Travelore News: First Four Seasons In Vietnam Announced

The Nam Hai Hoi An luxury resort will be managed by Four Seasons as of December 20, 2016

TORONTO, Canada - Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Hotel Properties Limited (HPL) and ASB Development Limited today announced that the renowned luxury resort – The Nam Hai Hoi An - will be managed by Four Seasons as of December 20, 2016. The Resort, a joint venture between HPL, a major international property group, and ASB Development Limited, Dubai's leading investment group, marks the much-anticipated entry of Four Seasons into Vietnam, one of the world's fastest growing tourist destinations.

Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An, Vietnam is located in the country's premier resort destination along the pristine coastline of Hoi An and in close proximity to the neighbouring town of Hoi An, a UNESCO-protected trading port from the 15th century and one of Vietnam's modern culinary meccas. The Resort is also conveniently located just 30 minutes from the city of Da Nang and Da Nang International Airport, making it easily accessible for international and regional travellers alike.

"Hoi An is one of the most coveted resort locations in Vietnam and we're excited to be bringing legendary Four Seasons service and quality to this idyllic destination," says Stephen Lau, Chairman, HPL Hotels and Resorts. "As owners of several Four Seasons properties around the world, we know that Four Seasons has a proven track record of catering to discerning luxury travellers from around the world with highly personalised care and unmatched attention to detail. We look forward to bringing their world-class hospitality to the Hoi An coast and together creating one of the finest resorts in Vietnam."

J. Allen Smith, President and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts adds, "Vietnam is an important growth market for Four Seasons and this is a unique opportunity to quickly establish a presence in the country's top resort destination with partners HPL and ASB, who believe in the culture of Four Seasons and share our vision for success."

"As we continue to extend our presence across Asia Pacific we are focused on ensuring that each new addition to our portfolio represents the very best of Four Seasons, offering the highest levels of service excellence and product quality," continues Smith. "Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An, Vietnam will be no exception and we are excited to mark our entry into Vietnam with such a desirable location and a luxury product that will appeal to regional and international travellers, as well as private residence owners."

Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An, Vietnam will be the latest addition to the exclusive collection of Four Seasons resorts in the Asia Pacific region, including two resorts in Bali; two resorts, a private island, and a private catamaran in the Maldives; three resorts in Thailand; and resorts in Bora Bora and Langkawi.

These Are The Best Value Destinations For 2016

Bagging a good deal on the road can be almost as thrilling as the trip itself, no matter what your travel budget.

Make your hard-earned cash go further with our essential annual hot-list of where to go for wallet-friendly wandering, whether you’re hunting for a bargain or in search of old-school cheapness. Splurgers, look elsewhere.

1. Estonia

Pin this imageThe enchanting forests of the Lahemaa National Park. Image by DEA / W. BUSS / De Agostini / Getty

If you’ve just got off the ferry from Stockholm or Helsinki then Estonia can feel like the promised land. Why? That chunk of change in your pocket you’ve had since last leaving the eurozone will buy you a round of drinks. Upsizing from a hostel to hotel might seem like a good – and affordable – idea. Best of all, what you get in exchange for your hard-earned cash is experiencing a gloriously distinctive slice of Europe, where Eastern and Nordic influences mix together.

Beyond the irresistible capital of Tallinn there are little-known Baltic islands and the seashore and forest delights of Lahemaa National Park, which holds the distinction of being the first national park in the old Soviet Union.

2. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam

Pin this imageA busy street in Ho Chi Minh City. Image by lichtbildfotograf / Lonely Planet

The Price of Travel’s Index (priceoftravel.com), ranking 31 Asian cities by price, confirms what many travellers have known for a while – Vietnam’s cities are tops for budget options. Both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi (third and second in the list respectively) are in that most magical of price brackets for the budget traveller: US$20 per day or less for food, lodging and sights. Finding these prices will take you firmly into the territory of living like a local, which is another vote in favour of making a super-cheap city trip at some point this year.

3. East Africa

Pin this imageEast Africa's Nilo Azul (Blue Nile). Image by Miguel A. Marti / Getty Images

The outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa has, unfortunately for other areas of the continent, had a knock-on effect in terms of bookings for 2015. So listen up: London, Madrid and Paris are hundreds of miles closer to the outbreak in West Africa than East Africa’s tourism heartland. Africa is a massive continent (the United States would fit in the Sahara Desert) so you’ll be doing yourself and tourism in East Africa a favour if you take advantage of the cracking deals on offer to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and the rest of the region. And in the process experience some of the world’s great wonders, from gorilla encounters to Rift Valley scenery to squeaky-sanded beaches.

4. New Mexico

Pin this imageMountain biking in New Mexico. Image by amygdala_imagery / Lonely Planet

Looking for a beautiful, affordable, active, foodie corner of America’s southwest?  Look no further. New Mexico powers your budget further. Dry, sunny weather is a near constant. Albuquerque’s Breaking Bad sights can be explored for the price of a trolley ride and washed down with a cheap eat from a hole-in-the-wall taqueria. Elsewhere, the winter sports are good and cheap and the outdoors is outstanding (and free): hiking in Alpine forests, petroglyph sites to track down and free wild hot springs. Given the richness of attractions all found within one state, New Mexico offers value from a time as well as monetary perspective.

5. Bosnia and Hercegovina

Pin this imageThe iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge) in the city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Image by Matej Divizna / Getty Image News / Getty

All it takes to make Europe’s big hitters feel very pricey is for a few currency fluctuations to work against you. Thankfully there are still a few places where regardless of where you come from you’ll feel like you’re getting a good deal. Bosnia and Hercegovina is one of those. Inexpensive accommodation, meals and intercity transport combined with historic cities (Sarajevo and Mostar) and affordable adrenaline pursuits (rafting on the Una River and skiing) reward both the impecunious and those seeking a less well-travelled Europe.

6. Galicia, Spain

Pin this imageA lighthouse on the Galician coast. Image by Lonely Planet

Spain. Mapped by travellers? Not completely. Galicia in the northwest of the country is arguably Spain’s last frontier. Once you get beyond Santiago de Compostela, this wild region fragments into rocky coastline met by spectacular rías (inlets) and an interior of countless unspoilt villages. The region’s value comes not only from the lower costs compared with more-visited parts of Spain, but also from the quality of seafood and meat found in abundance in tapas bars, meaning tasting the good stuff in small portions costs less. And if you’re keen to save while sleeping over, aim for self-catering properties around the region, especially outside the school holidays.

7. Québec City, Canada

Pin this imageThe skyline of Quebec City, Canada. Image by Wangkun Jia / Lonely Planet

What to do if you live in North America and want to visit Europe, but lack the time and funds? Consider Québec City. Yes, we know it’s not in Europe. But there’s enough of the exotic in this Francophone city to remind you of the Old Continent. In a few days you can tour the beautiful Unesco-listed old town, dine in old-school bistros and get thoroughly lost in the timeless cobblestone streets. With a little more time and your own wheels, Montmorency Forest (foretmontmorency.ca/en) and Jacques-Cartier National Park offer a wilder taste of the province and superb wildlife-viewing opportunities surprisingly close to the city.

8. Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast

Pin this imageHang out with a furry friend at the Sloth Sanctuary in San Jose. Image by Rodrigo Arangua / AFP / Getty

Looking for a Costa Rica that’s more Tico than tourist, but with everything that makes the country such a big draw? Get to the country’s Caribbean coast and you’ll find a still-evolving destination that’s likely to become a big noise over the next few years. Here you’ll find nesting turtles at Tortuguero, rafting on the Río Pacuare and diving in the reefs of Manzanillo. Surfers and fans of laid-back black-sand beaches should aim for the southern coast. For now, this is a land mostly visited by independent travellers and those seeking out birdlife. Not sold? Two words: sloth sanctuary.

9. Timor-Leste

Pin this imageFutucama in Timor-Leste. Image by Lonely Planet

If you’re pondering a little-known and highly affordable destination then Timor-Leste (rather than East Timor, if you please) might just be the budget destination for you. Away from the pricey hotels of the internationally-influenced capital of Dili, you’ll find bargain beach shacks on the beaches of Atauro Island, and welcoming homestays in the misty hill country. Despite ongoing security concerns, travelling round Timor-Leste can be an old-fashioned adventure, complete with bumpy roads and packed local transport. As an added bonus, you will be able to stare down any travel bore with Asia’s newest country added to your roster.

10. Western Australia

Pin this imageThe limestone formations of the Pinnacles in the Australian Outback. Image by Ullstein Bild / Getty

Currency fluctuations mean that the Australian dollar is a better deal for overseas visitors than it has been for a few years, and that Aussies may scale back overseas plans. This puts the dream-like landscapes of Western Australia, out of reach of some travellers thanks to the mining boom of the last few years, firmly back on the map. Beyond cosmopolitan Perth, iconic natural sights abound here, from the rocky coast and winelands of the southwest to the outback treats of the Kimberley, Kununurra and the Pinnacles.

by Tom Hall 

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-tips-and-articles/best-value-destinations-for-2016#ixzz3qixkt8Mf

5 Unique, Lesser-Known Destinations

The worst part of being a tourist visiting the worlds most popular attractions is all the other tourists. Long lines, crowded spaces, having to stand on a friend or relative to prevent people from obscuring your photographs. The solution then, is to go somewhere quiet and less travelled, but of course you still want to see something unique and amazing. To help you our, weary traveller, we bring you our top 5 unique lesser known destinations!

Quinta de Regaleira, Portugal

What a destination to start this list on! Just a peek at the photo below should already get your travel bug fluttering! There are some incredible things to see when you visit this estate located near the historic town of Sintra, Portugal. Among attractions are The Regaleira Palace, The Regaleira Chapel, a Roman Catholic Chapel and a park that spans 4 hectares and contains an extensive network of tunnels. But of course, you are still intrigued by the photo, aren’t you? They are known as the Initiation Wells, which were used not for water gathering, but for Tarot initiation rites. The tunnel system connects the two wells and other monuments to each other, and the the larger of the two wells contains a 27-meter spiral staircase with several small landings.

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Bali

Located in Bali, which as you already know, is a major tourist destination, this lesser known Shiva and water temple sits on the shores of Lake Bratan in the mountains near Bedugul. Due to the importance of Lake Bratan as a main source of irrigation in central Bali, this temple was built in 1663 and is used for offerings to the Balinese water, lake and river goddess, Dewi Danu. While out of the way of the major tourism areas, this temple is also features on the Indonesian 50,000-rupiah banknote.

Huacachina, Peru

From a water temple near a lake to and oasis in the Peru desert. This town in the Ica region has a population of 115, and just like the temple, is featured on the back of a bank note. Tourists usually visit this town for sandboarding (like snowboarding, but on sand) and to go for rides through the endless dunes on a dune buggy. Legends say that the lagoon got its start from hunter finding a beautiful princess bathing in a pool of water. When she fled, the pool of water became the lagoon, and the folds of her mantle as she ran away, became the surrounding dunes. She is rumoured to still live in the lagoon… as a mermaid.

Marieta Islands, Mexico

This is one for the marine lover. The Marieta Islands in Mexico requires a permit to visit, and the area surrounding the island is teeming with marine life, as it is protected from fishing and hunting by the Mexican government. Marieta Islands are several small uninhabited islands formed by volcanic activity thousands of years ago a few miles off the coast of Nayarit, Mexico. The protection of the eco system makes for amazing scuba diving and snorkelling, and is easily reached by an hour long boat ride from the coast of Puerto Vallarta. Visitors often report seeing Octopus, Manta Rays, Sea Turtles, Dolphins and Humpback Whales, and of course, many species of tropical fish.

Hang Son Doong, Vietnam

son Doong Cave is located in the Quang Binh Province in Vietnam and it has the largest known cave passage cross-section in the world. Inside the cave is a large, fast-flowing subterranean river. The cave was discovered by a local man named Hồ-Khanh in 1991, and in August 2013 the first tourist group explored the cave on a guided tour cat the price of US$3,000 each. Like the islands in Mexico, you need a permit in order to visit the cave, and only 500 permits were issued for the 2015 season, which runs from February till August. After August, seasonal rain makes the cave largely unaccessible. The cave also boasts some of the tallest stalagmites in the world, some reaching up to 70m tall.

From Campbell Bevan Founder and Managing Director at Amazing Accom., A Luxury Travel Blog