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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 AUGUST 2017 40 Travel Getting there Emirates offer regular flights between Malta and Hanoi airport with a stopover in Dubai. Flights departing from Malta on 31 August and returning on 14 September were priced at €837 including tax. Getting to both Mui Ne and Nha Thrang is straight forward. You can arrive by plane, or by train (Nha Trang is a stop on the main railway-line connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon). Or you can arrive like many adventurous bikers do, following the famous the Ho Chi Minh trail. A little bit of luxury in Vietnam MARC CASOLANI ALTHOUGH my favourite form of travel takes me off the beaten track, sometimes it is nice to take a step back and enjoy a little bit of luxury. Vietnam has some superb beaches along with some luxury hotels that make this part of my trip just as enjoyable as the most perfect sunrise atop a mountain. At the risk of raising an eyebrow or two, I'm on a luxury tour from Nha Thrang down to Mui Ne on Vietnam's south east coast stay- ing at the Mia Resorts – five star havens of tranquillity and beauty. Not my usual style, I know, but worth every penny, trust me. This is mainly thanks to the fact that Vietnam is not an expensive place to begin with. So your budg- et doesn't have to be outrageous. The coastal city of Nha Thrang is a beautiful place, but I soon found it swarmed by too many Russians who liked to party, and Chinese who couldn't swim. (Flailing about in their bright yellow life jackets] So I was glad to get away to the first of my two Mia resorts, just a few miles north of Nha Thrang. Situated on a two-km stretch of exclusive beach, this five star col- lection of villas set in manicured lawns struck me as perfect place for families and even honeymoon- ers. For me though, it was a chance to relax and explore the entire re- sort. Imagine beginning your day with nothing but the sound of waves and a stunning view. Then, after breakfast, walking the beach or swimming in the crystal clear wa- ters. I found yoga and scuba diving classes as well. Then came lunch, followed by cocktails at sunset, fol- lowed by a buffet dinner. So that by the time I got back to my bun- galow, I was fit only to run a bath in my luxury spa-like bathroom and sink into complete relaxation. For those who still want to ex- perience the city of Nha Thrang, however, there is a shuttle service that runs between the resort and the sailing club, which is also co- owned by Mia. I found it a great way to get into the Nha Thrang scene, without fully stepping out of Mia's chilled concept. A place that relaxes by day, but cooks up a party storm by night. So much so in fact, it has now earned the repu- tation as one of the hottest places in Nha Thrang. Next up, I headed for Mia's even more reasonably-priced four-star resort in Mui Ne – 200 km's fur- ther south down the coast. A laid- back little town famous for its sand dunes, Mui Ne is possibly best de- scribed as a kitesurfers paradise and a windsurfers dream. Much more than that though, it made me feel immediately at peace, as if the weight of the world had been lifted from me, and as if all I wanted to do was reach for a healthy drink, a good book and a vegetarian meal. Yes, not exactly my usual style – again. But with its unique jungle and beach shack style design, this was more a healthy retreat for body and mind. A place where they offer yoga for all ages, healthy food drinks all day, kite surfing and windsurfing lessons, a library and meditation area; and last but not least, a small luxury spa set in a lovely bit of jungle vegetation. The Mia concept is simple, treat all human beings, wealthy or not, in a way they will find hard to forget for the rest of their lives. Yes, wealth made this place possible, but the impression I came away with from the Mia resorts was more purity than luxury. Places built in such a way as to leave you with a strange but wonderful feeling of nostalgia. One thing is for sure, for some- one who normally loves the more adventurous places and who usually goes for places with a much lower price tag, I found that a little luxury in Vietnam goes a long, long way.