlight of the stay and, as mentioned, the best meal of the trip in my opinion.
The restaurant focuses on Vietnamese cooking, with regional specialities from the north through to the south. A banquet gives you the opportunity to try a variety of dishes and ours was a fantastic introduction to the breadth of the kitchen’s offering.
Vietnam is a country where you can eat exceptionally well, so choosing a favourite meal is no small thing. This was an evening I’ll remember and dinner at Lang Viet would be high on my list for a return visit.
The setting adds to the experience. Designed around the idea of a Vietnamese village, the restaurant has terraces overlooking the beachfront and an adjacent pavilion beside the adults-only pool.
It also gives guests a good reason to make Vietnamese food a central part of their stay. With a restaurant like this on site, I’d allow time for dinner here when planning evenings out in Nha Trang.
An Excellent Start To The Day
Breakfast at The Colonial was another pleasure.
There was an excellent selection of pastries and cold cuts, alongside an included à la carte menu. I particularly liked having that combination: something to browse and help yourself to, with freshly prepared dishes available to order.
It’s the sort of breakfast you want to leave time for, especially when the day ahead involves little more pressing than choosing between the beach and a pool.
The Colonial operates as a club lounge during the day, with breakfast and afternoon tea available to guests staying in selected suites and higher category villas. Access is worth checking when choosing your room, as it adds something extra to the stay.
The resort’s main breakfast is served at The Indochine, near the lobby and overlooking a pool. Its international buffet includes Vietnamese, Asian and Western dishes, pastries, breads, fruit and live cooking stations.
There are several options for later in the day, too, from Vietnamese dining at Lang Viet to casual meals at the Beach Club and drinks at Saigon Bar.
Time At The Spa
The Anam Spa is a substantial part of the resort’s offering, with 10 treatment rooms and a menu covering massages, facials, body wraps and scrubs.
Treatments draw on traditional Asian techniques, with options for both individuals and couples. Four of the couples’ treatment rooms have their own steam room, sauna and outdoor granite Jacuzzi, giving guests the opportunity to make a longer occasion of a spa booking.
The surrounding sensory garden has reflecting ponds, water features and seating areas, along with herbs including rosemary, mint, lemongrass and aloe vera. A 16-metre reflexology path winds through the garden.
There’s also a yoga studio and an outdoor yoga deck with views towards Long Beach. For travellers looking to include some wellness time alongside sightseeing, there’s plenty here to build into the stay.
Afternoons By The Water
The Beach Club was a particularly relaxing spot to spend an afternoon.
With its beachfront outlook, palm shade and casual menu of international dishes and drinks, it was an easy place to settle in and enjoy the setting.
Having somewhere like this on site is part of what makes a resort stay appealing: you can spend an afternoon by the water with everything close at hand.
The Anam has three pools, including an adults-only pool, as well as direct beach access. Guests wanting to do more can make use of the tennis court, fitness centre, mini golf and beach activities.
Families have a kids’ club and playground, while the resort also has a 60-seat indoor cinema. Its farm experience introduces children to the vegetables, herbs and fruit grown on the grounds, as well as the resident animals.
There’s enough variety to keep different ages occupied, which makes the larger villas an appealing proposition for families travelling together.
For me, The Anam’s appeal was the combination of its beautiful grounds, traditional style and relaxed atmosphere, backed by dining that deserves attention in its own right.
I’d happily return for another leisurely breakfast at The Colonial, an afternoon at the Beach Club and, most definitely, another dinner at Lang Viet.
https://theanam.com/the-anam-cam-ranh/
