Soak up Halong Bay’s awe-inspiring limestone karsts, indulging exquisite food and wine in Cam Ranh, countdown at stunning Ho Tram beach — these are just a few of the settings and happenings across Vietnam this New Year’s Eve. Have a look below at what’s brewing, one month out.
Ring in 2020 Among Halong Bay’s Limestone Karsts
It would be tough for revellers to find a more captivating location to welcome 2020 than Vietnam’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed Halong Bay dotted with myriad limestone karsts. To mark the occasion, Halong Bay’s leading luxury cruise provider Paradise Cruises will host gala dinners before countdown celebrations on its Paradise Luxury, Paradise Elegance and Paradise Peak cruises. The dinner menu includes Atlantic smoked salmon and fresh Halong oyster with Sauvignon Blanc jelly and black caviar, marinated king prawns with brandy, slow-grilled lamb leg, roasted tom turkey and prime Australian beef tenderloin. A live Filipino band will perform an eclectic mix of tunes ranging from jazz and pop to Vietnamese classics on Paradise Elegance. When the sun appears on New Year’s Day, guests will again be greeted by incredible vistas of the bay’s limestone karst formations rising up from turquoise waters, with sunrise tai chi on the sundeck among an array of onboard experiences during the New Year’s Eve cruises.
Old Meets New in Vietnam’s Former Imperial Capital
With its magical setting overlooking the Perfume River and the centuries-old Hue citadel, Azerai La Residence, Hue offers an enchanting location to ring in 2020. The evening of Dec. 31st begins with a cocktail reception in the hotel’s art deco-style lobby lounge, followed by a traditional Vietnamese lion and dragon dance. The celebrations continue with a gala dinner at Le Parfum restaurant, featuring a wide selection of international dishes and Vietnamese specialties, including sauteed prawn with tamarind sauce, Bun Bo Hue (Hue noodle soup), and banana flower salad with chicken. Dinner will be accompanied by Hue folk songs performed by a traditional band. The evening kicks into gear after dinner as local DJ spins tracks outside the hotel on the lobby lounge terrace, where just before midnight revellers will count down the last moments of 2019 and greet the New Year with a spectacular fireworks show.
Mark the New Year at Cam Ranh with Champagne, Caviar and More
Indulging exquisite food and wine is the order of the day on New Year’s Eve at The Anam on Vietnam’s upcoming Cam Ranh peninsula. Following high tea featuring Osetra Prestige Caviar by Kaviari, foie gras, a bottle of champagne, vodka, chocolate pralines and more served at The Colonial restaurant from 11am until 5pm, the 12-hectare beachfront resort will host seven-course and five-course dinners at The Colonial and The Indochine respectively, and a barbeque buffet at Lang Viet restaurant. To a backdrop of live classical music on a baby grand piano, the Colonial’s degustation menu by executive chef Peter Ye includes pan-seared Hokkaido scallops with green pea puree, prosciutto crisps, buttered spring peas and chive oil, sous vide Black Angus beef short rib with charred baby leeks, pan-friend foie gras, roasted artichoke crème and truffle jus, and raspberry semi-freddo with thyme jelly, earl grey gel candied thyme leaflets and raspberry coulis — all of this paired with wine, of course. Revellers will then ring in 2020 at a countdown party at The Beach Club replete with fire dancers and DJs spinning house tunes.
Stunning New Beach Resort Marks its First New Year’s Eve
After celebrating its grand opening in April this year five star Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort, overlooking Ho Tram beach within easy reach of Ho Chi Minh City, will soon mark another milestone; its first New Year’s Eve countdown. On December 31, the 17-hectare resort, deemed one of the most prestigious properties in the Meliá Hotels and Resorts portfolio globally, will host a delectable buffet dinner at its lush gardens surrounding its lake by the beach. Diners will be spoilt for choice with a vibrant array of stations. A live BBQ station will brim with lobster, tiger prawns, crabs, tuna fillets, rib eye steak, lamb, veal, chicken, clams, snails and more. A carving station will feature roast sirloin steak, beef medallions, and braised leg of lamb. A Vietnamese station will offer a host of favourites ranging from seafood banh xeo (savoury pancake) and steamed whole grouper to caramelized pork in clay pot. In addition to main courses such as red snapper and Vietnamese chicken curry, vast selections of appetisers, cold cuts, international cheeses, salads, mezze and more will be served. The merriment will continue at Vietnam’s first Spanish beach club, Breeza, where there will be free-flow beer and wine and live entertainment in the lead-up to the countdown.
Countdown in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta
A whole host of activities starting in the mid-afternoon are planned to help guests usher in the New Year at Azerai Can Tho in Vietnam’s “Nine Dragon River Delta.” The festivities kick off with a special Mekong Afternoon Tea featuring various kinds of coconuts and Vietnamese street food served underneath the resort’s banyan trees. Guests can also discover the art of Vietnamese calligraphy and coconut weaving. The New Year’s Eve cocktail hour includes bespoke drinks at the Lounge Bar, followed by a gala dinner with live music from the local acoustic band Coffee Fresh. Guests will be provided with a glass of Champagne to cheer the arrival of 2020, and the party will continue at the resort’s Lounge Bar until the wee hours of the morning.
