The Angsana is all about luxury, comfort and flexibility – the perfect family-friendly getaway!
The summer holidays are dwindling down, mamas, and you know what that means: time to book one last weekend getaway! With an idyllic beachfront setting, contemporary 5-star facilities, and jam-packed activities agenda for kids and adults alike, the Angsana Lang Co, Central Vietnam is the perfect destination for a fun-filled family holiday for the troupe to fuel up on sunshine and outdoor activities before it’s time to hit the books.
We were invited by Flight Centre to check out this amazing resort in Vietnam and the planning couldn’t have been easier, with our flight schedule, transportation and accommodation completely pre-planned – all we had to do was pack our bags and say “so long!” to Hong Kong for the weekend. I’ve previously used Flight Centre before, and have found them to be one of the easiest and speediest travel agents to work with, with a team of experts who work round the clock to find best holiday packages for you – they’ll even match any price you can find through their “lowest airfare guarantee”!
With the planning out of my hands, I could sit back and enjoy the short 1-hour flight to Vietnam, followed by a 1-hour drive to Angsana Lang Co from Danang Airport. It’s a bit further out than most of the resorts in the area, but the journey is worth it once you step foot on the magnificent property with its 229 stylish suites and private villas, serpentine pool snaking from one end of the property to the other, and beautiful beach views for as far as the eye can see.
Accommodation
The Angsana Lang Co is part of Vietnam’s first world-class integrated resort, comprising the Banyan Tree Lang Co, Angsana, Laguna Park Townhomes and a championship golf course. The neighbouring Banyan Tree is a gorgeous secluded property (great for honeymooners), but if you’re travelling with mini ones in tow, definitely stick to the Angsana Lang Co as it offers a plethora of family fun from water sports to arts and crafts and Kids Clubs.
The hotel is large and can be a bit overwhelming at first, but once you settle in, it’s easy to find your bearings (if anything, just follow the winding pool path to point you in the right direction). My beach-facing suite was beautifully decorated, with cheerful, colourful décor and golden-orange hues. The suite is meant to sleep two, but you could definitely fit more bodies in with the massive adjoining living room and pool deck. The Angsana also offers specific family-sized suites, with rollout beds for kids and the works.
The Angsana is all about luxury, comfort and flexibility, and therefore many of the suites feature private pools for when you want to have a quick dip vs. going out to the main pool. It’s a nice touch to have your own dipping pool, but I wouldn’t spend too much time holed up in your room with all the activities on offer at the resort.
Family Activities
If you’ve ever been on a family holiday and run into the problem of trying to keep everyone together and entertained at once, rest assured you won’t have that problem at Angsana. Surrounded by forest, mountains and natural beauty, the resort is a good distance from any neighbouring towns, which means most of your holiday will be spent at leisure on the resort grounds enjoying the range of on-site activities the staff have compiled to keep guests entertained.
Go golfing at the championship golf course next door, or hit the water on jet skis, banana boats or sail boats. Kids can join the Kids Club, and enjoy activities such as movies, reading, arts and crafts, board games, video games and outdoor activities. There are trampolines for bouncing around, an archery range for sharp-shooters, and ATVs for exploring the jungle growth and pristine beach on a 4-by-4.
I tried the ATV ride (30 minutes for approximately HK$240) on the second morning and had a blast exploring the area, led by one of the hotel’s tour guides. The first half of the tour goes through the forest, and the second half is spent riding along the beach, which is where you can really go full throttle. At such a reasonable price, it’s an activity I’d recommend for anyone staying at the hotel, and parents can also ride along with their kids if their little ones are too small to take the reigns.
For artsy types, the resort houses an arts and crafts centre, where guests can learn how to make traditional paper lanterns, which is a great activity for juniors to get their hands messy and take a souvenir home as a memento from their trip!
Boating along the river in Hoi An
While there’s plenty on-site to keep occupied, I would definitely recommend making a trip out to Hoi An village if you have the time. The Angsana offers a free shuttle to Hoi An daily (about an hour and a half journey), and it’s an ideal afternoon spent getting a taste of the local culture and checking out the charming shops along the riverfront. Angsana also manages its own restaurant Seedlings in Hoi An, which serves authentic and fresh Vietnamese fare – one of the best meals I had on the trip!
Dining and Facilities
One of the best parts of vacationing in Vietnam is undoubtedly the food, and with most of my meals spent eating at the resort, I was happy to find that Angsana offers world-class dining at a very reasonable price.
The all-day café Market Place boasts a cheery and bright dining room with a range of international cuisine and local specialties. Savouring the breakfast buffet there is the perfect way to start the day, with the sun streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
For lunch, check out Moomba, the relaxing poolside diner which offers a daily BBQ spread of meats and seafood, accompanied by Asian-style salads and cold dishes. This is the most family-friendly restaurant of the bunch, with a kids table serving up chicken fingers, fries and mini pizzas, and an ice cream cart making its way around the dining room to the delight of mini patrons (the ice cream is also surprisingly delicious, by the way).
Finally, Rice Bowl is a great date-night destination if the kids go to bed early one night and you want to enjoy some alone time with the hubby, featuring a romantically lit interior and world-class food and service. The restaurant is built around the cornerstone food of rice, and serves up a delectable range of Asian dishes inspired by the local cuisine.
The great part of staying at Angsana is that you also get access to the facilities at Banyan Tree as well, which means mamas, you can book that much-needed spa or while away an afternoon in the Banyan Tree’s beautiful library and bar, sipping on a cocktail and enjoying a good read. The Banyan Tree’s Azura restaurant is not to be missed, featuring a beautiful beachfront veranda where you can savour superb pastas, healthy appetisers, artisan pizzas and other Italian specialties.
With so many dining options and activities available, Angsana Lang Co is an ideal getaway for sneaking in some action and adventure before the end of summer, or getting that much-needed rest and relaxation in a restful, spa-filled holiday. This is a hotel that caters to the whole family, so book now before the holidays run out, mama!
Take advantage of cheap deals and hotel packages to Vietnam now by visiting www.flightcentre.hk.
Angsana Lang Co, Central Vietnam, +84 54 3695 800, www.angsana.com/en/ap-vietnam-lang-co